Winter is coming!
You’ve got TWO choices:
A) Let all your hard work in the gym over summer go to waste, until next summer when you want to fit into that swim suit / see your abs again.
B) Keep up the positive momentum that you’ve created and hang on to those summer gains! Make a lifestyle decision to be healthier all year around!
If option ‘B’ appeals to you, then here are 5 tips to help you stay on track this winter.
1) Consistency – turn up regularly! Don’t let your training times become ad hoc. Set aside your weekly training slots ahead of time and don’t give yourself the option of that last minute click on the ‘unregister’ button. Some people prefer to train before work, some after work, whatever your preference, get your day to day routine nailed down and stick to it!
2) Home comforts – there’s something about colder nights, roaring fires and getting cosy on the sofa that influences our dietary habits. Occasional treats are fine, if they are just that …. occasional. Dieting is not advisable for sustained results, if you want year round results make a lifestyle choice and opt for healthy foods / drinks the majority of the time.
3) Preparation – Don’t leave things to chance / convenience. Plan meals, snacks, go food shopping and allow enough time to prep food. Prepare your gym bag the day before, set your alarm and make arrangements with your training partners. Preparation prevents poor performance!
4) Monitor activity – these days it’s easier than ever to gauge how active you are, or get an estimate on how many calories you have burned. Use your smart phone, wearable device (e.g. fitbit), or old school pedometer to get feedback on how much, or little activity you have done and more importantly ACT UPON IT! An hour a day in the gym is great, but what you do in the remaining 23 hours of the day will largely determine your success.
5) Goal Setting – Goal setting doesn’t just have to be long term, or done exclusively in January. Increase your chances of success by setting short and medium term goals as well. What do you want to achieve today? This week? This month? Goals should be personal to you and could include anything from dietary habits, gym attendance, skill development, strength development, body composition etc. Write them down and use the SMART acronym to increase your likelihood of achieving them;
**WRAP UP WARM**
It gets cold in the gym in winter, exercise and movement is your heating when you are at CrossFit Leyland! That being said, you should take precautions so that you don’t get cold before and after classes.
- Wear Layers – you can take some off when you get warm and put some back on when you cool down. Base layers are great for keeping you warm, additional items like fleeces are also good. The layers keep air trapped between them and help insulate the body. Tracksuit bottoms and / or tights are useful.
- Keep the extremities warm – Gloves are definitely beneficial during the winter months, even it is just until you warm up. There are CrossFit style gloves available online which can be worn for weightlifting and gymnastic work, so the you don’t end up frozen to the bar! During extremely cold periods, thicker socks will also help keep your feet warm.
- Hats – A lot of body heat escapes from the head, wearing a hat will help keep you warm
Happy training!