Motivation is such a buzzword at the moment. It seems lots of people are searching for the magic source of motivation. This article is going to give you some harsh truths regarding your motivation to train and workout during this time of year.
First off…
What Actually Is Motivation?
Motivation isn’t a pill that you can take with your morning coffee. Motivation has a very, very short half-life. You may watch a film with an actress or actor who has the body you want, listen to a particular song, or even scroll through social media and see a public figure who looks in great shape and that provides you with a source of motivation. This is short lived and suddenly you’re back into the rut you’ve always been in. Motivation gets you started, but it’s the discipline that keeps you going.
Even during my time as a professional rugby player, there were many, many days when I woke up and thought ‘this is the last thing I want to be doing’. I actually recognised in those moments that this was normal human behaviour. We aren’t ‘motivated’ or ‘on’ the whole time.
It’s during these moments I would think to myself, ‘this is when the weak give up, and the winner prevails’. I knew it was another opportunity to get further ahead of the competition because maybe when they experienced that moment, they throw in the towel.
What Keeps Me Motivated Now
What motivates me now? Life. I have 3 young children and work that I’m passionate about. I want to give myself the best chance to be here on this earth as long as I can for myself and more importantly my family. Through recent research, the two most closely linked factors to longevity are cardiovascular health and strength. Training keeps me young mentally and physically. It improves my health, my focus, my mood and then a bi-product of that is the physique you want. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, I’m not throwing that away.
I see my counterparts who are my age, some of which look very unhealthy and I do genuinely worry for them. So many of us invest in our cars, clothes and material things. But don’t invest in one thing and it all comes down like a house of cards – your health.
I had a very powerful conversation when I was 24 with one of the all time great rugby players who was suffering with MND (motor neurone disease). He passed away shortly after our meeting. He said there’s three things in life we take for granted. Family, health and time, but until you experience the day when you find out that’s all coming to an end you completely take it for granted.
I made sure I would never take those things for granted after our conversation. Family and health have become my number one priority, so when my alarm goes off at 6.30am to fit in a training session during the winter in the pitch black, I think of those 3 things.
To be active with my children and grandchildren when I’m in my 80’s will be the true sign of success. The discipline you instil now will influence how you feel in 10, 20 or 30 years time. Some people are very unlucky who get dealt these horrible cards of a terminal illness. If you’re reading this and you’re not one of those people, let this be your wake up call to prioritise your health. If you’re able to train, you’re one of the lucky ones.
So, with that said… here are 3 ways you can stay motivated to workout in the winter.
How to Stay Motivated to Workout in the Winter
1. Discipline
Once you instil discipline with a powerful motivator then success is inevitable. I set myself a target of 3 x 45-60 min sessions a week. That’s it. I write them on my diary and our weekly family whiteboard in the kitchen. It’s a written commitment.
If I’m able to get an extra 4th session then great. But these goals are achievable. I hit them regularly and it provides a positive feedback loop. I walk over 10,000 steps per day on top of this and try to eat well most of the time.
I find it hard to explain how I have so much discipline, but that’s because like anything in life, it’s practised. You may be disciplined for 3 days out of 7 when you first begin training. Brilliant, that’s a great start. After a month it will become 4 days and so on. It takes time. Discipline is a skill, like riding a bike, writing, drawing or learning to drive a car.
You need practice to stay disciplined. After some time of practising this, and watching your life transform, you will discover new motivation, and then a positive lifestyle has ben created which will be able to set you up for success.
2. Set Clear, Achievable Goals
Setting specific, measurable goals for your training gives you something to get up and strive for, even when the weather is less than ideal (which is pretty much every day here in the UK).
Whether your goal is to complete a certain number of workouts per week, lift a specific weight, or improve endurance, having a clear target helps you stay on track.
3. Embrace Gratitude Before Your Workouts
As I mentioned earlier up in the blog, being grateful is everything.
To help you get up and go, incorporate gratitude into your fitness routine. By this we mean, before each workout, take a moment to reflect on what you’re grateful for—whether it’s your health, the opportunity to exercise, or your ability to challenge yourself.
Focusing on what you can do, rather than what you can’t, will massively help to foster a positive mindset, especially when winter makes it harder to stay motivated.
A good example of this could be: “I’m grateful for my strong legs, which allow me to walk and run, even on the coldest and darkest of days” or “I’m thankful for my body for keeping me alive, and this workout is a way to take care of it.”
There we have it! We hope this article helps you stay motivated to work out during the winter months. It can be challenging, but with the right mindset, tools, and strategies, you can keep moving toward your fitness goals even in the coldest of times.
How We Can Help
If you’re looking for extra motivation and guidance this winter, start your 7-day free trial with SW7 today! With personalised workout plans, progress tracking, and a virtual community to cheer you on, SW7 makes it easier than ever to stay active and inspired no matter the season.
Check out our online fitness memberships, CO-founded by rugby legend Sam Warburton OBE, here.
And for more tips and insights from our knowledgeable team, check out our health & fitness advice page, covering topics like ‘5 Best Exercises for Strength‘, ‘Top 10 Exercises for Muscle Growth‘ and ‘How Much Protein Do You Need to Build Muscle‘.