Working out in the dreaded winter

hiroselee
hiroselee Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
HELP! It's freezing where I live and I've lost the motivation to get my butt to the gym! In the summer, I used to go 5-6 times a week in the morning before work. Now all I want to do is snuggle up in a blanket and watch movies... Any tips?
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Replies

  • tyrsnbdr
    tyrsnbdr Posts: 234 Member
    Summer abs are made in the winter. Just focus and get back in the game!!
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
    Get out of bed?
  • Levesque_7
    Levesque_7 Posts: 104
    HELP! It's freezing where I live and I've lost the motivation to get my butt to the gym! In the summer, I used to go 5-6 times a week in the morning before work. Now all I want to do is snuggle up in a blanket and watch movies... Any tips?

    wow you must get up really early to have time to watch movies before work! I just get up, no excuses
  • mapenguinkeeper
    mapenguinkeeper Posts: 191
    I do my yoga & stretching in the morning and gym at lunch time. I have NO motivation when it's dark out. :yawn:
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Just get up and go.
  • micheleld73
    micheleld73 Posts: 914 Member
    My dog makes sure I get out every morning. Otherwise I too would snuggle down and stay longer under the covers!

    ETA: GET A DOG?!? :laugh: :drinker:
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    Tips? Yeah. Imagine yourself deadlifting in an unheated garage when it's below freezing out and your bar feels like a stick of ice. That should make you feel better about training in a warm gym.
  • JamieM8168
    JamieM8168 Posts: 248 Member
    I know how you feel! It's so cold and windy it makes it pretty difficult to get up and going
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    Man I normally run outside for my workout I do it during my lunch hour at work im to busy with my family life to hit a gym after work or mornings even. Id love to be able to go inside and do my work out. Been too cold for my runs the last two days.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I don't know...my gym is a heated facility...for me, winter is all about hitting the gym and hitting the weight room. My advice would be to just get up and go workout instead of watching a movie. Who has time to watch a movie in the morning anyway?
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    No tips here... you have to want it bad enough. That is the closest to a tip that I will provide.
  • roanokejoe49
    roanokejoe49 Posts: 820 Member
    Instead of watching a movie, pop in P90x in the morning and work out at home.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    It snowed 18 inches here last week and has been continuously in the negative-degrees-Fahrenheit ever since. Trust me, I know your pain! Running in the outdoors, once a joy to me as I chased the runner's high, is no longer an option unless I want to turn my ankle and freeze to death on the way home.

    What I've worked out so far:

    --Getting to the gym is much easier when fully awake, even though the darkness is about the same--sunrise isn't until after 7 and I'm at work by 7 AM, sunset is around 5 and I'm usually off work after 4:30 PM, so it's dark either way, but somehow it's just easier to do in the evenings.

    --Continue with calorie count

    --Add little things to keep moving in the day (I walk around the office whenever possible, do lunges, squats, calf raises, etc. when staying in one place for a while)

    --Drink hot coffee. Or tea. Or plain hot water. Keep yourself warm and your liquids flowing. OK, this might just be because I love coffee, but as it gets colder I drink more through the day.

    --sit-ups and some free-weight work in the living room while watching Christmas movies with the kiddies. They don't mind. Sometimes my son "helps out" by sitting on me while I do a plank.

    --I signed up for a two nights a week aerobic dance class after the kids' bedtime. Husband stays home and gets video game time, and I get some "girl time". Sweaty, stinky, aerobic girl time. At least I'm warm by the end of it.

    PS--Shoveling snow is a great workout too. I didn't eat those calories back though I'm sure I burned a few extra in anger at the Husband for skipping out on the chore.
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    Tips? Yeah. Imagine yourself deadlifting in an unheated garage when it's below freezing out and your bar feels like a stick of ice. That should make you feel better about training in a warm gym.

    True story.So now I go from the couch to the basement.
  • TammyW18
    TammyW18 Posts: 244 Member
    I live in Maine, it's cold here too - I run outside still...if I can do it - u sure can go inside the gym where it's toasty warm to work out...excuses smh
  • Alissakae
    Alissakae Posts: 317 Member
    Because of the dark and the slick sidewalks and roads it is no longer safe for me to do the morning walk I used to enjoy on Tuesdaysand Thursday mornings (I have gym and pool other days of the week). So today I started with a walking DVD in the basement. Not as much fun, but I did get to sweat this morning and that's what counts.
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
    If it's cardio you want, find some videos on youtube.
  • missshyeviolett
    missshyeviolett Posts: 310 Member
    It was -12 wind chill when I went to class this morning at 4:45AM.

    In the immortal words of Nike, JUST DO IT! :)
  • g82green
    g82green Posts: 42
    When it's warm out again you'll be hating the days you missed at the gym (well, at least I know I will). Today it's below zero by me. But it's sunny and I'm in a good mood. I usually try to do a few jumping jacks or squats in the morning (by a couple I mean 5). It might not be too much but it wakes me up!

    Good luck and don't freeze!!
  • anlu37
    anlu37 Posts: 100 Member
    My gym has a day care for 50 cents and hour per child. I've got three foster sons.... I need a break. $1.50 an hour babysitting for three kids? Yes, please!!!!! Shower with out the fear of the boys killing each other while I am gone for ten minutes? Yes, please!!!!! Have time to actually blow dry my hair and put on make up? YES PLEASE!!!

    27508099.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
    My gym has a day care for 50 cents and hour per child. I've got three foster sons.... I need a break. $1.50 an hour babysitting for three kids? Yes, please!!!!! Shower with out the fear of the boys killing each other while I am gone for ten minutes? Yes, please!!!!! Have time to actually blow dry my hair and put on make up? YES PLEASE!!!

    27508099.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

    That is QUITE the motivation to hit the gym often. Lucky you haha
  • 319Sara
    319Sara Posts: 302 Member
    I read the book "Younger Next Year". The authors say consider exercise your JOB.

    Since we all started school at about the age of 5 we have been going to WORK five days a week. We don't dither around about whether or not we are going to do it. we just GO. So that's the way I am trying to think of it. No decision to be made. Each day of the week has the exercise scheduled, and a each day I go. Only legit excuse is if I am so sick that I would call my boss and take a sick day.
  • burlingtongrl
    burlingtongrl Posts: 327 Member
    I used to feel like that every winter, and that is how I put all this extra weight on. Once you get out there you'll be glad you did and in spring you'll be really glad you did. It is not that far away and you'll want to look fit and fabulous when it gets here.
  • Cayjominara
    Cayjominara Posts: 270 Member
    Real talk: You either WANT it or you just KINDA want it. If you truly WANT this thing, no amount of cold weather, situation, circumstance or obstacle will keep you from it! When you really want it, there are NO EXCUSES to be considered or entertained! When you REALLY, REALLY want it, you will do WHATEVER needs to be done to achieve it. Yep, the bed feels nice and cozy and warm. Yep, the cold is fierce and is a deterrent. You're right! It is not the ideal climate to navigate through! But when you WANT IT...man, nothing can keep you from it.
  • hiroselee
    hiroselee Posts: 5 Member
    Wow thank you everyone

    p.s. i didn't actually mean i watch movies in the morning lol i guess it was bad wording on my part. What I meant was that in the winter, I don't feel like doing anything but watching movies in my bed in general.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Quit making posts asking and start doing the do.

    Its never that cold...
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
    okay, this is what I used to do when I lived outside DC and had to get up between 4-4:30 in order to get to the gym before work.

    I laid my shoes by the front door with a towel, water, etc.
    SLEPT in my gym clothes

    So, when my alarm went off...I may as well get up and go b/c I'm already dressed, just brush teeth :smile: It worked for me for 4-5 years, then we got rid of our gym membership and put in our own gym in our house...now I NEVER have an excuse not to workout! :bigsmile:
  • Anthem76
    Anthem76 Posts: 81 Member
    Can you get into a fun winter activity? I love cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The forest looks like a winter wonderland in the snow. Heck, even sledding burns calories. Maybe you need a little break from the gym. Both x-country skiing and snowshoeing torch major calories. And are major fun.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    HELP! It's freezing where I live and I've lost the motivation to get my butt to the gym! In the summer, I used to go 5-6 times a week in the morning before work. Now all I want to do is snuggle up in a blanket and watch movies... Any tips?

    It's cold here too. Once I get to the gym, it's warm and even warmer once I get into my workout.

    What about finding workouts on You Tube or buying some workout videos for during the colder months?

    Of course, you don't have to exercise to lose weight, you just have to eat at a calorie deficit.
  • TarynAngeline
    TarynAngeline Posts: 95 Member
    I like in Alberta, Canada. Lately half my workout is shoveling my car out of a snow drift to get to the gym.

    Don't over think it - the thought then becomes daunting. Getting started really is the hardest part sometimes. Just do it. You'll always be glad you did.

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