Let's stay motivated to move!

LiveWell’s Nicola offers her top tips for avoiding hibernation and staying active this winter

Hello November! Is it just me, or has this month appeared out of nowhere?  

Personally, I love this time of year (which might be an unpopular opinion!), but I really feel there is so much to enjoy, embrace and experience.  

Don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate that it doesn’t come without it’s challenges, including cold and flu season, darker evenings and colder temperatures; which can all impact how we feel and affect our motivation to keep active.  

However, if we can find it within ourselves to make a big effort to keep moving during the winter months, the benefits to our physical and mental health will be huge.  

There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad preparation and unsuitable clothing! I do think there is something quite special (and exciting!) about digging out the ‘big coat’, pulling on the wellies and stepping out into the elements.  

A brisk walk can really do wonders for our mood and energy levels, whilst allowing us to take some time to notice and appreciate what is around us. This could be the wildlife busily preparing for the winter months, the freshness in the atmosphere, or the falling leaves. Stepping on a pile of crunchy leaves takes me back to my childhood and is still something I love about getting out during this time of year!  

When it is cold and dark, it can be much harder to find the motivation to get up and out. Try to plan activities into your day at the time that suits you best. For some people, getting out early works well, but if you aren’t a morning person, you don’t have to be!  

During this time of year, those precious daylight hours can be in short supply so we should try and make the most of them. You might find that mid-morning, lunchtime or mid-afternoon are the best times for you to introduce some movement minutes. If your schedule allows, you could try to organise your diary to include breaks and time to venture outdoors around other meetings or commitments.  

If this isn’t possible and you do go out when it is darker, make sure to keep safe, let someone know your plans and keep to well-lit areas.  

You may also find that heading out with a friend or family member is a good option. Exercising with others will strengthen social connections, which can really boost your mood and is a great way to encourage and motivate one another.

You could take turns choosing the location, and, on that topic, why not plan a route that ends in a warm and cosy café?  

Although being outdoors and active offers great benefits, sometimes the weather really is not on our side, or we might not be in the position/able to get out. 

If this does happen, don’t feel bad, or like you are failing in any way; this is not the case! Instead, look at ways to keep active at home. For example, try habit stacking: doing some squats in the kitchen whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, climbing the stairs or doing some stretches during an advertising break and don’t forget that household chores such as hoovering, cleaning dusting all count! For something different, why not put on your favourite music and have an indoor dance party? 

The key is to try and not hibernate this autumn/winter, whatever you do, keep moving and treat your body and mind to those feel-good hormones that come with staying active. 

Try these ideas: 

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