How I (tried to) stay motivated in the snow

 

This week has been a complete write off in our area.  From Monday night it has snowed on and off until today and we have had weather warning after weather warning.  As beautiful it has been to look at it and as ‘prepared’ as we should have been for it considering it is Scotland and it is winter, it has really got in the way of my routine and the routines of others.  It has been harder to get outside, the pavements have been laden with snow and slippy, and gyms in the area have been shutting early due to the snow fall. I have also been off work for two days as the school was shut, and we got sent home early today.  When things change in our routines, we can find it hard to stay on track or find it easy to make excuses, but I have tried as hard as I could to stay as motivated and as on track as I could and thought I’d share some of the things I have tried with you.

1. Make a plan

Check the forecast for the week ahead or for the next few days and write down what you would like to achieve for the week accordingly and realistically.   If you have a plan of what you would like to achieve and when, then you are more likely to stick to it. If you know the weather is going to be bad can you plan to do some workouts earlier in the week or wait until the bad weather passes?  A plan can help to keep you motivated and focused when the weather turns bad and setting goals for the week can help give you a purpose to get up and go, particuarly when the weather turns.  Be realistic in your goal setting and be kind to yourself.  This week, I know I might not manage to get in my long run due to the weather, but I will do what I can realistically and try not to be too hard on myself if I don’t manage.

2. Workout at home

Travelling in the snow can be scary and disruptive and so it can be difficult to get to your gym during times of bad weather.  In this case, try to include some home workouts into your plan for the week.  There are loads on YouTube to choose from, from strength workouts to yoga to HIIT sessions.  Some that I really enjoy are Insanity, Body Beast and The BodyCoach 20 minute workouts.  I also love stretching to Yoga with Adriene.  These videos are useful as well as it’s similar to being at a gym class as there is someone telling you what to do and keep you on track.

3. Eat wholesome, comfort foods

One thing I have found very difficult this week has been not eating myself out of house and home, especially on the days where I have been off from work.  On the days the school was shut, I was working from home and it was becoming all too easy to reach for another biscuit with a cup of tea or to eat more for lunch than I usually would.  Luckily, I am following a nutrition plan from The Fitness Chef, which has helped me to stick to my calories and macros and this is something that has really helped me to stay on track this week. But, if you don’t have a plan to follow, try to keep yourself eating wholesome, nutritious foods.  One of my favourites for this time of year is soup.  I love to make big pots of the stuff full of vegetables and proteins like lentils or chicken.  The other bonus about soup is that it is relatively cheap to make and you can chuck all your left overs right in there.  I also love slow cooking big crock pots of casseroles and chillis.  All of these homemade foods should fill you up enough to stop you reaching for the biscuit cupboard and make you feel all cosy inside.

4. Use the treadmill

If you are a runner and just need to run, or if you are training for a particular event, the snow, wind and rain can play havoc with your training and sometimes it is necessary to jump on the dreadmill.  I am lucky enough to have one in the house for now, but I would go use the one at the gym too if I needed to.  I find the treadmill really boring at times, so I have to make sure I workout in a way to keep it interesting.  I try to do interval sessions or challenge myself in different ways, for instance, run a mile at one particular pace, then up it for the next. Or, I will run at my top speed for around 400m, then slow down to recover.  I find that setting these short aims helps to make the time go faster on the treadmill and, if all else fails, I can put on Netflix on the iPad!!

5. Get out and play!

My absolute favourite thing to do this week has been to get outside and play in the snow.  I’ve wrapped up warm, donned my walking boots or trail running shoes (these actually have better grip than my boots and are better for walking!) and have got out there with the dog.  On Tuesday, it was beautiful to walk around in the freshly fallen snow, soaking up the quiet of the world that the snow always seems to bring.  The rest of the week, I have loved crunching my feet into the snow and heading out and about.  Get out in bad weather and soak up the elements – it can be very cathartic!

Murphy has been loving the snow and has been a great companion for playing!

If you have snow or bad weather, I hope you can stay motivated throughout it and hopefully it clears up for you soon! Not long now until Spring!

Aly x