What's worse than the morning walk to your car in the frigid winter weather? The sun rising after 7 a.m. and setting right before 5 p.m. might just be equivalent! With the winter months in full swing, we are still adjusting to the short days and dark evenings. For many, these winter months may hinder our motivation to get out of bed and get to the gym!

Good news! Today's blog post shares ways to find motivation on those dark, cold winter days.

10 Tips to Stay Motivated This Winter

1. Set a goal

Yes, this does sound simple and very broad, but it is highly recommended to set a goal for yourself when it comes to fitness and staying motivated. Why? Setting goals for yourself not only keeps you motivated to achieve them, but also sticks in the back of your mind when you're struggling to get out of bed. You may find these goals creep into mind when you're trying to convince yourself to take another rest day.

Try to set realistic and healthy goals. Want to lose a few pounds and gain more muscle mass? Great! Just make sure you are planning to do this in a consistent, healthy way to avoid overdoing it or getting too overwhelmed. Set a goal that you feel will best benefit you. Try setting a goal to go to the gym at the same time every day or try setting a goal to cook every dinner at home this week.

2. Make a plan

Planning out your day afteryou get out a work is a beneficial way to stay in the flow of things and to stick to your daily plan. Whether it is before or after work, scheduling in your workout will serve as a way to stay motivated. "Just as with most things, setting out a plan to your goals is a great way to stay motivated," Equinox trainer Tameka Small says.

Another way to make a plan, is to plan your actual workout. What muscle group are you going to train? What sets and reps are you doing with each exercise? The best way to do this is to simply write out your entire workout on a piece of paper or in your notes app! If you want to get specific and precise, many people use Google Sheets to plan out everything from rep range to amount of weight performed.

3. Set & change your alarm

If you're struggling to get out of bed at your normal time because of the dark and cold morning, try setting your alarm a bit earlier! This will allow you to have extra time to get up and get moving. With extra time in the morning, this also frees up some space to schedule out your day, plan your workout, and write down any goals you have for the day!

The best advice I've gotten is to actually keep your phone away from your bed. When the alarm goes off in the morning, you will need to physically get out of bed to go turn it off. Since you are up and out of bed already, you are unlikely to jump back in and hit the snooze button.

4. Invest in good quality winter activewear

This motivation tip might just be my favorite one. While summer is best for cute biker shorts and muscle tanks, winter activewear can be just as stylish too. Investing in good quality winter activewear not only makes you prepared for the cold temperature, but can also really help with motivation. Who wouldn't want to go break in those new shoes or show off your new activewear set at the gym?

5. Prepare the night before

Preparation is key. If you feel that you struggle with time management in the morning, it might be best to set out everything the night before. Lay everything out before you go to bed (gym bag, clothes, shoes, headphones, etc.), so you aren't rushing around before work. Whether you plan to workout before work or after work, everything will already be packed up ready to go.

If you struggle with sticking to your nutrition goals, preparing the night before will also help keep you on track. This way you can have your lunch and snacks packed up and ready to go so you're not scrambling and trying to get everything prepared in the morning!

6. Buddy up!

There's two type of gym people in this world: the one that goes solo and the one that absolutely needs a workout buddy. If you aren't the type to walk into the gym alone, put your headphones on, and go at your workout, then finding a friend who enjoys the same workouts will benefit you!

There is many ways to workout with someone, you just have to find the time and the place! Whether this is meeting at the gym at a specific time, or trying out a new workout class after work, having a workout partner is sure to spike some motivation. You will end up motivating each other as time goes on!

7. Take progress photos

With these cold and dark winter days, working out and eating healthy may be challenging, but progress photos are a great way to start keeping track of your results this winter! Progress photos are a great way to spike motivation when you're lacking confidence and desire to go to the gym.

We often hear that the best way to track your progress is by stepping on the scale each day; however, what this doesn't measure is body fat percentage, physique changes, and muscle mass percentage. If you're seeing great results with each progress photo, you are likely to want to continue doing what you're doing!

8. Get a personal trainer

If you already know what you're doing at the gym, you may be looking at this tip and thinking "Why would I need a personal trainer?" If you're struggling to find motivation to workout this winter, a personal trainer is a great tool to make yourself accountable when you're not feeling it!

Even though you may already knowwhat you are doing at the gym, you may not alwayswantto go to the gym. Remember, it is okay to ask for help! Try to use your resources and I bet you are sure to beat those winter blues.

9. Reward yourself

One thing that has always motivated me to get my workout in when I really was not feeling it, was to provide myself a reward. Little things like picking up your favorite energy drink on the way to the gym or even buying yourself a new activewear set may get you going!

Another one of my favorite things to do is whip up an AstroFlav recipe that not only serves as a tasty treat after your workout, but also contributes to your protein goal!

10. Do a workout you enjoy

Last but not least, find a workout that you truly enjoy. Forcing yourself to run a few miles after work is not going to be beneficial in finding motivation. Whether this is an at-home workout or a lift at the gym, there are many styles of exercise to find what works best for you.

Not sure where to start? YouTube and Instagram have a ton of workouts for at-home and in the gym! If you prefer a long walk on the treadmill or an hour long yoga class, DO IT! Anything to get you motivated and moving this winter is the best style of training you can have. Not to mention, you may have the opportunity to make new friends and find new classes you would have never before if you didn't explore all the different types of exercise this fitness world has to offer!

At AstroFlav, we want the best for our customers. It is our goal to help everyone achieve their fitness goals and steer them in the right direction with trust-worthy advice AND trust-worthy supplements!

Have you tried our new BCAA/EAA flavors?

We want to know what you think!

Share your story with daynapembroke@astroflav.com to be featured in our Facebook community.