AD It can be easy to find the motivation to exercise in Spring as the weather improves and it’s nice to be outside. As Autumn starts to roll in and the days get shorter it can be hard even to get out of bed on a cold, dark morning. If you need some tips to keep your exercise routine going over the Winter then I have you covered. Or maybe you relaxed a bit too much over the Summer and you need some motivation to get moving again? Either way here are 10 ways to help you get exercising and keep it going until that warmer weather comes back.

10 Ways To Keep Your Exercise Routine Going Through The Colder Months

Sharing tips to keep fit over Winter

Establish A Routine

Whatever your preferred form of exercise it’s harder to motivate yourself on a cold dark day so try and turn your exercise into a habit as early as possible. If you have been exercising all year then it will be easier for you to continue, but if you are out of the habit the best time to get started is today. The second best time is tomorrow.

Plan the days and times you will work out and stick to them. It can help if you set reminders on your phone and you keep all your kit together so you can get started quickly.

Get The Right Kit

I’m a firm believer that what you look like when you exercise doesn’t matter, but that doesn’t mean throwing on old, baggy clothes. Getting the right kit can really make a difference to how you feel when you exercise and your performance. You need clothes that fit well (no yanking up your shorts repeatedly through the session) and are suitable for your preferred exercise. adidas is a good option to check out if you want womens tracksuits or mens tracksuits. If you enjoy yoga, pilates or mat work you need clothes that stretch with you.

• If you are running you need clothes that won’t rub.
• If you enjoy high impact sports then supportive material will help you feel more in control.
• If you know you will get hot and sweaty, material that wicks away moisture and dries quickly is ideal.
• If you are exercising outside layers can be your friend.
• Don’t forget the right trainers, socks and underwear will make you feel more comfortable too.

Track Your Goals And Progress

What do you want to achieve? Whether you want to be fitter, lose weight, be stronger, be healthier or support your mental health, writing down your goals is a great way to remind yourself of why you are exercising on those days when your motivation is low.

And we all know smart goals are better than vague ones so try and think of a way to measure where you are now and where you want to be. You can then track your progress to show how much you have achieved, keeping you motivated.

• If you are a runner how long can you run for now? What’s your pace? How far do you want to run each month?
• If you want to be stronger and you use fixed or free weights, record where you are now, what weights you use and the number of repetitions.
• If you prefer pilates or yoga log on a scale of 1 to 10 how strong you feel, whether you ache after a session and how strong you feel in the movements.

Keep It Fresh

While forming habits is good, you don’t want to get bored. If you do the same workout 3 times a week you will start to lose interest and you won’t get as good results. Enjoying a variety of sports and exercises will help you be more excited and improve your overall fitness.

Move Indoors

If you normally exercise outdoors, but struggle with the cold then consider joining a gym so you can keep fit indoors over the cooler months. While some of the more traditional chains have joining fees and require notice for cancelling there are lots of smaller, more modern gyms that have appeared in high streets and leisure complexes which offer more affordable options including pay as you go and fixed term memberships.

Have Back Up Options

It can be really easy to make excuses and miss a planned session so work to remove excuses in advance. For instance, if you jog then a frosty start or snow overnight might make the pavements unsafe to run on, but if you have a back up plan in place you can easily switch to that. If you like to go to the gym or a class then it’s useful to have another option for if they are cancelled or closed for some reason. One good option can be to find suitable workouts on YouTube and bookmark them for when they are needed. If you do a different routine, rather than no exercise you will find it easier to keep the habit of exercising regularly.

Exercise At Lunchtime

It can be hard to get out of bed on a cold dark morning to go work out. Likewise those dark nights make us want to snuggle under a blanket on the sofa, so try exercising at lunchtime. Whether you are keeping fit inside or out, the natural light will help encourage you to get started.

Find A Workout Buddy

Finding someone you can work out with will make it more fun and provide motivation to both of you on the days you are feeling a bit lazy. It works best if they live or work nearby so this isn’t an option for everyone. Another way to stay accountable can be through logging your activity on a fitness app. You can publish your work outs to be seen by your real life friends all over the country. Keeping in touch with like minded people will help encourage you.

Be Part Of A Team

It is much easier to make excuses to yourself than to other people. This is why a workout buddy works so well, but you can go one step further and find a whole group of people to have your back. If you join a sports team or class not only will you find it easier to stay active, but you’ll meet lots of new people too.

Make A Great Playlist

The power of music should never be understated. It can boost your mood, help you relax and it can even help with your Winter workouts. Pull together a new playlist with some of the best feel good songs which have the right BPM (beats per minute) for your preferred exercise. For a jog around 125 BPM is suggested with a higher BPM for the harder you want to work out. If you are going for a low intensity workout like yoga or pilates you will want something much slower with a BPM of 60 to 90. If you aren’t sure what music would work, most music streaming services have playlists for different types of exercise and they often list the BPM of tracks too.


Exercising throughout the Winter is easy to do if you can keep motivated and find a routine that works well for you. I hope these tips help you to meet your fitness goals.