Movement. It’s important. Really important.
If you’ve noticed your step count is something like 3,000 steps a day, you gotta figure out a way to move more. Significantly more.
In the last three days I’ve heard from three people with questions related to how I stay motivated/disciplined enough to walk in the cold when it’s winter. I figured it’s worth sharing here so we can all keep on movin’ together this winter…even when your eyebrows are frozen! {Hi Steph!}
Are you sitting too much?
I don’t remember where I heard this, but I want to say the average American sits 13-15 hours per day on average. Ouch. This infographic does a good job of giving a high level overview of some of the reasons this much sitting is not good in case you need a few solid reminders.
If you commute and have a desk job, it’s likely you’re not getting enough movement unless you already make a significant effort to move a lot during the day. As a side note, avoiding knowing where you’re at isn’t going to help the situation. I highly recommend getting some type of step tracker or even a generic pedometer until you have a better idea of what you’re doing now and how to get where you need to be to feel your best and avoid some of the negative health effects from sitting too much. Not to mention you’ll be happier and more productive too…
Even if you strength train, eat tons of nutritious foods and get enough sleep, don’t forget we are built to move. One trap we can all fall into is hitting the gym and feeling like we did “enough” so we earned some type of right to sit the rest of the day. Not so fast. Some of my toughest workouts may only add up to about 1,000 steps. Yah…we need more movement than that…preferably spread through the day.
If you hate walking, don’t worry! Getting in your steps through Non-Exercise Physical Activity (NEAT) is not all about walking. Keep in mind the activity you do throughout the day can be pretty darn significant and every little bit counts, especially if you do small things to up it a bit. Some mornings I’ll get 2,000+ steps in the morning before even leaving the house, just by doing laundry without using a laundry basket, getting my kids breakfast and packing the car for work/school. Almost a full mile before 9am! BOOM.
Five ways to stay motivated to walk in the cold this winter.
…even when you DON’T WANT TO.
1. Realize you’re never going to be completely motivated all the time. You’re aware that fitness professionals lose motivation too, right? Believe me, I understand. Usually I love training and taking walks, but there are days I just don’t want to do it either. This sometimes means I need to give myself a little break. Other times it just means I need to suck it up and work through it. Think about what it means for you. Be honest…do you need a break or are you making excuses? Like, ahem, the COLD?
Take a tip from Mel Robbins and 54321 that situation. If you’re not familiar with the 5 second rule, count backwards from 5 and just start… no matter what you FEEL like doing.
2. Invest in some cold weather gear. I highly recommend dropping the money on a North Face Parka…. aka a sleeping bag coat. With a warm coat, a few layers of pants, a pair of warm boots, a hat, a comfy scarf and gloves, it’s usually NOT THAT COLD once you get going. Spend the money and get some warm winter gear. You’re health is worth it.
3. Make walks fun. I recommend finding some really good podcasts or music that lifts you up… or use your walks as a time to call your friends and family to catch up. Like with any healthy habit, you’ll be more likely to stick to something that’s fun for you. Walks are one time I actually think multi-tasking is quite productive.
4. Meet a friend or have a walking meeting at work. This is actually how I started walking. A friend and I started walking every day at lunch. I was so much happier and productive with extra movement and fresh air…even when it was cold. Plus, we got to catch up on life and office gossip.
Meet a neighbor before work or walk together with another mom from the bus stop or meet a coworker at lunch. Friends are fun and before you know it you’ll be building relationships and racking up all the miles together!
5. Schedule walks when you’re already bundled up. Take a walk first thing in the morning right before you get in your car. Take a lap when you head out to lunch or right before you leave work. Walk extra after you go to the bus stop in the morning or afternoon.
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Are you stressing too much about what to eat and how hard to train?
Finally, it’s TWO THINGS TUESDAY so don’t forget, if you’ve been reading something you think I’d love and should share it here, please let me know.
1. Automate your nutrition. We’re all busy this week. Avoid extra stress with this nutrition tip.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc2WI3xAavc/?taken-by=amandamaryperry
2. Need another good reason to focus on walking? {And strength training – but that’s a post for another day.} Check out why you don’t have to go balls to the wall with HIIT training all the time… and why you might not want to if fat loss is your goal.
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Have any other tips that help you stay motivated to walk in the cold all winter long? Share ’em with us! Have a wonderful and very Merry Christmas!
PS – in case you missed it, check out last week’s post for some tips on how to survive and thrive during the next few fun, yet stressful weeks with Holiday Survival Guides and Why to Keep Training this Winter.
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