You know the Winter morning drill. You optimistically set your alarm for an early morning walk or jog or a trip to the gym and immediately regret it the next day as the sound pierces through the chilly room. You don’t particularly want to get out from under your warm covers, put on your workout gear and brave the cold air. But if you hear a pitter-patter sound on the roof, it’s all over.
Finding motivation to work out when it’s cold or raining outside can be tricky, but not impossible. Tailoring your work out to the temperature or weather is a must to help you build the habit of staying active and keeping it going all year round.
Here are four ways to keep your workout habit going, even though it’s cold or raining outside.
Create an indoor workout routine
You don’t even have to go out at all these days when you want to workout. As we learnt during our months at home during the COVID lockdowns, there are plenty of ways to create your own indoor workout that you can complete at home.
Set up a YouTube playlist of workout videos to get your habit in motion. Think carefully about what area of the body you want to focus on each day and don’t forget to save some time to stretch it out. Simply clear a space in your home and lay down a yoga mat - and suddenly, you have the perfect workout space ready to go without having to leave your house.
Bundle up
If you do choose to go out, be prepared for the elements ahead of you. If it’s cold, put down the shorts and tank top and go for layers. Opt for full-length tights and long-sleeve tops. A puffer jacket is also a great idea so you can easily take it off when you start to warm up after moving around a bit more. Don’t forget about accessories like beanies, warm socks and gloves when it’s particularly chilly.
Some may not be afraid to take up the challenge of working out in the rain, but it’s important to stay safe, notice any flooding alerts and be aware of what’s around you. Wearing a rain jacket and sturdy shoes will allow you to stay as comfortable as possible as you jog or run through the rain.
Warm up before heading outside
Doing your stretches is not only the perfect way to get your muscles ready for your workout, but it can also give you a chance to move your body and warm up before going out into the cold or rain. Warming yourself up before you begin your workout allows you to improve your muscle movement for when you get to your more intense exercises.
Coming up with a five-minute stretch routine that you can do to get your heart rate up before you even open your front door can be easy with the help of videos on YouTube and Instagram. Focusing on each part of your body is crucial to make sure you have given each muscle a chance to stretch it out and get ready.
Think positive
It’s a mental game more than anything, so keeping a positive attitude will make or break your will to venture out into the cold or rain. You have to build up your resilience and train your brain to change the way you think about the challenge you are facing.
Problem solving is a great way to grow your resilience. For example, if you wake up before your morning walk to find that it’s raining outside, shake it off and come up with a quick at-home workout to do instead. Building up your self-esteem is another strategy you can try to help you out with positive thinking. So if it’s cold outside, challenge the negativity that clouds your mind and tell yourself that you do have the strength and ability to workout. And remind yourself that you’ll feel so much better afterwards.
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