Training During Winter Sucks!!

We’re a few weeks into winter now and there’s little arguing that it’s going to be a bit more difficult to stay motivated. The feeling of your warm bed and snoozing the alarm is often more enticing than a workout! But more-so than just your weekly training, an emphasis on eating the right foods through winter should be up there on your list! so here are some guidelines to keep you training and healthy through winter.❄

RULE NO.1 - MAKE A PLAN!

Your coaches and gym buds, and the general environment of CrossFit Life CSP, are motivating. However, you’ve got to get yourself there first, and that’s all on you! There are some things you can do to keep your levels of motivation up.

Set a mini, tangible goal for every week ✍. For example ” I am going to: Train three days; Work on my double-unders after each class; Get to the gym 10 minutes early to do some mobility; Eat clean for 90% of my meals.” You get the idea....
Get a workout wingman. Pester each other with messages throughout the week and make sure if one of you is having a bad day the other person is dragging them to get that session done, everyone has bad days but getting in is the hardest bit once you’re here! It’s all aboard gains train! 💪
Set your sights on a future event, like the Lake Macquarie Fun Run or a local CrossFit competition! It will give you the incentive you’ll need to summon up the motivation to train, because you’ll want to stay fit and improve your fitness through the winter, so you will arrive at the start line in the best possible shape to give it your best efforts.
Reserve your future classes in Wodify for the next few days of training!

(Shoutout to Mel.B & Dani.R for coming up with their accountability calendar hanging up on the kitchen door!)

CLOTHING

Dress for the weather. Wind, rain and the cold can put many people off being active through the winter, but with the correct clothing yes it’s possible to protect yourself from the elements so you can train quite happily through this chilly time. There’s a saying ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing’ and there is some truth in it.
Keep your hoodies and long pants on during the warm-ups, skill work, and back on after you have finished your WOD.
Keep your warmer outer layers on during strength sessions to stay warm during the rest periods.
Everyone and I mean EVERYONE loves new gym kit 🎽👟 so buy yourself some new gym threads, new pair of kicks or your first pair of lifters. This will make you want to show your new gear at the box and also make you feel and look like a boss ready for your next workout!! I’m not saying break the bank & go mad! but a gift from you to you is damn good motivation to get your sweat on!

NUTRITION!

During winter there’s no need to worry about the nutrition side of things right? WRONG!!! Just by keeping your lifestyle active and your exercise regular and you will naturally be much more conscious of what you are eating as you won’t want to undo all that hard work you’ve been putting in! 🎂

Nutrition in Winter is about 🥘🥣 Warm dinners, soups, stews and even delicious pasta’s that are choc loaded with lots of hearty vegetables high in Vitamin & minerals like Vitamin C. Vitamin C has many health benefits but none more so than its link to the immune system. However did you know that Vitamin C is degraded by many cooking methods such as applying heat, leeching out into cooking water and even light and air. So a few tips to ensure your getting a good dose of VC in your diet this winter:
Eat cold fresh or frozen fruit everyday. 🍌🍎🍓🍑
Don’t cut your fruit ahead of time as every surface you create is now exposed to air and light which starts the degrading process.
Store your fruit in low temperatures and if possible coloured or solid storage tins, containers or bags.
Eat raw fresh vegetables as much as possible.🍆🥦🥕🥬 We all want a nice warm dinner, but something as simple as stirring through some fresh baby spinach into warm dish last minute can increase your chances of getting a good dose of VC.
Don’t boil your vegetables, steam them or cook them in the food your going to eat so that the nutrients can’t leech out into the cooking water that will get poured into your pot plant.
Eat fruit & veggies that are in season. It’s no mistake that citrus, Kiwi, potatoes, broccoli & cauliflower are so easily accessible in this season, because natures provides us with what we need at the time we need it most. These foods are high in vitamin C, and the good news is, fresh food in season is cheaper!
Did you know CrossFit Life CSP has its own Nutrition Program? Online platform, with lots of easy to follow recipes, a comprehensive suite of information regarding general & performance based nutrition and a member’s interaction space for you to share, inspire and help each other stay accountable. https://www.crossfitlife.net/wellbeingnutritionservice

THE BIG ONE, SHOWING UP!…

Preparation is key! Get all your clothing, meals and snacks prepared the evening before, so when you wake up everything is laid out and ready to go or pack your gym bag the night before put it in your car.
If you train after work your more likely to not want to workout if you go home first and chill out after work, instead come straight to the gym and get your session done. That’s the hard bit done, leave the rest to us!!
Social Media, 📱🤳 now this may sound stupid but if you tell your friends on facey or insta that you are going to hit the workout up, it makes you accountable in a very public way. And it also can help to motivate other people now they’ve seen you are on route to your fav gym or just hit a good sweat sesh they might actually join you getting fitter instead of binging Netflix.

We hope these tips for keeping you motivated over the winter will give you some ideas on how to avoid that winter slump!