I have been doing really well staying on plan and exercising, but then this really bad cold front came in and I was snowed in for a couple of days... I finally got out today for a few hours, I wore my work out clothes with every intention of hitting the gym after I left work... but I just couldn't bring myself to... it's been 2 degrees... and all I want to do is eat, and cuddle up under blankets
I live on the wet (yes, WET!) coast of Canada and it rains so much here in the winter I swear my feet start to web like a duck! It's been awful this past week in particular. I always go to my old standby....Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds Dvd's. This way I can exercise anytime I like no matter how nasty it is outside. Do you have a favorite exercise dvd you could do? Just a thought.
I am right there with you. We just got between 15 & 20 inches of snow. Can you say shoveling snow. I googled a few websites to find out the calories burned, between 300 & 500 (depending on the website) I shoveled for a total of 3 hours Saturday (1 1/2 hours, two times) So that was my workout for the day. I also have a couple of videos that get me motivated. sometimes I play music and create my own workout routine. At least I'm moving and moving some helps me to get motivated to move more. I also when really stuck in front of the TV or computer will tell myself: OK when the commercials come on I'll just get up and do a little something, knee lifts, jumping jacks ANYTHING. It seems to help me
The heat kills my diet. It's too sunny to exercise, all I want to do is lay around and eat frozen goodies and relax.
The rain kills it too. Too gross to go outside and workout, and forget about driving to the grocery store to get my veggies - I'll order pizza instead!
And being sad kills it. All I want to do is lie around and eat. I can't bring myself to exercise at all.
Being happy is **** on it, too. I'm too busy with fun stuff to get to the gym and I'm always out with friends eating and drinking. And who has time to plan a healthy meal at a bar!
Every once in a while, some random Tuesday (unless it's a full moon, that time of the month, my cheat day or all you can eat night at the sushi bar) the stars align and it's a perfect day for my diet.
I suggest lots and lots of hot tea. As far as warm foods, I like: oatmeal and veggies soup. What also helps is gum and a good workout dvd. I hope you feel better soon. I don't live in a cold region, but I suffer from chronic daily migraines, so I kinda know what it means to suffer.
Oh gosh, I can definitely relate! It's been pretty awful here in the midwest, which sucks for my workouts too since I like to run outside with all the pretty scenery, and going on an elliptical or treadmill tends to be pretty boring to me, so I tend to not find much motivation to work out anymore.
BUT, I try to make my workouts fun by bringing in my laptop and watcing some online TV when I'm on the elliptical, and it keeps me entertained enough to stay on for at least 30 minutes.
I also try to change my mentality. Even though I looove the warmth of cuddling on the couch with my blankets and some cookies, I also really, really like that awesome feeling I get after I workout, so I just try to coerce myself to work out that way.
I'm in Alaska. Literally half the year is cold, dark, and snowy. I absolutely second the Walk Away the Pounds DVDs. Workout DVDs are your friend. One can always find an excuse to not workout or eat well (I've been a pro at that in the past) but it says a lot about your determination and character if you suck it up and say no to your inner two year old, persisting in eating well and moving around.
I heard you burn more calories during exercise if you're cold. Is walking outside not an option? if you bundle up and wear enough layers you'll be safe from frostbite, and you will warm up after a few minutes of walking.
Totally sympathize though. It's hard to do anything except lie around in bed and inhale hot chocolate this time of year.
We've finally had two days of milder temperatures here, but for like 10 days it was BRUTALLY cold. All I wanted to do was go home and veg out. I'm hoping for a fairly mild winter or at least not so much snow. I can deal with the cold okay, but I don't like the freezing rain and slippery conditions.
I've noticed that the gym is emptier & classes aren't well-attended on the coldest nights, so this must be a universal reaction to bitter cold.
One of my ways of getting through winter is to make a big pot of soup every Sunday, in addition to whatever main dishes & side dishes I might be making for early in the week. It's kind of fun to always be hunting for soup recipes, based partly on what I've got to use up in the fridge or freezer & what's on sale & what I've had a hankering for lately. Yesterday was mushroom soup in a clear broth with carrots, leeks, onions & celery, flavored with fresh thyme. (The marked-down rack in the produce section had a bounty of mushrooms.)
I hate the cold too, but I feel so much better afterwards that it does seem worth it. When I first started exercising, I used to lure myself to the local Y by promising myself that I'd get in the sauna after I swam. I SWEAR that's how I made it through the first six months.
^^What a great idea, Saef. I also eat alot of soup at this time of year.
It has been very cold and snowy here the past few days, and it is harder to get motivated to get to the gym. I usually walk 15 mins to and from the gym, and the last few days I took a taxi to the gym and walked back. I do not want to stop going to the gym and eating well so I have to suck it up and try harder so I can fit nice into shorts/sleeveless next spring/summer.
I dress in layers with a bit skicoat, hat, mitts and headband when I'm walking which helps fight the cold.
We've finally had two days of milder temperatures here, but for like 10 days it was BRUTALLY cold. All I wanted to do was go home and veg out. I'm hoping for a fairly mild winter or at least not so much snow. I can deal with the cold okay, but I don't like the freezing rain and slippery conditions.
We too had 10 brutal days, with snow and ice on the ground. I got out every day but 2 (walking is my only exercise) but two of the days the pavements were just way too dangerous to walk on.
We've got a return of very cold weather forecast for Thursday onwards, possibly up until Christmas. Like you, I don't mind the cold (I can just layer) but I feel very trapped when it's too slippery to walk, and dangerous to drive (I worry about getting the old dogs to a vet when we're snowed in).
I love this thread! I find myself wanting to go into semi-hibernation mode right now, too! Especially last week when I was on vacation from work. By the end of the week, ALL I wanted to do was sit in my recliner with a big warm blanket and watch one Lifetime movie after another, Mother helps son kill, 15 year old dad, prosecutor falls in love with death row inmate etc, etc, etc! hahaha And of course all that sitting left plenty of time to think about what I could get into in the kitchen!
I have found that the law of motion is so true -- an object in motion stays in motion, an object at rest stays at rest. I think that's how it goes. And another thing I think about is back when I took an ethics/philosophy class in college. The professor talked about how he and a buddy of his really like to drink beer. He works and enjoys one or more at the end of the day. His buddy lives with his mom, doesn't work, and can drink beer all day long if he wants. My prof's message was, "Who do you think enjoys that beer more?" I find that my recliner/Lifetime movie time is MUCH more enjoyable if I have done a workout and got my cleaning done than sitting there all day feeling mildly guilty about what I haven't done yet. So I'm trying to enjoy my snuggle-up hibernation time after the work is done. I said I'm trying!
The snow/cold is killing my diet!
I suggest lots and lots of hot tea. As far as warm foods, I like: oatmeal and veggies soup. What also helps is gum and a good workout dvd. I hope you feel better soon. I don't live in a cold region, but I suffer from chronic daily migraines, so I kinda know what it means to suffer. 
