Oh heeey there! How are you doing today?
My Tuesday started off nice and early with a workout at the gym. It was in the 30s when we awoke this morning and I was awfully thankful that Ryan turned our little space heater on before we went to bed last night.
Dragging myself out of bed at 5 a.m. when our house is cold is 10 times harder than getting out of bed when it’s temperate. I give you northerners a lot of credit for tackling cold-weather workouts. You guys are champs.
Vizslas don’t have an undercoat, so Sadie’s a big baby when it comes to cold weather, too.
She has yet to emerge from bed this morning and created a little cocoon out of the covers for herself.
I wonder if she’s employing the same tactic I used to use during the winter when I was growing up in Illinois? I’d pull my covers up over my head and use my breath to help keep my body toasty in my little bed fort. Warmth!
Where were we? Ah! Today’s workout!
I began my gym session with a 20 minute warm up on the elliptical before heading into the weight room to complete the first workout from Phase 3 of Tina’s Best Body Boot Camp. This workout used pyramid sets to fatigue the muscles and focused on legs and shoulders.
Breakfast
Breakfast this morning was awfully similar to yesterday’s morning meal.
More overnight oats!
Topped with unsweetened shredded coconut.
Of Possible Interest
- 40 Ways to Stay Motivated This Winter (Fitbie.MSN.com)
- 300 Calorie Burning Walk Jog Workout (FitSugar.com)
- Everything You Need to Know about Kale (FitBottomedEats.com)
Question of the Morning
- Do you find it more difficult to motivate yourself to work out during the winter?
- How do you motivate yourself to work out when it’s freezing outside?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
Haha I love that picture of Sadie! I know exactly what you mean about it being hard to get up when its chilly – the worst thing is pulling back the covers and feeling like you’ve plunged into ice. Eeek! I definitely struggle to work out in the winter, I joined a 24 hour gym as my morning sessions dwindled to nothing. I only get there a few times a week but it has made a big difference!
We moved to Maine in July and I wasn’t sure I was going to survive the winter- so far I have 🙂 I stay motivated by training for a half marathon (in March) and a full marathon (in May). I’m training with a friend and that helps, too!
good luck to you on race day (x2)!!
Yeah, I have some motivation issues in the winter, but the best way I’ve been able to get over it is from the mantra, “Summer’s Coming, whether you’re ready or not”. Whoa! That seriously makes me want to exercise and feel confident! When its freezing, I’ll normally do an indoor workout. I write out what exercises need to be accomplished, and plop myself in front of YouTube to do them. I have certain movies and such that I’m only allowed to watch when I exercise, so it gets done!
I do find it a lot more difficult; mostly because of the daylight hours though! It seems so dark for most of the day, which leaves me feeling like I just want to relax! I usually try to stick to the treadmill and some workout DVDs, but this winter, I’ve found myself to be pretty bored with everything! I’m glad I will be starting CrossFit next week. It is much easier to stay motivated in the spring/summer/fall because of the “nice” weather in Duluth; most days you can just get up and go!
Getting out of bed when it is cold in the morning is difficult enough. Getting out of bed early AND working out when it is so cold out is almost impossible for me ;). I give you MAJOR props! 🙂
Yup totally agree – way harder to get out of bed on a cold morning! I usually work out after work, but last week I had to teach a class at the YMCA at 5:30am, and when I left the house it was -10! Brrrr.
Oh yes! Soooo much harder because the bed is that much better! I don’t have any tricks to help me out; I just know it’s gotta get done. I will often opt for the treadmill instead of the chilly outdoors though, so at least that’s something.
Our vizsla is just slow to get up every morning. She would stay under the covers till 9 if she could. Not a morning doggie.
Working out makes me toasty, so I feel like I’m more apt to workout just to get warm, but when the weather is below ten degrees, like it was last week, here in Iowa, I have a REALLY hard time getting to the gym. It was so COLD outside! When it’s above ten degrees, I know I won’t need a coat when I’m done, which helps.
I have people at CrossFit that hold me accountable! If I don’t show up at 5:30AM, they ask questions. (Also, I know that if I don’t get my butt to the gym in the morning, it won’t happen at all!)
It’s so much harder to work out when it’s cold (especially in the morning). Luckily, my treadmill is in my basement and it’s actually the warmest part of the house!
I give serious credit to those of you work out in winter first thing in the morning…getting out of bed is hard enough, and even more so when its fa-reeezing outside!
YES it is MUCH harder to work out when it is cold out! There is really no easy way, you just have to get out there and DO it! Easier said than done of course, I for one and definitely slacking in this area.
I try to hit the gym while Im already out ruinning errands or straight from work because If I go home and get comfy its super hard to get back out in the cold! I had overnight oats this morning too!
So much harder in the winter! This morning it was 24 degrees out, my motivation to get up was last nights dinner, chicken pot pie! I needed to burn off the calories 🙂 I also think about all the others at the gym…if they can get there then I really have no excuse. I will admit though I’ve been slacking big time in my early morning workouts during the week, just too dang cold!
This post could not be more timely as it’s FREEZING here today. I think it’s like 17 degrees now maybe… It’s so hard for me to get motivated, especially if I attempt to run outside. Today was not one of those days, though! I motive myself by thinking about how great and accomplished I’ll feel when it’s over. It usually works 🙂
The winter makes it so much worse! I am in the north and we have been dealing with lots of cold weather and snow! One of my favorite things is running outside, but I am not a champ like so many others (you guys rock!) and I don’t do it if it’s cold! Maybe I am a baby, but it’s just not fun to me! I try to always switch up my workouts and have a plan for the gym in the winter. That way, I stay accountable for it! Also, I am doing BBB so I have that to look forward to everyday!
I might still put my head under the covers when I’m gold, yep I defiantly do! My doodle doesn’t like to come under the covers so he sits and paws at me tell I come out and love on him. I think he thinks its a game!
I work out mid-morning (usually) so for me it’s not getting the motivation to work out, it’s just about getting the motivation to leave my toasty, warm bed! Which yes, becomes incredibly difficult in the winter sometimes. :-p
I still do the warm breath thing under the covers! ha Yes, I find it much more difficult to work out in the winter. My favorite exercise is waking outside, so with temps below freezing and snow on the ground, that doesn’t happen (except to take Louie out). I do attend more class type workouts in the winter and I have invested in some really cute layers in my workout wear. Plus, I have been doing your circuit workouts at home where it’s nice and cozy!
I’m a student which means that I have do to a ton of walking around campus, and it’s so hard when the temperature deeps below -7C (I think that’d be just under 20F). I find that when I get home at night I’m so exhausted from the cold that I just pass out. Not so great for productivity!
At-home workouts are key for me. By the time I walk to the gym, all I want to do is curl up under my sheets.
I left for the gym this morning at 5:15, but honestly, 30 degrees felt pretty warm today considering last Friday when I went it was only 9 degrees! Talk about freezing! It is much easier to get out of bed though in mild to warn temperatures than cold!
I live in wisconsin and its been below zero lately! But since getting to the gym is hard somedays I take my vizsla and snowshoe the trails by my house 🙂
I wish it was 30 here! It was 12 when i got up, gross! I love the overnight oats as always, have a happy tuesday!
I live in CT so it’s ALWAYS cold (exaggeration) but it is definitely easier for me to work out later in the day. I’m pretty lucky in that I get to head to the gym on my lunch break, so I usually go around 3! It’s a great pick-me-up in the afternoon slump!
I just try not to think about it…like ripping off a band-aid. Plus, I leave my alarm clock on the other side of my room right next to my workout clothes that I have laid out, so I have to get out of bed, I then throw on everything and go. I also have a down coat that is very warm, so it definitely helps!
Because it is cold here more than warm I think I am just used to it! But the one trick is that we go to the gym right after work, if we do something before or go home first chances are we will not venture back out. I do find that going to later (7-7:30) fitness classes does not happen in the winter near as much as in the summer because of both the dark & cold!
When it is freeeeezing here, I skip my am workout and go in the afternoon! It was snowing this morning here so I let myself sleep in. It was awesome!
So funny, I just said to my husband this morning that I did NOT want to get our of bed to go to the gym today because I was so warm and comfy. We moved to Tampa from NY 3 years ago, and that is definitely one thing I do not miss! I can deal with it a few days out of the year, but not an entire winter!
I hate leaving the house in the winter – it’s so cold here in Chicagoland!! I’m doing a fitness challenge at my gym until March, so that motivates me to get to the gym! I can’t wait for nice weather!
Oh my gosh! That picture of Sadie is just adorable! I literally laughed out loud 🙂 I live in Illinois and I find it extrememly hard to get out of bed for school! Who doesn’t want to stay in a warm cozy bed?!
YES! It’s much harder for me to get motivated when it’s cold BUT I do LOVE running outside when it’s cold; I know that sounds crazy, but there’s something very invigorating about it. Now if I can just figure out how to get myself out more…
It’s definitely more difficult to wake up in the morning when it’s freezing! Today the wind chill is -2 here, hence the reason I slept past my 6am alarm and didn’t get out of bed til 645. Oops. Good for you for getting up anyway! 🙂
I definitely find it more challenging to get up for early morning workouts during the winter months. It’s dark and cold and all I want to do is stay in my warm and comfy bed! It’s amazing how much more motivated I get during he summer months for early morning workouts when the sun comes up early.
You inspired my overnight oats for my breakfast this morning. It was a tasty one, as always! 😉
I just love how dramatic Sadie is! It’s kind of exactly how I react to cold weather here in Boston 😛
It was a whole SEVEN degrees this morning — winter is the worst!! And Milo is a huge baby about the cold too, but at least he doesn’t make us play outside in the cold 🙂
Itz WAY harder to get out of bed in the winter when itz cold!! I give myself an extra ten minutes to slowly wake up in the winter but I do get up!
I took off yesterday because I was under the weather so I’m starting Phase 3 today. It looks like a fun one! I finally tried overnight oats for the first time this morning. I gotta say-not sure what all the fuss is about! Perhaps I did something wrong?
My workouts definitely suffer in the winter, especially since I have to walk a half mile in the Chicago cold just to get to my gym! Plus I love to walk outdoors but that doesn’t happen in the winter, it’s just too cold!
Ahhhh getting out of bed when it’s cold is SO HARD! My apartment building controls the heat in our units and keeps up quite toasty, but growing up my parents always kept the heat turned down loooooooow. My room was on a corner and was the coldest room in the house — it rarely topped 64 in my room during the winter. Getting out of bed was never fun!
Growing up in Connecticut and being a swimmer has trained me to get up early in the am regardless of the temps. I always had to be at swim practice at 5:30am no matter how cold, so I just roll out of bed and bundle up, it wasnt easy and getting into a pool when it was cold! Now I look forward to the fact that i will be working up a sweat 10 minutes after entering the gym!
I’m the biggest wimp when it comes to the cold, which is really unfortunate because I live in Canada and have to deal with less-than-ideal temperatures way more often than I’d like to. I’ll admit that getting myself to move when it’s cold is really difficult because all of my muscles and joints feel stiff, but I jump around for a little while to get myself warmed up and try to keep in mind that I’ll get warmer once I get moving.
I laughed out loud when you said you have a little space heater:) Here in West Virginia it about the coldest its ever been! (Since I’ve lived here, anyway) Nothing like scraping off the car at 5:30 to get to bootcamp class by 6!
It’s SO much harder to work out in the winter when it’s darker more and much colder. I’ve been doing treadmill runs mainly while it’s been so chilly in NYC. I also crave a big bowl of warm oatmeal in the morning much more than I do a workout!
Being from one of the snowiest place in the country, winter workouts can get hard. I try to get to the gym 4-5 days a week and for fun my husband and I will go skiing/snowboarding, take our niece and nephews sled riding, or just out for a walk with our dog, Lando. You have to learn to enjoy the snow and cold weather or else you won’t have much motivation 🙂
I definitely find it harder to make it to the gym when it’s cold outside. I found myself looking for a little chore to do this morning to procrastinate making the cold trek. I just bundle up and try to think how warm the gym will be.
Yes! It is so hard to get up when it is cold. I hate it. I have to workout in the evening because I can’t get out of bed. And I also admire northerners who can get through those harsh winters.
It think it is great how you and Ryan motivate each other every morning.
It’s really hard when it’s freezing in NY, like it is currently, but sometimes it’s almost better waking up in a warm house throwing on a bunch of layers and feeling that cold hit your face in the morning. It’s a reaaaal wake up haha
yyyeesss. living in the south I don’t do well in the cold! Esp when it gets darker earlier.
It’s so hard to find motivation when it’s like 10 degrees, but I find if I make plans to meet up with a friend, it’s a bit easier. We’re been running outside for a half marathon in DC next month, so that helps with motivation! There’s been a few times lately that we’ve had to change our plan after it snowed, but we always have a backup workout to do indoors.