- Be accountable.
If you are highly self-motivated, then skip straight to no.2, I salute you J If you struggle with motivation, particularly in the colder darker months, then you are not alone. Having a training buddy who you have committed to makes it much harder to press ‘snooze’ and just roll over in the mornings. Write some goals- if individual pursuits are your thing, commit to a main event at the end of winter and fill in a few smaller events through the Winter to keep you motivated and ramp up your training as you head towards your event.
- Be prepared
No such thing as bad weather….. coming from Ireland I am speaking from experience. Don’t use rain or a drop in temperature as an excuse to cancel a planned training session, just modify! If you are a cyclist, get on your indoor trainer, if you’re a runner stick your waterproofs on and get out there and if you’re a swimmer….sorry no excuse! If all else fails you can do a 20 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training session) and achieve great things- check out fitnessblender.com for any number of varied sessions that you can do in the comfort of your own home.
- Be brave
If you are new to exercise or a well seasoned athlete and have a hankering to try something new now is the perfect time to join a gym, walking/running group, sports team or pilates/yoga fitness studio. There are a whole range of gyms, fitness centres and bootcamp groups you can join in Wellington for very low cost and most running/walking groups are free to join.
- Be healthy
With the colder weather often comes comfort eating…..winter eating tends to include less fruit and veg than the warmer months as well as heavier hotter meals with more energy required for digestion. As a result we are often felt feeling sluggish and sleepy. As a simple rule try to include a rainbow of colours on your plate (and in your lunchbox) every day. Make sure your input and output are well-balanced, input being energy intake i.e. food and output being energy expenditure. Vitamin D can be a good supplement to look into over the Autumn and Winter months- for best advice see your doctor, dietician or nutritionist.
- Be organised
Spare 10 minutes on a Sunday night looking at your diary and planning when you will fit in your different training sessions and it will make the world of difference to your training week. Pack your gear bag before you go to bed and try to do your training before work or during lunch-time where you can, to increase your exposure to sunlight and warmer temperatures and your energy levels through the day will thank you.
Barefoot and Soul 