[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As we head towards the tail end of the year and the thermometer drops, it can be hard to maintain the same levels of motivation for exercise that we have when it\u2019s warm and sunny. After all, when it\u2019s cold and dark outside, it\u2019s hard to argue with a couple of million years of evolution telling you to hunker down somewhere warm and cosy and wait for spring.<\/p>\n
But with exercise as with most things, consistency is key. So here are a few of our top tips to help you keep your workouts on track as the holiday season approaches.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”50px”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
By switching from evening workouts to morning sessions, not only are you going to the gym in daylight \u2013 always more motivating \u2013 but you\u2019ll also get to enjoy the metabolic benefits of your workout for more of the day, ditto the feelgood benefits of those post-workout endorphins.<\/p>\n
Winter mornings are tough for night owls. So for those of us who aren\u2019t morning people (even on a good day) and we\u2019re trying to summon up the willpower to leave our nice warm duvet for a workout, getting dressed in the warm can really help.<\/p>\n
If a 7am workout is just too early to be an option (yep, that\u2019s me), schedule your workout for lunchtime. It\u2019s light, you\u2019re already up and about and you\u2019ve still got plenty of the day left to benefit from the endorphins and the metabolic boost of your session.<\/p>\n
That doesn\u2019t mean following your workout with a big bowl of cheesy chips and a full-fat coke, but it is important to take some time after your session to recover and refuel with something tasty and nutritious.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy for other demands on your time to get in the way of your workouts, especially when your motivation levels aren\u2019t at their highest. It can help (it certainly helps me) to schedule classes and workouts in advance, make sure the time is blocked out in the diary, and give them the same priority you\u2019d give an important meeting.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_single_image image=”8429″ img_size=”large”][vc_empty_space height=”30px”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Research indicates that new workout kit makes workouts 42% more effective. Or if it doesn\u2019t, it should, because we all know how much better we feel when our new purchases get an outing.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s always more enjoyable to exercise with someone else. And equally important, if you\u2019re finding it too easy to skimp on your classes or workouts, a workout buddy will hold you accountable when you\u2019re struggling to motivate yourself.<\/p>\n
The recovery phase is where you actually get to make the gains from your workouts and it\u2019s important to allow enough time between sessions. And don\u2019t forget that good quality sleep and nutrition are key elements for helping your body recover. So make sure you\u2019re getting (and enjoying) enough of both.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy for the idea of an upcoming workout to feel a bit daunting, especially if we are struggling to stay on track. So don\u2019t think about the workout itself, or the exercises you\u2019re going to have to do \u2013 especially the ones you don\u2019t like. Instead just focus on getting there. Especially if you\u2019re booked into a class. As we like to say at Ten \u201cAll you have to do is show up. We\u2019ll do the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
The upcoming holidays are a time to unwind, celebrate and enjoy a certain amount of excess. There\u2019s nothing wrong with that \u2013 especially after the year we\u2019ve all had. But if we\u2019ve already got a fitness goal and plan in place by the time Xmas comes around, we\u2019re more likely to be motivated to make the holiday a little healthier and more active than we would otherwise.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Our top tips to help you keep your workouts on track as the holiday season approaches<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":23007,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,97],"tags":[65,161],"class_list":["post-23005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-fitness","tag-fitness","tag-winter"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n