Hi Everyone!
I have a confession to make. Winter is really hard on me. I miss the sunshine, and the warmth of summer. I get tired of seeing snow and clouds day after day. In January and February my allergies go crazy, and I have sinus pressure that makes me feel exhausted. Sometimes I feel tired all day long. When the sun is shining and the weather is warm I have so much more energy and motivation. It just seems easier to workout and be active.
That said, successfully sticking to a workout program doesn’t require motivation. Motivation is a nice bonus that makes things easier. Sticking to your program requires determination, consistency and planning to make sure you get in your workouts. Even on the days when my motivation is most lacking, I feel better when I workout.
I try to follow my Five Minute Rule. That means if I am super tired and really don’t want to workout I give myself the option to quit after the first 5 minutes if I still feel too worn out. Once I get started I always feel better, and I have never actually quit the workout.
I find that exercise and making nutritious choices are linked (for me.) Whenever I am working out I find it easier to make healthier choices, and have less cravings for less nutritious foods. It’s important to start recognizing your own cycles and habits for both nutrition and exercise.
I also try to remember my reasons for exercising. When my son sees me or my husband roll out the yoga mat he starts doing squat jumps, and running in place. I love knowing that he is learning how to establish healthy habits and routines. I want him to learn that making time for exercise is a normal part of taking care of your health, like brushing your teeth.
Maverick is growing so tall.
We also incorporate random exercise into our days. For example, during the Superbowl every time the team we were rooting for scored we did one pushup per point. When Maverick needs to get some energy out we do obstacles, jump squats, or have mini-races. Even short bursts of activity throughout the day add up.
What is your favorite way to get moving, and add some extra activity to your day? Do you struggle with motivation during the winter? Let me know in the comments.
I hope you enjoy today’s exercise routine! Let me know how you like today’s workout, and I will update everyone as soon as I film the newest workout routine.
Melissa
PS I am on Social Media: @BenderFitness and on Facebook: @MelissaBenderFitness and Jesse is on Instagram: @BenderCrosby1
For my non-fitness related posts I am on instagram as @Melissa_Bender_Life
PPS If you want to help support BenderFitness so we can stay free and make our site more sustainable your donation is greatly appreciated: https://www.patreon.com/BenderFitness
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| Russian Kicks |
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| Mountain Climber |
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| X-Jump: Part 1 |
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| X-Jump Part 2 |
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| Donkey Kick: Part 1 |
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| Donkey Kick: Part 2 |
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| Donkey Kick: Part 3 |
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| Burpee: Part 1 |
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| Burpee: Part 2 |
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| Burpee: Part 3 |
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| Temple Tap Abs |
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| Elbow Tap Side Plank: Part 1 |
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| Elbow Tap Side Plank: Part 2 |
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| Rock the Boat: Part 1 |
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| Rock the Boat: Part 2 |
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| Cross & Reach: Part 1 |
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| Cross & Reach: Part 2 |
Oh my goodness, so I read about how winter affects you and I can say the same for me this year. I recently moved from Southern California to Boise Idaho. I’ve never experienced winter and really had a challenging time without sunshine, even if it was 30 minutes would be helpful. I ended up going to the health food store and getting a good multi vitamin with vitamin D3 and it helped. I know my metabolism slowed even though I continued working out, hoping it kicks back into high come spring and summer.
Thank you Melissa for your workouts, nutrition, and overall wellness information. As women I think the more we share our experiences with each other the better we are overall.
Yes!! It’s so much harder to be motivated in the winter. Harder to get outside and be active with little ones in tow, and not as worried about my body because you just wear layers anyway! Thanks for the honest post!
Thanks for this and I will start living by the 5 minute rule as well. I’ve also got crazy sinus pressure right now and was out for like 2 weeks with a sinus infection. During it I would try to do some yoga just to keep active and to try break up the nastiness, but most of the time I was just so tired. I think if I had used the 5 minute idea I would have been more active.
Would it be possible to upload higher resolution photos’s ? it helps with checking form.
The winter is so hard. Running outside is so much easier for me, and when it is really cold and I am somewhat sick (all winter it feels), it’s so hard. The treadmill works. And I do these plyo workouts for my strength portion, but I think it is much harder.
Awesome workout! My 4 month old thought x jumps were absolutely hysterical! Thanks for all the great videos and recipes!
I did this workout this morning fasted . It feel good and I sweated a lot. But I felt like I didn’t give my 100% into it..
Thank you Melissa for all your free workouts..