It’s easy to let your training take a backseat during the holidays, with presents to buy, people to see, and food to indulge in. To help motivate you to stay on track with your winter training, here are nine ways to stay motivated throughout the holiday season.
Set microgoals.
Divide your season into weekly chunks, then set a feasible exercise goal for the upcoming week on either a Sunday or Monday. Some weeks permit more physical activity than others. Still, the key is to stay motivated by beginning each week with a new beginning, adapting your objectives to your capabilities, and going with the flow of life.
Be accountable.
To increase your chances of meeting your weekly goal, create a source of accountability. You could do this by publicly sharing your goal on social media, sticking it on the fridge, or connecting with a friend who can help you stay on track and keep you accountable.
Get social.
If you are better able to improve your performance when working out with others, try committing to a class, running with a group once a week, or inviting a buddy on a weekly series of runs. If any of these are not feasible, try using Strava or similar apps to connect with active runners online. Running with others can provide accountability and motivation to push yourself further and run for longer.
Mix it up.
If you want to make the most of your holiday season, it’s a great idea to mix up your workout routine! Try adding a class, cross-training, or changing up your runs. You can burn more calories, develop new skills, and create new neural pathways by performing exercises that your body isn’t used to.
Aim for short, high-intensity workouts.
Try doing high-intensity interval workouts to maintain your fitness and mojo while also saving time. Studies have shown that 2.5 hours of interval sprint training per week yielded similar biomechanical muscle changes and endurance performance benefits as 10.5 hours. Incorporating one or two of these short, strenuous efforts into your weekly routine will help you stay fit during a busy period, boost your metabolism, and add some fun to your workouts.
Break the hibernation.
It may be tempting to stay inside during wintry weather, but going on a run outdoors in the fresh air can improve your mood and break feelings of loneliness. Furthermore, running in the cold can be more challenging and rewarding than doing it on a treadmill.
Enter virtual events/challenges.
If you’re looking for something to motivate you to get out during the Christmas weeks, consider signing up for one of the many virtual races on the calendar this year — they often offer medals for completing the challenge. Strava also offers free winter running challenges you can join, where logging miles can even earn you free gifts. Participating in a virtual race or challenge can be just the thing to encourage you to leave the sofa.
Purchase a headlamp and reflective apparel.
A headtorch can vastly improve your confidence and safety while running in the dark. It provides hundreds of lumens of brightness to light your way, helping you avoid trip hazards and making you more visible. This can make all the difference when thinking about going out for a run in the dark December evenings.
Warm up your gear.
If you plan on going for an early run in the cold weather during Christmas, a small tip that can make a big difference is putting your running gear on the radiator before you go to bed. Doing so will make your clothes nice and warm when you put them on in the morning, making a huge difference when you step outside.
You’ll be amazed at how minimal modifications you need to make in order to remain motivated to move forward. The secret is to create achievable short-term objectives and keep it interesting!