Key Points at a Glance
- Anyone who participates in outdoor sports is familiar with the problem: In winter, it takes an enormous amount of willpower to go outside to stay in shape.
- The fresh air and oxygen promote a sense of well-being and put you in a good mood.
- But how can you motivate yourself in an emergency when it's cold and unpleasant outside?
- On this page, we've put together a few tips to help you find the motivation to brave the inclement weather.
For many people, the cold days are a good reason to cut back on physical activity as much as possible. After all, it’s much more tempting to curl up on the couch under a blanket and watch the latest streaming movies while munching on chips and candy. So there’s only one thing that helps you stay physically fit: self-motivation. But how do you do that?
A combination of pressure and rewards
The ideal combination is a mix of self-imposed pressure and a reward. The latter can be just about anything: a trip to the sauna, a nice bubble bath at home, or that TV marathon on the couch I mentioned—but only after working out—and without too many calories. Often, you already feel great just for having mustered the motivation to go to the gym in the first place; that, too, is a kind of reward.
Pressure? That works too—at least on a large scale. The thing is: You have to create it for yourself, for example by telling your friends that you want to lose a certain amount of weight by summer or run a half-marathon in the spring. When people then ask how it’s going, you’ll want to be able to honestly say that you’re at least making a serious effort to actually achieve those goals.
Knowing when it's good enough
Once we’ve overcome our inner sloth and actually head outside, we shouldn’t overdo it. Excessive exertion could weaken the immune system. It’s important to stop in time or pace yourself well. At the same time, the thought that you’ll simply feel better after your workout—since exercise releases endorphins—and that you’ve strengthened your body’s defenses can help you push through.
One helpful tip is to develop a routine. Setting fixed times for exercise and training is ideal because it leaves no room for excuses. If you schedule a workout once a week—say, after work—you’ll have enough time to mentally prepare yourself. And second, there’s no reason not to grab your gym bag first thing in the morning when you leave the house on that day—that way, you won’t have to make a special trip home after work. Because the sofa is calling…
Keep an Eye on Choosing a Sport
If you hate jogging, you don’t have to start doing it in the winter. A weekend trip on cross-country skis or a proper ski tour in the mountains might actually be more effective. And: If the weather outside is really nasty, then indoor sports are, of course, perfectly fine too. Go for a swim, play squash, or hit the tennis courts!
Don’t underestimate the importance of choosing the right clothing if you’re planning to be outdoors. Neck warmers are always a good idea, and a windproof jacket—and especially thermal underwear—are essential when temperatures are below freezing. And since it stays light late and gets dark early in winter, it’s a good idea to wear bright-colored clothing so you’re more visible. A headlamp, for example, is usually quite useful as well.
