Winter is here, which means the days are feeling shorter and the weather’s getting colder.
The dark and nippy mornings don’t exactly make it easy to arise for an early spin class or a run.
We spoke with two exercise experts for their tips how to keep motivated to get moving in winter.
Why does it seem harder to exercise in winter?
The season can indeed be very disruptive to people’s exercise routines, says Matthew Bourke, from The University of Queensland’s Health and Wellbeing Centre for Research Innovation.
“Things like the cold, bad weather, it getting lighter later in the morning and darker earlier in the evening are key barriers which get in the way of physical activity,” Dr Bourke says.
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“For a lot of people, these barriers outweigh their motives to exercise.
“It takes a lot more effort and self-control to overcome these barriers to exercise in winter.”
Sport and exercise psychologist Emma Slade says evolution suggests why some people want to “hibernate” more in winter.
“We have shorter days, in turn less hours of sunlight, and often our appetite changes towards more hearty and warm meals,” Ms Slade says.
“Some people may find winter really leads them to slow down, and again this stems from our evolution.
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“Winter for many species is time for restoration.”
During winter, it’s common for some people to enter a hibernation-like condition — bears and other animals do the same.(Unsplash: Gregory Pappas)
Low mood could play a part
During the darker, colder winter months, it’s not uncommon for some people to find they struggle with motivation.
Many Australians report that they feel flat and lethargic in winter, the federal government’s health advice website Health Direct says.
Some people might put this down to ‘the winter blues’.
But a small proportion of people might experience something more severe, called seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
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SAD is a type of depression that usually develops in winter and autumn.
The cause isn’t clear, but it’s believed the lack of sunlight has something to do with it, Health Direct says:
“It is thought to be caused by changes in light exposure, which lead to changes to the body’s circadian rhythms (its ‘body clock’).
“At different times of the year, the body produces different amounts of melatonin and serotonin, which affect mood.”
In winter, SAD symptoms can include:
low mood
sleeping too much
lack of energy and fatigue
craving carbohydrates and sugary foods
gaining weight
losing interest in normal activities
But SAD is rare.
SAD affects “about one in 300” Australians, Professor Greg Murray, director of the Centre for Mental Health at Swinburne University, says.
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While the ‘winter blues’ or SAD can take a toll on our mood, experts say exercising regularly is one way to help alleviate some of the symptoms.
Gym memberships decrease
At the start of every year, gyms see a surge of newcomers eager to kick start their year with fitness goals.
However, by June, 50 per cent of new members will cancel their membership, according to a report from an international body representing the fitness industry.
“In Australia, if we have people starting the year out strong and making a new year’s resolution to exercise more, we naturally expect some of this motivation to start dropping over the first half of the year,” Ms Slade says.
“This occurring at the same time as leading into winter is a double-whammy on motivation.”
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Are there any types of exercise that can help improve motivation?
The short answer is no — because everyone is different.
“The type of exercise that you enjoy is usually the one that will get you moving more consistently,” Ms Slade says.
“It’s the form of exercise where you know overcoming the slight grind and grumble in getting started will soon be overcome by a deep feeling of satisfaction or fulfilment.”
Dr Bourke agrees.
He points to a study that showed participants’ motivation wavered if their main focus for exercise was on improving health and body image, rather than exercising for fun, accomplishment or a challenge.
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The study called the former focuses external motivators and the latter intrinsic motivators.
“There was a study in Wisconsin which looked at motivation between people who exercised all year round and those who only exercised during winter,” he says.
“The authors found that people who sustained their levels of exercise during winter were more strongly motivated by the enjoyment, challenge, and the social affiliation compared to those who only exercised in warmer months.
“That’s why it’s important to try and find something that you actually like doing.”
For some people who love a challenge, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts may tick the box.
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For others, a fun exercise may be taking a walk in the park with the dog. Or maybe, joining a weekly social run club.
Tips on how to stay motivated during winter
Here’s what Ms Slade and Dr Bourke suggest.
Forge a habit
Dr Bourke’s biggest tip to defeat the urge to stay toasty on the couch is to build a habit.
Schedule your workout into your day with a precise time, so it’s set in stone.
“One way to form a habit is through what is called context-dependent repetition,” he says.
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“This is where someone forms habits by doing the same thing in the same contexts over time, such as going to the gym on their lunch break every Tuesday.”
He also recommends using specific cues that signal to yourself that you’re headed out to exercise.
The goal is to build up an association between a cue and an activity.
Take washing your hands after using the toilet as an example: handwashing is the activity and using the toilet is the cue.
Your cue might be bringing exercise clothes to work on specific days, and your activity might be going for a run straight after the work day ends.
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After a period of repetition, it will become almost instinctual to get changed into your work-out gear as soon your shift is over.
Shift your mindset
It’s true that darker months can affect mood, but Ms Slade encourages people to embrace seasonal changes rather than dread them.
“‘I’m lazy in winter’ is a very common form of self-talk synonymous with skipping sessions and sleeping in.
“Shifting this thought to more adaptive thinking such as ‘with trial and error I can adapt and find a winter routine that works for me’ creates a more compassionate and curious space.
“The weather isn’t in your control, but how you prepare is.”
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Work out what might be getting in the way
This is where problem-solving comes into the picture.
“Give yourself a couple of weeks to find a winter routine that works for you,” Ms Slade says.
“After each bout of exercise, reflect on what worked and also what didn’t work or got in the way.
“From there, you can continue to tweak and modify an approach that suits best.”
For example, if you plan to go to the gym in the evenings in winter, but find yourself getting home first and instead settling in for the night, you might take your workout gear with you and head straight from work to the gym.
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I can vouch for this!
And if you don’t get off to a good start this winter, you can continue to problem solve your routine and adjust it right in time for next year.
If it’s too cold and dark to exercise outside, why not consider an at-home workout routine.(Getty: Laura Olivas)
Pump up the music
According to a study in the International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, listening to motivational music before you do something can put you in the right frame of mind for the task at hand.
“Pre-task music can be used to heighten exercisers’ activation for an impending bout of exercise, and has been shown to optimise arousal and facilitate task-relevant imagery,” the report says.
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Another study in the Psychological Bulletin also found stimulative music can distract from pain endured during exercise through competing sensory stimuli.
“Music has the capacity to provide significant positive effects for exercises in terms of reduced perceived exertion and more efficient oxygen utilisation,” the report says.
So, forge a habit (as per Mr Bourke’s advice) to listen to music before you exercise.
It could help you get your sneakers on and drive you out the door, even if it’s cold outside.
“Integrating media, such as music, podcasts, or audiobooks can be a great way to make exercising more enjoyable,” Dr Bourke says.
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When does winter start in Australia?
Winter officially starts today —June 1.
But, because Australia is so big, the seasonal conditions people experience differ depending on where they are.
Northern parts of Australia experience wet season and dry season.
While further south, people tend to think of seasons in the European or North American sense — summer, autumn, winter and spring.
Winter officially ends on August 31.
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When is winter solstice in Australia in 2024?
This year it’ll be on June 21, the Bureau of Meteorology said in a social media post.
When it comes to building strong, defined arms, traditional fitness advice will usually point you toward endless sets of bicep curls and tricep extensions. But according to Dr Stacy Sims, a leading women’s exercise physiologist specialising in perimenopause and menopause, isolation movements like these aren’t necessarily the most effective. Instead, she advocates for one functional compound movement: the farmer’s carry.
Speaking on podcast A Life of Greatness, when host Sarah Grynberg asks how to get arm muscles like Dr Sims, the 51-year-old explained: ‘In order to get shoulders like this, heavy farmer’s carries. I’ve been travelling so much this year, and I haven’t been in the gym being consistent with all the push presses and Olympic lifts that I love to do, but what I have been consistent in doing is heavy farmer’s carries.
‘It’s good for grip strength, learning how to walk properly, core strength, shoulders – so if there’s one move everyone should do, it’s heavy farmer’s carries.’
The magic of the move lies in its ability to engage your biceps, triceps, shoulders, forearms and hands all at once. And because your arms are working continuously to stabilise heavy loads against gravity, the exercise activates the deep muscle fibres that don’t fire up as efficiently in single-joint arm movements, like bicep curls. Here’s how to do it with proper form, plus how heavy to lift and a workout to try, straight from Dr Sims.
How to do a farmer’s carry
Standing with feet hip-width apart and weights at the outside of the ankles, hinge your hips back and bend the knees, keeping your back flat.
Tighten up your lower back and abdominals before reaching down to grab the weights.
After gripping the weights, begin to stand tall by driving your heels into the ground, maintaining a tight form. Once you reach full standing position, tighten your armpits and make sure your shoulders are pulled back to activate the muscles in the rotator cuff area.
Finally, begin to take small steps forward, maintaining a strong grip and form. If you’re returning in opposite direction, set the weights down, turn around, and then grab the weights again before walking in the opposite direction.
Set/reps for results: Aim for three sets. Try timing your farmer’s carry for 25 to 30 seconds or go for 10 steps forward and back.
Form tips: Start out with a light weight to ensure you don’t end up leaning too far forward or towards one side. Make sure to keep your back straight for safety. When it comes to moving, small strides will do. They’ll keep you balanced as you increase your weights.
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How heavy to lift
As for what “heavy” means to Dr Sims, she says: ‘How many people have heard that you should be able to farmer carry 75% of your body weight for a minute? That is made up from bro science. It’s a good metric but there’s no science behind it. So, a heavy farmer’s carry is you have two very heavy dumbbells by your side and you’re walking back and forth.’
Here’s a weight guide to follow:
Beginners: 2x 4-6kg
Intermediate: 2x 8-12kg
Advanced: 2x 12-20kg
Farmer’s carry workout
Dr Sims shares a descending ladder workout to try.
500m ski
500m heavy farmer’s carry
400m ski
400m heavy farmer’s carry
300m ski
300m heavy farmer’s carry
200m ski
200m heavy farmer’s carry
100m ski
100m heavy farmer’s carry
‘If you really have anything left in the tank after this workout, you go back up in 100m,’ she adds.
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
Get the plan
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
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Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.
The sun is a welcome addition to our exercise routines come summer – but the novelty of a sunny run or hike can quickly wear off as the temperature climbs. With heatwaves and record-breaking temperatures already this year, it’s important to know the best time to exercise in the heat for the weeks ahead.
Obviously, if you don’t like the heat and would rather be inside, then you can exercise in an air-conditioned gym or studio at any time of day. A good swimming workout is another way to stay cool. However, if you enjoy running, hiking, cycling, or a garden strength training workout, it makes sense to choose the coolest times of day. In the peak of the summer, this is before 10 am and after 5 pm, but the earlier (or later) you can go, the better.
The body reacts differently in the heat, making exercise above 20°C degrees feel harder, even if you’re doing the same workout you did in the cooler months. As the temperature climbs, blood vessels dilate to push blood towards the surface of the skin to cool it down, which means there is less in the muscles. This means your heart has to work harder and beat faster.
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You also naturally sweat more, which is the body’s way of cooling down. However, important micronutrients called electrolytes are lost in sweat, and if they aren’t replenished (through hydrating foods or electrolyte supplements), it can lead to lower blood volume, triggering symptoms like fatigue, rapid heart rate, and dizziness that extend beyond your workout.
As well as checking the day’s top temperature, you should check the heat index. This indicates how humid it can be, which can be more of a problem than the warmth and can leave you sticky and sweaty before you’ve even pulled on your running shoes.
With that in mind, Brian Maiorano, coach liaison for sports-tech company CORE, has some tips for exercising in the heat. “When the weather begins to really heat up, these are the best ways to train during a heatwave, and to really stay safe,” he says.
Don’t be afraid to sweat: You can gradually adapt to the heat within 4 to 5 days by raising your core temperature in a controlled way. Top athletes call this ‘heat training’, and it’s very effective if you’re careful to not overcook yourself.
Stay hydrated: As well as drinking water, you can douse your head and torso in it to stay cool.
Lower your intensity during the heat: Monitor your heart rate and stick to zone 2 if you’re exercising in the heat. This is 60 to 70% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), and stop at any signs of dizziness, nausea, or headache.
Choose when to do your most vigorous training: During intense sessions, you don’t want the additional stress of heat, so Brian recommends doing it in climate-controlled conditions (like switching your run to a treadmill workout) or choosing the best time to exercise in the heat.
Don’t spend the whole day in an air-conditioned room: “Too much time enjoying the cool air can make you miserable when you are exposed to heat,” says Brian.
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Kylie Minogue has stayed active her whole life, but, refreshingly, she doesn’t follow a punishingly strict routine to stay fit.
‘I wish I was one of those women who do their exercises first thing in the morning, or run straight to the fitness studio as soon as they get up,’ she told Star Magazine. ‘But unfortunately, I’m just not that disciplined!’
Instead, the ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ singer partly relies on her hectic schedue to keep her moving. ‘I don’t really work out, but I’m constantly on the go,’ she told Express.
‘My guilty confession is that there isn’t [a routine]!…I think I stay in shape with an active (read, exhausting!) lifestyle,’ she continued on Reddit. ‘My fitness is really sporadic. I have to thank my mum for good genes.’
Kylie Minogue’s go-to exercises
Despite her self-professed low-key approach, the global multi-platinum recording artist incorporates several workout methods into her day, preferring mainly low-impact and moderate-intensity exercise.
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‘I do Pilates,’ she continued to Star. But she’s careful to keep things balanced. ‘I don’t overdo it,’ she clarified.
‘I like to at the very least do 15 minutes on the Yoga Studio app. I know how to do it without the app but the tone of the woman’s voice and that it’s timed, it goes by so quickly,’ she told WSJ. ‘Then I feel like that’s done and I feel good.’
Often, her exercise of choice also depends on what equipment is available.
‘If there’s a treadmill nearby, I like to do that. We say in my family, “Minogues don’t run.” None of us run. But we like to walk, so that works for me,’ she added. ‘If I’m somewhere where there’s Pilates, I love that.’
Workouts that provide holistic physical and mental benefits are often a favourite.
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‘I’ve also tried Gyrotonics; that was really fun,’ she continued, referring to the gymnastics-and-swimming-inspired movement system developed by Julia Horvath in the 80s. Designed to decompress the body, build strength and flexibility, and improve posture, it’s increasingly being adopted by Olympic athletes and celebrities alike.
‘I loved aerobics and I used to do Callanetics,’ she added to Express. Created by classical ballet-trained Callan Pinckney around 40 years ago, Callanetics uses ‘small, precise pulsing movements’ to ‘activate muscles’. ‘I would travel everywhere with this home workout on a VHS tape and put it on in hotel rooms,’ Kylie revealed.
However, being the ‘Princess of Pop’ does mean that the physical demands are considerable, and often her endurance, coordination and overall fitness are put to the test when she’s on stage.
‘I would say my ultimate workout is being on tour. I’m never as fit as when I’m on tour, so I can’t wait to tour again. My body needs it.’
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
