As the winter season comes upon us here in the Northern Hemisphere, your coach says no to hibernation, yes to motivation!
The annual fateful clock change has happened. Sunlight hours are shorter, and the cold seems ever-present. You may be feeling like everything that’s usually driven by your MOTIVATION is ready to enter HIBERNATION, but…no fear – your coach is here to motivate the troops!
Together we will find what MOTIVATES us to move and we’ll continue to take care of our bodies and our health throughout the long winter months.
Granted, some “energy vampires”(as I like to call them) will be bringing more pastries into the office for comfort food this season, not to mention Christmas feast celebrations which are right around the corner…but with my tips and tricks, we’ll stay active as much as possible so that you have an amazingly toned figure when Spring rolls around.
This way, when night falls early and the cold sets in, you can actually cozy up on the couch guilt-free!
1: Post a picture on your fridge of a supermodel’s body with your own face instead of hers! Your brain will subconsciously adapt to seeing that body image, and you’ll find the excess pounds disappearing faster than you expected.
2: Commit to a goal. It could be training for a marathon in the Spring, a specific weight loss goal, or to fit into your old favorite jeans by the end of winter.
3: Team up with your girlfriends for a morning walk on an empty stomach, running training, or any other activity because it’s easier to stay motivated when you’re a couple or more!
4: Find out what the latest fitness trend is and try it out for yourself!
5: Replace your regular cardio session with something new so as not to fall into monotony:
Outdoor activities: skiing, biking, hiking, tobogganing…
Gym activities: aerobics, stepper, RPM, zumba…
Water sports: aquabiking, swimming, water aerobics, rowing…
Home activities: rowing machine, stationary bike, elliptical, exercise DVD…
Group activities: badminton, volleyball, squash, tennis…
As you can see, there is no lack of choice 🙂
6: Purchase a new exercise outfit that is “GIRLY” and “FLASHY” so that you can feel beautiful even while you work out. Sporty, yes, but feminine comes first 😉
7: On Sunday evening, set your exercise sessions for the coming week so that you can plan your schedule around these commitments ahead of time, without room for excuses.
8: Planning some weekend cocooning is also on this schedule, because pampering and relaxation are important for MOTIVATION. Sunday afternoon snacks after a good walk in the forest or along the beach are my favorite. Nothing like wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket for a good hot chocolate (with almond milk) by the fireplace!
9: Take a photo of yourself every month so that you can follow your changing figure. Weighing yourself is good too, but nothing motivates more than comparing 2 photos and seeing how much you’ve slimmed down!
10: At the end of each month, reward yourself for your efforts. Treat yourself to a new piece of sportswear, jewelry, a handbag, or a new clothing item. The point is to pamper yourself because you deserve it!
11: Create a little fitness corner at home with a few inexpensive accessories so that you can work out indoors. Invest in a skipping rope, a medicine ball, a kettlebell, a pair of dumbbells, small ankle weights, an exercise ball, a pilates ring…go for variety so that you can do a 30 min bodybuilding circuit like so:
30 min bodybuilding workout
Warm-up: 5 minutes of jump rope
-20 sec rest
-20 squats, feet pointed outward, with the medicine ball in your hands
-20 sec rest
-20 kettlebell front raises
-20 sec rest
-3 x 20 sec plank with 20 sec rest in between
-1 min rest
-5 min jump rope
-20 sec rest
-20 slow leg presses with pilates ring between your legs
-20 quick presses with pilates ring
-20 sec rest
-20 side leg raises with small ankle weights
-6 x 20 sec plank + 20 sec rest in between
-5 min jump rope
Cool down: 10 minutes of stretching
How’s that for your own living room workout? You can do it!
Well, I think we have no more excuses not to move after all these tips! Before you know it, Spring will be here, and with it, your beautifully fit body!
Stick with me this winter ;),
Valerie Orsoni
Your LeBootCamp Coach
Tags: bodybuilding coaching cocooning cold couch potato exercise fitness hibernation lebootcamp motivation tips Valerie Orsoni weight loss winter winter sports workout
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