Motivation in the cold northern states
Replies
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Great to see all you Minnesotans on board!!!!!! I come from Minnesota, but have lived in Rome, Italy for 28 years, so the climate is different here, however, one thing no one has suggested is trying to find a partner to excercise with. This really worked for me when I lived there. I had a girlfriend that met me at 6:30 am to go running or speed walking. We went even if it was snowy or icy. I dressed warm with a hooded plastic raincoat over everything to keep in the heat. It worked so well. If you've got someone that's gotten up at 6:00, and gotten ready, and is waiting for you--it helps motivate. Besides, we chatted all the way, so it was a social thing too. It was great for both of us. Go for it. You can fight the blues!0
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I live in Alberta, so I can totally feel your lack of motivation. As someone already said, it seems like winter's already set in here with ice and snow everywhere.
I just get out when I can I'm definitely less active in the winter months, mostly because ice.
That being said, I do dvd's at home as my primary workout to begin with, so stepping it up with an extra workout a week helps me. We also have an xbox with a kinect, it gets quite a bit of use in the winter time since it's not always possible to go outside and run around. We bought one of the 'Just Dance' games for the kids awhile back and it's a freakin blast! The husband and I play it just as much as the kids do.0 -
I live in Canada
and i love hearing all you Americans complain about the cold.
Please do tell me more about how cold it is (not you Alaska you win this one), and how dark it is when you get home from work.....
:laugh:0 -
The cold and dark have settled over Minnesota and it's affecting my plan. I don't like to walk in the dark - and I mean it's DAAARK! And the cold revs up my cravings for carbs.
How do others in cold northern climates stay on plan?
A few caveats:
Please do NOT judge me by my diary of late. It's not typical. See the first paragraph.
I'm 95%+ wheat free on the advice of my doctor.
I don't mind bundling up for a walk as long as it's light out, even an overcast day, but I work full time!
I take 5000 IU's of Vitamin D each day
My almost daily smoothie is a mix of fruit, spinach, unsweetened almond milk and flax seed - not a sugary commercial drink.
I do not wish to join a gym - my budget is just too tight.
Yes, I do DVD's at home occasionally.
Unless you live in a dark cold winter climate like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, Canada, etc it's very hard to understand this.
Upstate NY checking in.
Bundle up for a walk on your lunch break.
Other than that, try getting a headlamp for some artificial light during the dark hours and get out & get active! By only getting outside during the daylight hours, you're substantially limiting yourself & making it much harder to get active.0 -
Canada here as well. I joined a clinic at the Running Room - it makes me accountable. I spent the money, so I go. Other than the financial aspect, I met a great group of people and we motivate each other. Can you make plans to meet a walking buddy a few times a week? It's harder to say "I don't feel like it" when someone else is waiting for you.0
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Canada here as well. I joined a clinic at the Running Room - it makes me accountable. I spent the money, so I go. Other than the financial aspect, I met a great group of people and we motivate each other. Can you make plans to meet a walking buddy a few times a week? It's harder to say "I don't feel like it" when someone else is waiting for you.
The issue is that they dont want to go out in the dark and its to cold... or icy
Thats like 9-10 months for us here ha ha! We still manage to lose weight... whether its sledding, snowboarding, or just pushing cars out of snow drifts 4 ft high
Just saying... stop making excuses and get out of the house 0 -
To you folks posting the "Then Just Stay Fat" book cover, please don't. I don't recall saying that the challenge of living in a wintry northern climate means I don't have to stay on plan. It's just a unique challenge, and I wanted to hear how others deal with it. It would be the same for parents of small kids, or people on tight budgets, or folks with chronic disease, etc. Everyone has certain obstacles to overcome and they like to hear how others overcome them. That's all.
To everyone else - thank you so much for the support and ideas! We don't have a mall, but it reminded me that lot of locals walk the giant Menards down the road. I often walk with hubby with flashlights and reflective vests, but it's just not as fun as walking in sunshine. Takes extra effort to force those shoes on after supper.
Hello Canadians! Tell me more about your winters.0 -
And PS - I do love to play outside during winter days - it's getting out there on cold dark weeknights that challenges my motivation.0
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I live in Canada and i love hearing all you Americans complain about the cold.
Please do tell me more about how cold it is (not you Alaska you win this one), and how dark it is when you get home from work.....
:laugh:
You do know that there is absolutely no difference between the weather in Upper Michigan and Southern Ontario, also no difference in weather between Maine, Vermont and Quebec,
well you get my point. Americans from Northern states have as much "cold cred" than all the Canadian who live in lower Canada.
And let's be honest, except for the 10 people who live Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, most Canadians live in the lower half, which is about, what all 35-40 million of you.
Peace! and let's share the cold cred.0 -
WA state here (eastern side so it's not nearly as rainy as Seattle area). I feel the cold and darkness sucking me down
I tried to plan for it though. Bought some crappy/cheap exercise equipment on craigslist. Also...there's the wii just dance/boxing and youtube fitness videos. Money is super tight right now but I'm hoping that starting next month we can afford a gym membership so I can swim. I love swimming and it will help me train for the sprint triathalon I want to do next summer. 0 -
I am from MN and definitely feel your frustration! This summer I had been able to get out a lot for walks after work and really enjoyed it. I have a 18 month old son that I take with me but now that it is so cold I don't really want to take him out (he started freezing when it was 65-70 out, I can't imagine him staying warm now). He was a preemie and still has a difficult time keeping his temperature regulated if the environment is to the extreme. And he won't keep his hat and mittens on for more than 2 minutes. If we want to walk outside this winter I need to get him a big snowsuit that covers hands and feet which shouldn't be too difficult since he's still only in 12 month clothes. But to get out for his sanity and mine we usually go to the mall (which is what I did before I had him). It was really hard last year because we weren't supposed to have him around big crowds of people so we did end up getting an elliptical at home but I have a hard time forcing myself to do that. I get bored but we did move a TV near it now so I could watch movies. Workout DVDs have worked better for me, or the Xbox Kinect workouts. I was going to get a gym membership but we had to change daycare providers and the new one is $80 more a month... there went my gym money 0
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totally get it living in Mass and having lived in Maine for 2 years. I work out in the morning when it is light, cause I hate bundling and if I wait until I get home from work it's too dark and depressing. I have DVD's, Wi and an elliptical at home, but I also have the luxury of a cheap gym next to my office so I can pop over at lunch and hit the weight machines and treadmill.
I also take huge amounts of Vitamin D b/c my doctor tests mine and it's almost negligible. I just started also taking fish oil and I am feeling more energetic.
The one other thing that helps me, (but drives my hubby bonkers) is that as soon as I get up and as soon as I get home I turn on ALL the lights in the house as I'm prone to SAD. I've also been looking into desktop light therapy system as a treadmill desk for work.0 -
Ask your dr. about seasonal affective disorder. He/she may suggest vitamin D to help. I like to walk around in the dark, lol, so I can' really relate, but maybe having a headlamp so you could see in front of you would help, too. And look for outside activities that you really can enjoy-snowshoeing, cross country skiing, even pulling kids or grandkids around on a sled if you have enough snow.
I live in Wyoming, so I know about cold and wind, even though we prolly have a little more daylight. Sometimes when I just can't bear to go out in the cold windy weather, I just do Walk Away the Pounds at home in front of the tv. Mostly, though, I just bundle up with wool socks and layers and a ski mask thingy and go outside as much as I can.
Good luck in the frozen north!0 -
I live in Canada and i love hearing all you Americans complain about the cold.
Please do tell me more about how cold it is (not you Alaska you win this one), and how dark it is when you get home from work.....
:laugh:
You do know that there is absolutely no difference between the weather in Upper Michigan and Southern Ontario, also no difference in weather between Maine, Vermont and Quebec,
well you get my point. Americans from Northern states have as much "cold cred" than all the Canadian who live in lower Canada.
And let's be honest, except for the 10 people who live Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, most Canadians live in the lower half, which is about, what all 35-40 million of you.
Peace! and let's share the cold cred.
Yep, as soon as we step (literally step) foot across the border from Minnesota to Manitoba or Ontario the temperature drops like 60 degrees......it is a strange phenomenon.
To the OP, I'm usually as active if not more during the winter....shoveling/clearing snow, hockey, skiing, basketball, taking care of the backyard ice rink as well as normal gym time. There's all kinds of stuff to do outside.0 -
I'm in Ontario so I definitely get it. Winter means a lot of DVDs and Youtube workouts. I do want to try snow shoeing this year though.0
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Just DVD it. I went from a climate like yours (born and raised for 29 years in Pennsylvania), to rainy, cold, and super windy to Washington state. I live on Whidbey Island so it's always more windy than it even is in Seattle and it's still as unbearable as it was in the cold, dark, snowy northern states. When my fitness level was lower I did the 30 day shred, Cathe weight lifting videos, and Slim in 6. Good start if you're not ready to do something like Insanity or p90X0
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Oh man, I spent a year in La Crosse, WI and all I did was use my extensive dvd collection... or I'd watch movies and lift weights (at that time the highest weight I used was 5lbs) and do calisthenics / jumping jacks / march in place for the whole duration of the movie.0
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I understand. I live in New Hampshire (but both my parents are Minnesotans!) and the winters are long. Since you don't mind being outdoors on the weekends, maybe build some exercise sessions around that? Treks through the woods, snowshoeing, cross country skiing...so many possibilities. Also, don't overlook the more mudane activities that can be done outside in the dark with just outdoor lighting: snow shoveling, wood carrying etc. I recently stacked almost three cords of wood. No gym time required.
If you don't need shoveling, maybe you could help out an elderly neighbor? There are so many ways to stay active in cold climate.
Also, you might regularly check websites/garage sales for exercise equipment. People can practically give equipment away (and some do make it free) because it takes up space and most people,sadly, don't stick with an exercise plan.
Best Wishes!0 -
I am from Minnesota too. Cold, snow and wind do not bother me if you are dressed for it. I like walking in the winter, but also will not walk in the dark. It limits the hours of daylight available to walk outside, especially if you work or go to school full time. I work out in the gym at work M-F. Long walks on the weekends outside. Did it last year, will do the same this winter.0
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I live in Canada and i love hearing all you Americans complain about the cold.
Please do tell me more about how cold it is (not you Alaska you win this one), and how dark it is when you get home from work.....
:laugh:
You do know that there is absolutely no difference between the weather in Upper Michigan and Southern Ontario, also no difference in weather between Maine, Vermont and Quebec,
well you get my point. Americans from Northern states have as much "cold cred" than all the Canadian who live in lower Canada.
And let's be honest, except for the 10 people who live Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, most Canadians live in the lower half, which is about, what all 35-40 million of you.
Peace! and let's share the cold cred.
I dont live in southern Canada and us canadians from actual cold parts of canada harrass the Canadians who are from the southern parts just as much. But good on you for knowing some geography 0 -
bumping so I cant add my two penny worth tomorrw....far to sleepy right now :yawn:0
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I live in Canada and i love hearing all you Americans complain about the cold.
Please do tell me more about how cold it is (not you Alaska you win this one), and how dark it is when you get home from work.....
:laugh:
You do know that there is absolutely no difference between the weather in Upper Michigan and Southern Ontario, also no difference in weather between Maine, Vermont and Quebec,
well you get my point. Americans from Northern states have as much "cold cred" than all the Canadian who live in lower Canada.
And let's be honest, except for the 10 people who live Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, most Canadians live in the lower half, which is about, what all 35-40 million of you.
Peace! and let's share the cold cred.
I dont live in southern Canada and us canadians from actual cold parts of canada harrass the Canadians who are from the southern parts just as much. But good on you for knowing some geography
Well if you don't live in Southern Canada, then you would be excluded from my comparison. And good for you living where it's so cold your nose hairs freezes as soon as you step outside; it does build character, doesn't it? I suppose it makes you superior to those living in chilly but not cold lower Canada/Northern USA. meh, you win?!0 -
I'm in southern Ohio, so it's usually not totally awful here, but I just dread winter. I have to layer up, jump up and down a few times and tell myself I can do this, and hit the door running. Usually the first mile is the worst, but after that I'm warmed up enough it's not so bad. My best advice is just make sure you are dressed super warm...the dark I can deal with, but the cold just saps the life out of me.0
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I live in North Dakota so I'm feeling the UGHH of winter coming on as well. I own a stationary bike and pedal it as I watch stand up comedy on Netflix! I use a heart rate monitor, too.
I can't imagine doing anything outside around here during the fall/winter!0 -
I'm in northern Wisconsin...so I feel your pain. I am a member of a gym, plus I don't work until the early afternoon so I am able to get out in the daylight. But I find that when I start to look in the cupboards I either have to go to sleep (most of the time that doesn't happen) or I do yoga or a DVD. I know you said you have DVDs. I also have a jump rope and TRX that I hook up when I am watching a movies or TV show. See that stuff sitting there....I feel bad letting it collect dust. I purposefully put my workout equipment IN MY WAY.0
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WElllll I can't be of much help b/c my solution was to MOVE> it worked. Probably saved my life.0
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I live in Canada and i love hearing all you Americans complain about the cold.
Please do tell me more about how cold it is (not you Alaska you win this one), and how dark it is when you get home from work.....
:laugh:
You do know that there is absolutely no difference between the weather in Upper Michigan and Southern Ontario, also no difference in weather between Maine, Vermont and Quebec,
well you get my point. Americans from Northern states have as much "cold cred" than all the Canadian who live in lower Canada.
And let's be honest, except for the 10 people who live Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, most Canadians live in the lower half, which is about, what all 35-40 million of you.
Peace! and let's share the cold cred.
I dont live in southern Canada and us canadians from actual cold parts of canada harrass the Canadians who are from the southern parts just as much. But good on you for knowing some geography
Good for you?0 -
Chiming in from Michigan...I agree, the lunchtime walk helps a lot. I have a pair of boots and Yak Trax that are on standby so I don't fall on my booty. I am lucky to have a window next to my work station, and I pull the blinds up in the morning in an attempt to take in all the sunshine I can get. I try to do my runs when I get home at 4:00 pm, since it's getting dark shortly after 5:00 now. My concern is more about the dark and being safe than the how horrible the weather is(except the ice).
And when it's nasty and dark, I think back to summertime and remember that our summers are BEAUTIFUL. 0 -
I currently live in Oklahoma but I did live up in Alaska for 6 years prior. I'm big into the chores the colder weather provides: shoveling snow, chopping wood (no idea how outdoorsy you are but this is something we did all winter in both Alaska and now in Oklahoma), trimming trees, etc.
Now, if you're more of a city girl than I'd recommend brisk walks during the day and DVDs in the evening. I'm also big into my Wii-fit.0 -
I was also just thinking, not knowing if you live in a college/university town in MN, how you could go on campus and walk the halls there, instead. In Duluth, we had the tunnels that connected everything so that you could go quite awhile while still being inside. That's another option, and probably do-able in the evenings, too.0
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