"It's cold, it's dark, the days are shorter, motivation is scarce, blah blah blah." With November well underway, we've had this depressing refrain hammered into our heads countless times.
Nevertheless, it's the reality. With the arrival of autumn, our energy packed its bags and left us for distant lands, abandoning us with fatigue as our only ally. With the latter lurking, the last thing we want to do is work out (and even less so outdoors).
So, if adorning your face with a pretty Guibou beanie isn't enough to convince you to go out and play, here are some tips to help you get there.
1 – Give autumn a chance
Even if popular opinion never misses an opportunity to remind us that autumn is the worst time of year to work out outdoors, we shouldn't forget the good sides of this season hated by all!
It almost always smells good outside, the air is fresh, and it's not too hot, and being active outdoors is probably one of the best ways to beat seasonal depression. While it's true that physical activity increases energy levels and reduces stress, know that these effects are felt EVEN MORE when the activity in question takes place outdoors! Convinced? You have a month and a half left to enjoy autumn. Go!!
2 – Think of yourself as an onion:
"BUT WE'RE FREEZING," some will say. We're not freezing, you're just dressed all wrong. Dressed appropriately, being active outdoors will be nothing but pleasure, happiness, and instant energy! First, you need to cover your extremities. Arm yourself with gloves or mittens and a headband or beanie to cover your ears.
Second, you need to wear several layers of clothing, like an onion! A first layer close to the body, ideally a sports shirt that breathes well and wicks away perspiration. A second layer whose mission is to keep you warm (a vest or fleece). Then, a last layer to cut the wind! Of course, it is recommended to adjust the number of onion layers according to the temperature. You want to aim for a slight chill when you first go outside to ensure comfort during the activity.
3- Kick the "all-or-nothing" mentality to the curb!
The "all-or-nothing" mentality is the formidable enemy that pushes us to choose total inaction when time or energy for a workout of more than 45 minutes is insufficient.
How about a 10-minute walk instead?
First, since the hardest part is simply getting out the door and starting to move, chances are that after the few minutes of exercise you planned, you'll feel like continuing longer! Might as well!
And if not, 10 minutes is infinitely better than zero, and it counts! Every minute spent moving contributes to maintaining good health. If it were a game, you'd earn a "health point" for each movement made. That's a whole bunch of points you can accumulate in 10 minutes!
So, even if it's impossible for you to accumulate 100 today, remember that 1, 10, or 50 points are much better than zero J
Chloé Rochette, coach at HappyFitness
