Training in All Weather

Outside and in!

This time of year with cold weather and rain it’s easy to start to hibernate inside. But, we all know the benefits of exercise…our bodies feel good, our minds are clearer and motivated (we feel good!), our fitness levels stay up or improve and we maintain our weight. So how do we keep motivated to get out there.

1) Make a plan
Have a training plan written down or in your mind. Every night think about what your plan is for the next day and stick to it! I woke up this morning…in fact yesterday morning too and thought, it’s the weekend I can’t be bothered getting up. But, I did, both morning to train and I was so happy I did. This morning I swam for an hour with my masters group and yesterday I did a indoor cycle/weight training session at the gym, felt great and so happy I had gotten up for both. Even if you are feeling a bit tired, you’ll usually feel better once you are done (there is usually 1-2 % exception to this rule, continuous late nights or built up fatigue where resting for a day or two needs to take precedent).

2) Meet a friend, join a group, work with a trainer…even better do all three
At least for a couple of workouts a week it’s great to socially get out there for some exercise…it’s especially motivating as you know that someone else is working with you to keep you fit and healthy.

3) Gear
Running or hiking in the rain is one of my favorite things to do, there is something about the air. But, it is probably one of the hardest things to motivate oneself to do. The thought of leaving my warm house or car and not just getting into the home baking is hard for me But, dressed in a long sleeve shirt, a light rain jacket and some tights, a polyprop hat and gloves is plenty to keep us warm when we’re moving in Canterbury. You don’t need to spend a lot to get the right gear either…if your just getting out for less than an hour even a light weight jacket that is not of the most expensive/breathable fabric is fine…just enough to keep the wind chill off the chest.

4) Nutrition
I know this seems like a different comment, but if we keep ourselves well fueled then we have the energy to get out there. Eat 3 balanced meals a day, breakfast/lunch/dinner with carbs/protein/fat and have a piece of fruit mid-morning and afternoon. You will mentally feel better and physically be fueled all day/night.

Contact us for some motivation if you’re not training with us already, we would love to hear from you

Happy training!