4 tips for staying active in the winter

It can be difficult enough staying active when the weather is warm, let alone during the winter. There are a whole host of excuses you make to yourself during the winter: “it’s cold outside”, “winter is all about hibernating anyways”, or “under this bulky coat, no one’s even going to notice that I haven’t been working out”. Sure, those are pretty good reasons, but they ultimately stand in the way of you being a healthier, happier person.

The unfortunate fact of the matter is that, in order to live a healthy lifestyle, you have to be active all year round, regardless of what the weather report says. Still, it’s understandable that motivation can wane in the winter months, so with that in mind, this article will cover a few tips for combating the winter stasis.

Find Fun Activities

The winter provides enough disincentive; you don’t need to go adding a boring workout routine on top of that. If you really want to kick-start your motivation, choose an activity that you actually enjoy, one that passes the time easily – one that you actually look forward to doing.

One such activity that mixes exercise and fun in equal measure is axe throwing. You heard that right – this newish sport, which you can now find in most big cities across North America, is one of those unique winter activities that doesn’t feel like work. As the name implies, the activity involves throwing axes at painted wooden targets, in a tournament style league that lasts about eight weeks.

This should be what winter activity is all about – fun, communal and competitive. Plus, with its ties to Canadian lumberjack culture, there are fewer activities more in tune with the spirit of winter than axe throwing. BATL (The Backyard Axe Throwing League) is the largest and best known of the axe throwing leagues, and you can visit BATL to learn more about how to join.

Get Your Friends Involved

From a psychological standpoint, your motivation can depend greatly on the perceived opinion of those around you. If you are lifting weights at home, you might be inclined to stop at the first signs of exhaustion; compare this with a fitness class, where the spirit of competition, and the fear of looking inadequate, can push you well beyond what you think your limit is.

That’s not to say fear and competitiveness are good, necessarily – only that they are effective. To that end, working out with friends can be very beneficial, since you get to experience the increased motivation that comes with being in a group, without the anxiety of being around strangers. Couple this tip with the tip above for maximum effect: go axe throwing with friends for a fun, communal and competitive experience.

But Learn To Exercise Alone

Having said all that, it’s still good to learn to exercise alone. There will be days when your friends just won’t want to leave the house – indeed, there will be days where you don’t want to leave the house. This shouldn’t mean that you just skip your activity for the day.

Staying motivation when alone is tricky, but it is doable. According to this article from Everyday Power, the main keys to staying motivated while alone are to focus on the end goal (rather than the process), to set up small competitions with yourself (beating a personal best, for example) and to reward yourself for a job well done.

Embrace Winter Sports

You can’t change the winter, but you can make the best of it. There are numerous winter sports that are physically exerting and exciting. On the more adventurous end of the spectrum you can snowboard or ski, or if you want something a little quieter, you can try curling or snowshoeing.

Anything that gets you enjoying the season, rather than dreading it, will be good for motivation. Once you start viewing the cold and snow as something to be celebrated, rather than avoided, your attitude toward staying active during the winter will change.

Next time you try to use the winter as an excuse to be lazy, stop yourself. There are exciting, communal and compelling ways to stay active in the colder months. All you need is a fun activity, a few buddies, a steely resolve and the ability to embrace winter for all its frosty charm!