10 Tips for keeping motivated during the winter months.

It’s that time of year around here again.  The air is getting cold outside. Under the covers on my bed seem more and more appealing every morning.  Tis the season for big meals and lots of baking and booze.  For me, this is the hardest time of the year to keep up with consistent exercise and training.  

Here are 10 motivation techniques to keep moving through the winter.

1. Set Goals for next year

Don't have any goals yet!?  What are you waiting for?  Get ready for next year’s resolutions.  Set a weight goal, a fitness goal, Scope out races for next year.  Give yourself something to work towards.  If you need help coming up with some new goals, checkout my post on Goal Setting.

2. Focus on your goals.

Remind yourself why you are working out.  What are you training for next year?  Post your goals in places where you will see them every day.  Keep them in mind as you work out.  Remind yourself that there is a reason for your madness.   

3. Sign up for Races

While you ultimate goal may be that Olympic triathlon next July, signing up for intermediate races in the mean time can be both a great way to stay focused on working out by setting a short term goal to work towards.  You can also use these races as a measure of how you are progressing toward that final goal.   

Beginnertriathlete.com race finder

Active.com Race Finder

4. Easy on the Booze

Hangovers equal a bad workout (at best) - likely a missed workout.  I just recommend planning for the after effects of the Holiday office party.  The day after might be a good time to plan a "rest" day into your weekly routine.  And of course the obligatory community service announcement - Celebrate responsibly and Don't Drink and Drive!

5. Easy on the junk food

It is very easy to go overboard on the sweet stuff in the winter.  All the extra cookies, cakes and pies - mmmm my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  Just because it is there doesn't mean you have to eat it. 

5b. But, remember to eat junk food too

It is ok to celebrate the seasons with a little holiday food.  But wait... Didn't I just say to ease off the junk food?  It is ok to allow yourself some cheat time with the diet.  If you are staying consistent with your workouts, eating a few extra cookies won’t ruin your progress - and it might just keep you sane.  If everyone is eating Christmas cookies and drinking eggnog and you are over in the corner nibbling on carrots and celery sticks, you might start to feel a little bitter.  Go ahead and indulge a bit.  

6. Ask for new cool gear from Santa Clause

I admit it, I'm a geek when it comes to new gear.  Once I get something, I have to go and try it out right away.  So ask your honey for some new shoes, or that new Heart Rate Monitor you’ve been eyeing up - whatever it will take to get you moving.  

7.  Be flexible with your workout schedule

The weather sometimes may limit your outdoor activity or you ability to get to the gym.  Have a backup plan.  Do a workout at home.  Get on your treadmill or have POWER 90 or  P90X at the ready.  Don't let the weather be an excuse to not work out at all.  

8. Continue to record your progress

You can find motivation in seeing your progress, even in the off season.  See yourself getting closer to your goals.

9. Keep talking

Keep telling everyone what you are doing.  The more you talk about it, the more people you tell what your goals are, the more motivated you will be to keep them.  Why does this work?  Mainly because of guilt... but it works, so use it.  Plus, I find that the more people I talk to about what I'm doing, the more they get involved.  It is a great motivator to see people take up exercise because you inspired them.  Maybe you can convince someone to do a race with you in the next couple of months, or pick up a new training partner.  

10. Put your stuff on and get going

It gets harder to tell yourself no once you are dressed for the workout.  Get your gear on, and get moving!

Do you have any special motivation techniques you use to keep yourself going in the winter months?  I would love to hear them.  Feel free to share.

Six Steps to Getting Anything You Want

Do you want to reach your peak?  Your maximum potential?  I believe there is a six step process that successful people go through as they accomplish awesome things.  That's it.  Six easy steps.  This is a summary of the steps - the cliff notes version if you will.  Let me know what you think.


Stay Awesome!!

Step 1: Find Your Vision

The first step to achieving anything is to figure out what it is that you really want.  What is it that you really want to accomplish?  What do you want to be?  How do you want to live?  This step involves determining what your dreams really are.  Remember to think big; but try to find out what it is that you are truly looking for.  For example you might say I have a goal of earning a million dollars.  But what is it that you are really after.  Is it financial security?  Perhaps it's a legacy you want to leave to future generations of your family.  Think about what it is that is driving you to these thoughts.  That is what you are truly after.  Knowing the root of your vision will make it more meaningful and more motivating as you begin to pursue it.

Step 2: Set the Stage

Time for a reality check. Time to acknowledge everything in your life that is holding you back.  What?  Didn't I just say start dreaming?  That's right I did.  And if you really want to get to the place in life you are dreaming about, you better find out where you are.  If you don't know where you are, you will never know where to start.  And if you don't know where to start how will you know when you are finished.  This is about understanding the negative forces that are working against your vision; it’s also about acknowledging the positive forces as well.  You need to see the whole picture, so you can make a plan and measure your progress.

Step 3: Create a Plan

Step one says determine what you want.  Find out the end state you are trying to achieve.  Step two says figure out where you are starting from.  Step three is about connecting the dots between the two.  What is it going to take to go from where you are to where you want to be?  Your plan should be based in reality of what is reasonably achievable.  For example, if you set a goal to lose 30 pounds, don't make a plan to lose 30 in a month.  It may be possible but it’s not likely that you will keep it off.  Try to spread out the time frame.  Remember, you have a lifetime to accomplish your goals.  If you extend the time of losing that weight to 6 months, you only have to lose 5 pounds a month, or one pound a week, or 2.3 ounces per day.  Now that doesn't seem hard does it!?  It's OK to start small and take baby steps, as long as they keep you moving forward.

Step 4: Get started

While it sounds obvious, this can be one of the most difficult steps to take.  Taking that first step toward your dream can be a daunting feat.  You are about to embark on a quest that could dramatically change your life.  There is a reason this is Step four and not Step one.  That is because completing the others first makes getting started an easier step to take.  Remember by this time you have solidified what it is you want, you know where you are starting from, and you know the path you are going to take to get there.   All you need to do is begin!

Step 5: Stay Motivated

i find that successful people find was to keep themselves motivated.  When you are in the middle of working toward your goals, it can become easy to lose sight of what it is you are really working hard for.  Especially when life throws some unexpected challenges your way.  A big key to this step are setting intermediate goals during the planning stage and celebrating your successes along the way.  Remember don't celebrate by doing things that work against your goals.  If you are paying off debt, don't go out and buy a brand new TV on credit once you pay off one card.  Or don't eat a chocolate cake to celebrate losing 10 pounds.  While these may sound like exciting ways to celebrate what you have accomplished they can end up being demotivating and the ultimately work against your goal and make it that much harder to accomplish.

Step 6: Repeat!

Say what?  That's right it is critical to keep refining this process.  You may find that along the way your dreams change, or that life changes them for you.  Perhaps you now have a family and saving for college becomes priority number one.  Maybe you realize that you didn't set the bar high enough for yourself when you first started.  Maybe 30 pounds wasn't that hard to lose, or half way there you see the progress you are making and decide that 50 pounds would make you he healthier person you are striving for.  So take another look; go back to step one and go through the process again.  This time aiming higher and achieving even more than your thought you could.