January is a weird month. Actually, winter is a weird season in the Ozarks. Two weeks ago, the wind chill was in the negative double digits, and this week, temps are in the 50s. It’s crazy.
Which makes it really hard to have any semblance of a workout schedule when one (me) doesn’t have a gym membership and prefers working out outside. I’m totally not motivated to work out this time of the year either.
But I’m trying to stay motivated. Trying to get on the road when the weather is nice. Trying to muster the energy to yell at my Wii Fit coach Mark when he tells me I’m “a little shaky.”
But you know what helps? Magazines. Magazines help. I’m reading my Runner’s World and Women’s Health magazines as much as I can (on top of all the other reading I’m committed to). They both have excellent tips and inspiring stories to make me want to get moving.
My question today is: What keeps you motivated to work out in the winter?
Motivation? Simply the fact that I feel better – emotionally, not physically. I’m tend to be a horrible sufferer of the winter blues and working out helps. It also curbs my appetite when it comes to those comfort foods.
I’m motivated by my over enthusiastic running friends. They love getting the miles in no matter what the weather and they’re always training for something. Even when it’s 5 degrees out and I don’t feel like running, once we’re out on the towpath, their enthusiasm pulls me along. And as always, once we’re done, I’m so glad I ran!