Get a Fresh Start on Your Workout Routine
Spring always feels like a rebirth. Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, and animals (and people) are waking up from hibernation.
If the winter blues affected your fitness and derailed your plans, slowing down your New Year’s resolutions, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
The good news: Spring can help you break out of that slump. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about refreshing your fitness routine.
Why Winter Affects Our Motivation to Exercise
“Winter can make it really tough to stay active and even harder to get active if you weren’t already,” says psychologist Jeffrey Morrow, PhD, who leads the Southern California Psychology Group and specializes in motivating athletes. “Whether it’s the gloomy weather or just the cold, these obstacles can lead to a significant drop in activity levels and goals being abandoned.”
Research on human physiology shows that people tend to need more sleep in winter, coupled with less sunlight and lower temperatures, leading to decreased physical activity. Who wants to leave a warm blanket when it’s freezing outside!
Winter can also impact our mental health. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as “winter depression,” can cause symptoms like fatigue, low energy, oversleeping, weight gain, and changes in appetite. Dr. Morrow says, “Even without a diagnosis of seasonal affective disorder, many of my clients show signs of sensitivity to winter, especially in regions with prolonged cold and cloudy weather and limited daylight.”
How the new season can help you refocus your goals
Spring brings changes like longer daylight hours, warmer temperatures, and a sense of renewal, making it an ideal time for a fitness reboot.
Sunlight is known to boost energy levels significantly. Exposure to direct sunlight shortly after waking up helps regulate your sleep pattern, maintaining consistent energy levels throughout the day. Sunlight can also enhance mood and provide essential vitamin D for optimal muscle function.
Warmer temperatures raise muscle and body temperature, reducing warm-up time. Exercising in the heat enhances aerobic performance, which is why elite athletes often train in warmer climates during winter.
Having more daylight means more time for physical activity, especially outdoor exercises.
“Spring is perfect for moving workouts outdoors and embracing the changing environment,” says trainer and physical therapist Kristina Kam, DPT. “It can revitalize clients’ fitness goals and motivation, with many showing increased dedication and commitment.”
Planning Your Spring Fitness Revamp
Rather than diving straight back into last summer’s routine, it’s best to ease into your fitness goals gradually.
“The body and mind resist change, whether positive or negative,” explains Dr. Morrow. “Therefore, we need small, measurable steps that can safely lead us to significant changes over time.”
If your goal is to run 10 miles a week, build up to it over several weeks, starting with walk/runs if you haven’t been running regularly in winter. Follow a suitable training program that aligns with your current fitness level. A structured plan allows you to track progress daily, giving you ongoing motivation to stay on course.
Even if you’ve been hitting the gym during the winter, taking advantage of the nicer weather by moving your workouts outdoors can provide a mental boost and introduce variety to your exercises. For instance, you can go kayaking instead of focusing on arm workouts, enjoy a light hike for active recovery, or swap your indoor spin class for a bike ride on trails. Tending to your garden can also offer a good workout while enjoying the outdoors.
Embracing nature can inject fresh enthusiasm into your fitness routine. The key is to focus on each day and enjoy the journey. Let’s get moving!
