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Motivating yourself to exercise in the winter

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Motivating yourself to exercise in the winter can be difficult, but it’s important for your health.

Winter weather makes it easier to stay cosy inside and forget exercising until Spring comes around (unless you are living somewhere warm and sunny in which case we are all very jealous).

Exercising in the winter is a struggle, especially when the fire is on inside. However, it’s important to stay healthy as regular exercise is good for your heart and overall health. The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week which is just over 20 minutes a day.

Regular exercise can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer and can also benefit your mental health.

If you needed motivation to go out and exercise, here’s your sign to focus on your health. Read our tips below on how to keep exercising regularly in the winter.

Top tips for exercising in the winter

Exercise with company

With low motivation to leave the warmth of your home, working out with someone else can be a game changer.

Not only does exercising with someone else hold you more accountable to your plans, it can also make the exercise more enjoyable which makes you more likely to stick to this routine.

Exercise at home

If you don’t want to go outside on a cold dark evening, don’t! Why not exercise from the comfort of your own home. Stay warm and healthy by exercising just over 20 minutes a day from home.

Exercises you can do at home include walking up and down the stairs, Zumba or Dancing, Skipping, Yoga, Pilates, Circuit routine including push ups and many more.


Choose a fun activity

Exercising in the winter doesn’t have to be cold and miserable, it can be fun. There are lots of exercises you can do at winter which you can’t do any other time of the year. So why not make the most of them activities whilst you can.

Choosing an activity you enjoy will help keep you motivated and keep a healthy routine with exercise in the winter. Examples of winter activities are sledding, skiing, Ice skating, walks in the snow, snowball fights and many more.

Add more steps into your routine

This is a good idea any time of the year. Even if it’s just walking around the office more during the day, this can make a difference and will turn into a habit if you repeatedly do it.

Think about how you can add more steps into your daily routine. Were you planning on ordering a sandwich from across the street? Why not walk there. Need to grab a few things from up or downstairs? Take one item at a time, even if you could carry it all in one trip.

Whatever exercise you take on this winter for your heart and overall health, keep in mind that it can be easy to over exert your self in cold weather. Dressing in layers that are easily removable for when you do get too warm makes it easier to adjust your body temperature when exercising.

If you have any heart issues such as high blood pressure, be sure to consult your doctor about what winter activities will be suitable for you. Pay attention to your body and keep your own limits in mind to avoid larger health issues and ensure that you can stay healthy and active throughout winter.

Fitness Trainer Assisting Elderly Man

Regular Exercise Reduces High Blood Pressure

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As you grow older, the risk of hypertension increases.  This means it is essential to take necessary precautions to control and prevent high blood pressure.  Recent studies have revealed that exercise can play a major role in helping you control high blood pressure.  This certainly doesn’t mean running a marathon or even joining a gym, just a few minutes of physical activity every day can do wonders.  

The Studies

A study 1 Naci H, Salcher-Konrad M, Dias S, et al How does exercise treatment compare with antihypertensive medications? A network meta-analysis of 391 randomised controlled trials assessing exercise and medication effects on systolic blood pressure British Journal of Sports Medicine Published Online First: 18 December 2018. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2018-099921 published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, highlighted that one or more in every four UK adults experience high blood pressure.  This is a significant risk factor for heart attack or stroke.  While it is more common among the elderly, it can still affect anyone regardless of age.  The study found that regular exercise can be as effective as the majority of available medications in controlling blood pressure.

Another study 2 Effect of Exercise and Pharmacological Interventions on Visceral Adiposity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Long-term Randomized Controlled Trials.  Rao, Shreya et al.  Mayo Clinic Proceedings , Volume 94 , Issue 2 , 211 – 224 focused on the levels of visceral fat, which is the type of fat that isn’t visible on the outside but instead covers various internal organs.  High levels of visceral fat can be extremely harmful to health and result in a number of health issues, including high blood pressure.

The study found that while both medication and exercise can help in decreasing visceral fat, regular exercise offered the most advantages.  Additionally, modifying the diet is another effective way of reducing body fat and obesity.

As you start losing visceral fat, your risk of high blood pressure decreases and you can also overcome numerous other illnesses associated with high amount of body fat.

Exercising to Reduce Blood Pressure

So, how often do you have to exercise to reduce fat and control blood pressure?

It is best to aim for moderate activity, which can include brisk walking for 30 minutes for at least five days a week.  If you are unable to exercise for 30 minutes then you can opt for shorter but more vigorous physical activity, for instance jogging for 10 to 20 minutes for three to four days a week.

If you have been inactive for a long period of time, it is best to start slowly and gradually increase the duration and intensity.  Here is what you should do:

  1. Start with warming up your body.  This should take five to ten minutes of stretching and other warm up exercises that can help your body prepare for the workout and prevent any potential injuries.
  2. Slowly increase the intensity.  Don’t try to overdo it.  Keep in mind that while exercising, you should still be able to talk.  If you can sing then you need to turn it up a notch.
  3. After the workout, give your body time to cool down.  Avoid stopping the workout suddenly. Decrease the intensity for the next few minutes till you feel your heartbeat getting normal.

An inactive lifestyle has been associated with an increase in blood pressure.  Therefore, it is important to include regular workouts as part of your daily activities.  Regular activity will help in reducing blood pressure and can be as good as any blood pressure medication.  In case of any confusion, it is best to consult your doctor to determine the right fitness plan for you.