How to Lift Your Mood with Exercise

Your alarm goes off, it’s cold and dark outside, it’s even more difficult getting out of bed than usual and the thought of getting a workout in, isn’t the most attractive prospect… the day passes, you get home from work and all you want to do is sit on the sofa with a warm dinner – sound familiar?

Staying active during the winter months is a challenge, especially with the swift lead-up to Christmas, coupled with a sudden never-ending to-do list! Getting to the gym or routine gym class during the winter can soon seem like a near-impossible task!

It is incredibly important that you don’t ditch your fitness regime altogether and still try and maintain some level of consistency in training throughout winter. Staying active during the winter months is still important, both for your physical and mental health and your body composition. It’s common knowledge that more calories are usually consumed around this Christmas time. Whether it’s a mince pie or a few drinks at the Christmas party with your colleagues. In order to stay on track and to make January that little bit easier, you should try to still exercise a few times a week when you can and try and prioritise time for the gym. But, before you settle in for a long winter of boring treadmill runs (or, you know, not running at all…), why not try these helpful points to keep you fit and motivated throughout winter!

Get the blood flowing! Warm-up!

Before beginning your workout, make sure you get a warm-up in! We recommend press-ups, shoulder circles or star jumps before your run or workout. These warmup exercises will not just prepare you to embrace the cold weather, but they also rev up your cardiovascular system getting the blood flowing to your muscles and joints, raising your body temperature as well as reducing your chance of injury.

Make it a date! Bring your workout buddy

Agreeing to exercise with a friend gives you an incentive (other than exercise) to do something active! It will make steps to change your perspective of working out to something, other than just exercise, something a little more enjoyable and sociable. It’s also much more difficult to cancel on a friend than to just decide not to go yourself! We have a diverse group of members at VR Leisure, from total beginners to professional athletes, so, no matter your ability, there will be a workout buddy for you!

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail!

A tried and tested way of staying motivated is to set goals! Whether it’s a strict exercise schedule or a spring fitness goal you would have liked to have met by the end of winter, aiming for a target will keep you driven throughout even the gloomiest days. There’s science behind it! Setting goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. Goals also help align your focus and promote a sense of self-mastery. … Setting goals not only motivates us but can also improve our mental health and our level of personal and professional success! Next time you visit, talk to our friendly team about planning an exercise schedule!

Our friendly team at VR Leisure are always on hand to help! Whether it’s to provide motivation, help you set goals or just a friendly face to keep your spirits up on those grueling winter workouts!