Change of shoes for the gym – check. Extra layer of gym clothes – check. Ice scraper for car – check. Extra driving time to account for slippery road conditions – check. Motivation to actually go to the gym – check (sort of). Who knew working out in the winter could be so much…well, work? Here in Wisconsin, winter can seem to drag on forever. Finding motivation to get or stay active is difficult enough without adding another barrier like lousy weather. That’s why the one thing that I try to keep in mind this time of year is to always be looking for ways to move.
This can mean marching in place during commercials, trying to beat yesterday’s step count, challenging a friend or coworker to see who can get more steps, and so on. This may also mean you have to deviate from your normal exercise routine, and that’s okay, as long as you always have a back-up plan. For example, I’ve been struggling to make it to my workout class three times a week lately. But, rather than throw my hands up and do nothing (which is what I’ve done in the past), I’ve made it a goal to get a minimum of 10,000 steps every single day. If this means marching in place in my living room at 9:30 at night to get those last few steps, then that’s what I have to do.
When you’re working toward your healthy goals, keep in mind that barriers like bad weather or a busy schedule are only barriers if you allow them to be. No matter what time of year it is, aim to look at each day as an opportunity to be a little bit better than you were yesterday.
I like the exercises in our TOPS Mag. It has had something new for me. I try to work them in thought out the day or at night before bed. I can were my self out and I sleep well. I would like more for the stomach, I have a hernia and have trouble losing the weight in the abdomen. Patresa Phelps TX,TOPS #13
I like this blog, the things you are talking about really do happen. In the winter time we do seem to lose our exercise motivation. In North Carolina our winters are no where as cold as yours but I still get the mode of staying in doors and not wanting to go outside. Even though I have a membership to a nice warm gym I still find it hard to motivate myself to go out in the cold. I am going to try your idea of stepping in place maybe while cooking or in the shower. I have recently found some fun zumba routines on utube so I try them when I just don’t want to bear the cold weather outside. Thank You
At the present time I cannot do 10,000 steps a day due to medical problems which preclude any walking hardly at all. I do do chair exercises every morning before eating breakfast. If this means waking up at 5:00 a.m. to do this few exercises I do so! I use two pound weights and push and pull theory of swimming and overhead presses which slims the waist, the belly fat and the muscles of the back and pectoral muscles along with increasing the heart rate for a count of 100 each exercise. There is also bending from side to side stretching those muscles that are afixed to the waist and soon become logged with excess fat due to the lack of increased walking, rowing, swimming, biking and other aerobic exercises. So, don’t give up losing weight just because the goal of 10,000 steps a day cannot be attained. This can be an excuse to eat and get caught in the eat and eat more mind set of weight control. Also the lack of walking is a wonderful excuse to explore the frig which you saw at 6:00 p.m. My set of chair exercises came from a DVD for veterans who are recovering from wounds! These are limited in number but each time the set is completed the muscles react to a wonderful work out!
Sorry, I did not give my name and chapter number in the previous message. Arlene F. Clayton, Chapter 1155, Bellelville, KS. Weight Recorder