It seems that the Melbourne winter has finally arrived, with cold and dark weather everywhere you look. As the coldness arrives, it often pushes out our motivation to stay active and moving. If you’re struggling to maintain your exercise routine or to even get off the couch, you’re not alone! It’s pretty damn hard to leave the warmth of your bed behind on a cold, dark morning to go out for a run or to head to the gym.

Don’t worry! There are a few tips and tricks to keep yourself motivated and to avoid the traps of winter.

Make plans and stick to them

One of the simplest ways to get moving is to schedule your workouts in your calendar or diary. Treat them like an important appointment or meeting; once they’re down, there’s no getting out of it.

Find a buddy

Finding an accountability buddy and someone to exercise with will make that early morning (or late night) workout much more enjoyable. Knowing that you have someone waiting for you (and suffer the cold and dark with) makes it that little bit easier to leave the warmth of your bed behind.  

Treat yourself to some new workout gear

A new season is a perfect excuse to buy some warmer winter gear! Getting a pair of skins or longer pants to trick you into thinking your warmer might be enough to push you to workout. Layering up before and after your workout will make it that little bit easier to leave the warmth of your home.

Switch up your workout routine

While that weekend boot camp or run might be a great option for the warmer months, the colder seasons give you the opportunity to shake up your routine and try something new. There are so many options to get moving indoors, whether that's personal training, a group class or something else!

Don’t forget your ‘why.’

Keep sight of your goals and your reasons for exercising. Set out a plan to reach those goals, whether it’s to feel better about yourself, change your body or to get moving. Remind yourself regularly of your ‘why’, because it can often be difficult to remember when you have to climb out of a cosy bed or avoid the temptation of curling up on the couch after a long day. Set yourself a reminder in your phone every morning, write it up and stick it on your mirror or have a friend remind you! Whatever method you use, remembering your goals and reasons for moving (and how damn good you’ll feel afterwards) will make it that little bit easier to head out into the cold.

Take care of yourself.

The most important thing to do is to listen to your body and know when it may be time to take it a little easier or to rest. With the cold and darkness of winter, we may often feel ourselves feeling a little run down or under the weather. It’s so important to recognise when it’s time to take things a little slower or to give yourself some time to rest.

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