Getting up and at ‘em in the winter is a different animal. It’s hard. If you’re in the northern half of the country, it’s cold out. No matter where you are, it’s darker longer. Winter/holiday food is tastier and heavier and creamier. So far, for me, each winter as an adult has been different than the previous one. Last year, I was motivated by a compulsion to lose baby weight. The winter before that, I was pregnant, had a miscarriage, then was pregnant again. This year, I’m going to be a little bit mentally healthier about it and more intentional about my motivations. Hopefully this will be a more sustainable model for future years. Let’s discuss. 

I decided to take a look at some more winter-specific motivations for regular exercise:

• SAD, good old Seasonal Affective Disorder, is probably my #1 reason. Exercise brings about a the release of a whole bunch of hormones in the brain that help balance out this emotional time. Hooray for balance! Some of those hormones are directly related to mood, like endorphins, dopamine and serotonin, which bring about runners’ high and other generally good feelings. There are lots of reasons to work out regularly throughout the year, but remembering it in the winter is especially helpful when it feels like there are lots of reasons NOT to work out.

• Exercise actually promotes relaxation more than rest does! Working the body reduces stress in the brain, which might sound counter-intuitive, but think about it a minute. What are things people tend to do to “clear their heads” when they need to think? Go for a walk? The body moves while the brain processes. For me, tiring out my body a little bit actually allows me to relax, like I can feel my muscles unwinding after they’ve been used well.

• It feels really bad-ass to run in the cold and especially the snow. This might not be a main motivator to get out and run, but it’s a pretty good side benefit. I have always gotten a little bit of a boost from running in conditions others might think are crazy because I like feeling like a tough athlete. It might be superficial, but it works.

• Staving off weight-gain has to be included on this list too. For me, the winter is not usually a great time to focus on weight LOSS, but maintaining healthy weight is still a doable and possible notion. Trying to imagine having self control when I’m around my mom’s fudge drops is NOT a possible notion at this time.

Having reasons and motivations for continuing to work out through the winter is the first step to success. Don’t wait for New Year’s Resolution time. Do it now, on your own terms. What’s the next step now? MAKE A PLAN! Let’s do this!