Keeping Active Through a Gloomy Winter

There’s no denying it—a dark, cold winter makes it tough for even the most motivated people to stay active. For those of us who already struggle to maintain a health and fitness routine, it becomes even harder. So, how do we navigate our routine through the gloomiest six months of the year here in the UK? We scale, adapt, and modify our methods.

In order to keep things consistent during these bleak periods, it’s best to have a backup plan. Now, many would say, “Suck it up” or “Go hard or go home,” but I’m not talking about people who go to the gym 4–5 times per week and get all the activity they need from that. No, I’m referring to everyone—this is a widespread issue. Research shows that people’s activity levels drop by an average of 4% during the winter months in the UK. That’s up to eight minutes a day, which adds up to nearly an hour over the course of a week.

Let’s talk about the behaviours you’ve worked so hard to build up, and just when you feel as though they’ve stuck, it all comes crashing down. The walks to work stop, the long hikes in the countryside on the weekends become sparse, and the habit of ditching the car and cycling whenever you can also stops. A lot of this comes down to the unpredictable weather in the UK, shorter days, and dark mornings, which make it very hard to build activity into your day.

Let’s start with scaling. Scaling means getting more out of your day without taking time away from the important things, such as spending time with the kids, socialising, and making time for your hobbies. To scale, you need to look at where you can extend your current activity. For example, don’t keep your phone near you in the house. Let’s face it, most people can’t stay off the damn things. Leave your phone upstairs or in the next room, and I guarantee it won’t be long before you’re off to check it—bingo, that’s an extra flight of stairs achieved for the day!

So, you like riding your bike to work when you can, or maybe, like me, you enjoy walking to work. Either way, these small but enjoyable habits you’ve developed can be really tough to maintain during the winter months.

Adapting the way you increase your daily activity can be simple. For example, when you park your car, go straight to the top floor and take the stairs instead of the lift. If you can’t ride your bike or walk to work anymore due to excessive rain and you go to the gym, it might be time to consider adding cardio to your strength sessions.

A great way to incorporate cardio into a strength session is by starting and finishing with a seven- to ten-minute warm-up on a low-impact cardio machine, like a bike or rower. This is an effective way to make up for the twenty minutes you’re missing by not cycling or walking to work anymore.

Partner up! Remember, you're not the only one struggling during the cold months. Moreover, socially active people are more likely to stay committed and develop long-term habits and behaviors. Therefore, find someone in the same boat—share ideas, drive to a local coffee shop (park farther away and walk in together), or meet at a local park for a walk. You'll feel accountable and be more likely to stick with it.

These are simple thought provoking ideas that help people like me and you keep active during the winter months- They can make all the difference.