Winter is coming! No, this is not Ned Stark writing, and no monsters are going to break through the wall guarded by the Night’s Watch, and come south to attack Winterfell (I apologize for the opening; I’m a huge fan of Game of Thrones). It’s just me, and this is going to be a fitness post, not a TV or fantasy post — we’ll leave those to another medium.
By winter is coming, I mean that the wet and cold season is upon us. As the days get shorter and colder, many of us have a tendency to find shelter under woolly blankets, turn the heat way up, and pass the time in front of the TV with a hot cup of cocoa in our hands.
Winter is such a lazy season that many people neglect their fitness and end up gaining considerable weight. By the time spring comes, they may find that they need to lose 10 pounds or more, and that workouts that used to be easy during the past summer have now become difficult.
This is the season for making excuses, and skipping workouts is no exception. To help you stay on the straight and narrow fitness wise, I’ll go over some of the common winter fitness excuses and bust them one-by-one.
Image credit: smith_cl9
1. It’s Raining (or snowing), and I can’t train outdoors
Have you heard of gyms? They have a roof; it keeps the rain out. Now, you may not have a gym membership, but even that is no excuse — not a good one. You can do awesome workouts at home. You just need to be willing to take your mittens off, throw away your blankie, and be ready to work.
2. I Love Running, But It’s Too Cold and Wet
Check the picture above for reference and buy some running clothes for winter. People who love running do it in, practically, any climate. They buy nylon jackets, thermal clothes, proper shoes, and they jog in freezing weather. They don’t have any problems with winter weight gain. You can be sure of that.
3. All This Darkness Is Making Me Sleepy
Turn on the light, and wake the heck up. You’re not a caveman (or woman). You live in a time of technological advances. One of them — electricity — allows you to banish the dark with a flick of one finger. It’s amazing. You should try it. However, the workouts you do in that light require a bit more effort than flicking a finger. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
4. I Have A Cold – I Can’t Workout
If you’re sick, you have my permission to rest. And my blessing too. However, you’re not going to have a cold all winter — if you do you need to go to an emergency room now. I mean it, stop reading and go.
You can be sick in winter and in all other seasons too. You get better, and you resume your regular workout schedule. Winter is no exception in that regard.
5. I Can’t Train Outdoors, Don’t Have a Gym Membership, and Have No Fitness Gear At Home
Your body is the best fitness gear you’ll ever own. You can do a workout comprising nothing but bodyweight exercises. I’m talking about high effective and intense workouts. Check out the Shapeshifter Body Redesign program and the Bodyweight 500 Workout for some routines that you can do.
I understand what you’re going through. I’m staring out of my window right now, and I see the grey sky, the wet road, and the billowing treetops bending in the wind. I want to crawl under the covers and sleep until spring. The problem is that hibernation works only for bears. Humans end up fatter when they try it.
Forget about the excuses. There are solutions. Don’t neglect your fitness this winter. You’ll be grateful when it’s time to wear more revealing clothes in the spring.
