No time to break

Even die-hard fitness enthusiasts have their exercise habits undergo disruption in winter, Daniel Vaz tells you how to stay motivated

You’ve set the alarm with a lot of enthusiasm but when it goes off you think twice before deciding to go out and exercise. It’s cold and you’re tucked inside a warm blanket, and you stare out of the window and see a dark sky. Even die-hard fitness enthusiasts have their exercise habits undergo disruption in winter.

Exercise is good for the body and mind, and with these tips on stepping out the door in winter, we can chip away at obstacles that come in our way.

Work out with a group or a friend: Self-motivation can sometimes be dented; whereas, joining a group or having an exercise partner brings with it a social compulsion (keep in mind social distance). When you know that the group will likely assemble at say 6 am, you do your best not to disappoint them by showing up. A group brings in camaraderie, excitement and that zing thing even in the worst weather.

The first thing to do before you leave for the gym is to take a warm shower to clean your skin off sweat while it also serves to elevate your body temperature thus warming up your muscles. Next, use a face scrub to exfoliate dead skin cells and allow the pores to breathe.

Choose a foot-tapping wake-up call: Set your alarm to play your favourite upbeat song so that it gets you in the mood to get off the bed.

Workout hygiene: Maximum body odour comes from the underarms when bacteria mixes with sweat. Use a deodorant or preferably a roll-on directly on underarm skin, so as to control body odour right at its source.

Make sure your apparel is dry fabric: Wet fabric is cotton which can absorb sweat and then work like a conducting later to take away body heat and make you cold. Instead, use synthetic fabric, especially tights that are not only lightweight but can retain warmth, and also breathe at the same time.

Hydrate: When you exercise in cold weather your thirst mechanism is a bit blunted but you should know that you are still losing fluid through the water vapour in your breath and through sweat. Try and ingest fluids that are tasty, such as a diluted orange juice with a pinch of salt for electrolyte.

Cross-train more often: Working out with different modes of exercise can break the monopoly of a single sport. If you are a runner, add cycling or yoga or CrossFit or gym strength as alternative workouts. Adding a trail run or a short outdoor trek on weekends provides enough motivation to work out on a Sunday too when you are most likely to slack off.

Always warm-up: Cold weather can cause your blood vessels to constrict (vasoconstriction) and this makes the heart work harder in pumping blood. A dynamic and functional warm-up will not only serve to prepare your body but will set the tone for the main workout.

(The author is a marathon expert.)