Welcome to the second post in my winter fitness series! As I mentioned before, usually winter and fitness never come out of my mouth in the same sentence…Winter usually is for baggy clothing, over consumption of chocolate and carbs and hibernation BUT this year, I'm making some changes…yeeeehaw.
Ok, so if you're like me, you may need a bit of inspiration and something practical to hold on to. I'm a type A planner freak so I'm all about getting all my ducks in a row BEFORE my workouts. Sometimes that can bite me in the butt as I will put off working out because I haven't planned out what fitness routine I want to do (my lazy excuse). So here are a few tips that are working for me (side note- I am not a professional trainer, nutritionist, anything fitness related…)
1. Have everything ready BEFORE you go to bed.
This is one that I HAVE to do. Even if I'm working out on a day off and it only takes five minutes for me to gather my stuff, if it's not ready the night before, I'm most likely going to put off my workout or waste a good hour as I contemplate everything I need to gather before my run (this actually happened on Sunday, I was supposed to go for a run but instead did a measly at home workout because I wasted too much time thinking in bed lols). Put your runners by the front door. Have your pants, sports bra, tank, hat, jacket, (etc) all ready to go. I usually will hang my running clothes over the heater (slipping on warm running pants at 7:30am makes a world of difference). Make sure your ipod/iphone is charged and your headphones are good to go. Also make sure you know what you're going to do which leads me to tip #2...
2. Make a plan.
Maybe this won't apply to everyone, but I need a plan. Whether it's as simple as, I'll go to the gym Monday and Wednesday or I'm running 5km tomorrow or even, I'm running to the breakwater and back. I'm preaching to myself here, I need a plan, I need one. If I don't plan out what days I'm working out on AND open my schedule for it, most likely I won't get around to it. Laziness is a strong opponent and he will win if i'm not properly prepared, ha. In February I start my half marathon training plan and I'm actually looking forward to it (I told you I thrive on planning). I'm doing the plan through run keeper which motivates me even more and leads me to tip #3...
3. Get some apps to help you.
There are SO many amazing apps to help you but here are my favourite.
Run Keeper- Tracks your run (or walk or other workouts if you manually enter it) and lets you know your pace, calories burned, distance, etc. I have found this one HUGE for motivating me to run faster and longer.
Nike Training Club- If you're afraid of the gym, this one is great to do! If you have dumbbells, you can do most workouts. They have a ton of workouts which you can customize to what you want to achieve (get lean, get toned, get strong) and they have 15 minute workouts which focus on a specific area. I love to pair these up with cardio at the gym. The great thing about this one is it doesn't lock you to the gym. In the summer you can do it at a local park!
Blogilates- I've been doing Casey's videos on youtube over the past few years and she is amazing! She's so energetic and encouraging that it's actually fun to do. She created an app which organizes the videos so well.
My Fitness Pal- This one is a calorie counter. I know for some people, this does not work. But again, I'll reiterate that I'm sharing what has worked for me. Normally I've been an all or nothing girl when it comes to dieting. I've gone off sweets for a month and then went on sweet overload for two months. This app has helped me find balance. I actually learned that I can eat in moderation. And the great part is this links up with run keeper, so if I went for a long run, those calories would be added to my daily total and I would make sure I'm eating enough for the day. This one also helps me be accountable to what I put in my body…when you know you have to put it in, you're more likely not going to devour the entire bowl of icing.
I hope these tips have been helpful to you. I'm only an amateur athlete so please, comment below what works for you and keeps you on track!!
