Make your boring indoor weight loss workout fun this winter

December 27, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments

Oh, the dreaded winter funk.

Long gone are my lush trail runs. And the plants painting the perimeter with exquisite emerald. And the late rays of a golden hour sun, boring through the bold chlorophyll of tree leaves in the evening. Now, everything’s cold and dead. And, don’t get me wrong. I’ll still hit the trail, most days. But it’s not the same. What’s more, since the sun sets early in the quarterly funeral that is this season, It’s not always an option. Especially now that I’m in school, sometimes I can’t. (Unless I wanna get eaten by the local coyotes I couldn’t see but could totally hear, last time I tried.) Realizing this, this year, I reluctantly gandered over at the dust covered elliptical machine sitting in my study. I knew what I needed to do. But if I couldn’t make it fun, there wasn’t gonna be a point. The whole reason I like running is because I enjoy it. It plants the sweaty seeds from which the rest of my day can bloom beautifully. And we all know lovely plants can’t grow on salt – much less salty moods. So, the question was: How could I bring the elevating vegetation of my summer trail runs, into my internal world? how could I do an indoor workout – without resenting it?

After a couple months of trying different stuff, I’ve found the trifecta.

The combo that allows me to weight shed sans shade throwing the whole time.

The first facet? Fabulous music. This is a must. You’ve probably read plenty by now, about how a high BPM playlist can act like auditory meth for that last stretch to the finish line. And it’s true. What I do, however, is put a variety of playlists on tap. Why? Because while Katy Perry might’ve been great for where I was mentally yesterday, I might have more of a System of Down demeanor this morning. Having a playlist that meets your mood and lets you physically express where you are emotionally, is a fantastic way to make your indoor sweat sesh productive on several levels.

And you wanna know what also makes it fly by? Injecting some intensity intervals into your cardio. I know. The prospect sounds awful. Like some sort’ve punishment of North Korean proportions. (Apologies for my hyperbolic humor, to anyone who’s actually come from hell-on-earth.) And I’ll be honest. Most days I hit the elliptical, I’m initially just trying to survive. I barely wanna move, much less “push myself”. I wanna just carry on and plod along at a sloth pace. The problem with that?

(Aside from the fact that it’s a waste of time?)

It’s boring. That’s what. Plus, time tends to slow to sloth speed when you do. However, the second I opt to go HAM on the RPM’s for 30 seconds, (followed by that welcome rest period I get to look forward to), my gym stint suddenly serves a function. Plus, before I know it, I’m already at ten minutes. Then fifteen. And, oh my gosh… is that a cardio high I’m feeling? While I’m stuck inside? During winter, no less? That’s when the magic happens: and I wanna go even further and for longer than I’d planned on before planting my feet on this god forsaken machine.

Then, when I finally reach that self-validating place, I become willing to push myself to truly do work and make this workout count. You wanna get rid of the love handles? Well, then get off the handles. Whether it’s the sides of the treadmill or those immobile bars on the elliptical, simply quit it. When you start to rely more on your proper form and using your core or pins to push through, you burn considerably more. What’s more, when compounded with the stuff above, it significantly diminishes that proclivity to “minute count”. When you’re focused on the intervals, music, and making sure that alignment’s right, time flies by. And, before long, you leave that machine feeling empowered – versus some gym prisoner who barely escaped alive. That’s what manufactures magnificent results. And results are what keep you coming back for more – until you’ve reached your weight loss and mental health goals alike.

So, if you’re suddenly stuck inside a sweat box this dismal winter, give these tips a try.

And extract the “win” and “fun” from that “winter funk”.