Fit Tips: Winter workout motivation

Maybe it’s because there’s only true daylight between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., or maybe it’s because shorts and parkas don’t mix well, but one thing is for sure: Dillon Gymnasium and the towpath get much less crowded during the wintertime. As the weather gets colder, the words “workout,” “gym” and “exercise” seem to be used less and less frequently, and rarely with a cheery tone.

I’ll admit, the thought of returning from a run with a pounding headache from the cold, fingers so frozen that your iPhone doesn’t even respond and sweat-icicles hanging from your face doesn’t compete so well with your warm, comfortable bed. Times like these tend to squelch motivation to exercise and tempt us to stay in bed and watch Netflix, deeming the late thirsty-Thursday night walk from the Street to the Wa as the weekly workout. (This habit also makes it much less likely to make it to the gym the next day.)

If you find yourself drawn to hibernation during the winter months instead of to the gym, you could benefit from the following tips to keep (or get) you on track.

Go to an exercise class! Dillon offers many group exercise classes ranging from yoga, to indoor cycling, to strength training. The energy of group exercise is unparalleled, and I am a firm believer that there is a type of class for everyone. My personal favorite? Spinning! If you’re looking for a calorie-torching, low-impact workout, this 45-minute class is the way to go. I’ve been spinning for about eight years now, and can whole-heartedly say it has dramatically improved my fitness and lifestyle.
Make it a date. No, I’m not suggesting you ask that cute guy or girl to spot you as you squat (that may well be one of the more awkward things you could do, now that I think about it), but ask friends who are also interested in keeping up their fitness to be your gym buddies. You’ll (hopefully) feel much more compelled to actually make it to the gym if you know you have someone waiting on you. Not enough motivation? Put something on the line! Dinner, coffee for a month or laundry (yuck) all make great stakes for bets.
Lay out your clothes the night before. For me, this is crucial if I want to ensure that my morning workout happens. Completing this small task means I have one fewer excuse to not go work out and I don’t have to suffer the guilt of putting the clothes back in the drawer.
Sign up for a challenging event. That 10K or half-marathon in March isn’t going to run itself! Sign up for an event challenging enough that you can’t just “wing it.” Better yet, write out a training plan so that you can perform your best on race day!
Play intramurals! Every semester, I sign up for many intramural sports and do my best to attend every game. I genuinely love playing the goofy yet competitive games (ever heard of inner-tube water polo or wallyball?), and always finish the IM season with a couple of new friends. Check out the CampusRec website for a full list. Some of the sports offered include badminton, soccer (indoor and outdoor), basketball and volleyball.
Try squash! Deemed the “healthiest sport” by Forbes magazine, squash boasts — points to you if you understand that pun! — a multitude of benefits, and it’s no coincidence so many people pick it up in college. In the enclosed court, you and a partner can hit the ball as hard as your heart desires and run yourselves to exhaustion in relatively short amounts of time. Plus, Dillon has several courts available for student use and even sells affordable rackets.