Maintaining your fitness through the colder months doesn’t need to rely on willpower alone. Fitness expert Liam Hogan shares seven ways to keep your exercise motivation alive.
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Nights are drawing in, temperatures are dropping. Staying motivated to exercise can become a little harder with the thought of swapping the sofa and a cosy evening for a workout feeling a challenge in itself.
1. Goals are key
A clear goal can give your training purpose, particularly when motivation dips. Be it working towards your first 5K, aiming to improve your strength, hunting your personal best or simply trying to exercise two-three times a week, having something to work towards can help you stay focused.
Choose a realistic goal that fits around your lifestyle and current fitness level. Smaller, achievable milestones also help to recognise progress and celebrate wins.
2. Schedule your workouts like appointments
We’re all guilty of saying ‘oh I’ll start tomorrow’. One way to avoid this feeling and postponing your exercise, is to plan your workouts in advance, to treat them like any other commitment in your diary.
A morning workout before work, heading to the gym straight after finishing for the day or using your lunch break for a brisk walk – planning ahead removes the daily debate. You’ve already made the decision, so all that’s left is to show up.
3. Make your workouts shorter and more achievable
One of the biggest barriers to exercise in winter is the feeling that you need to do a long, demanding workout to make it worthwhile. I’m a big believer in something is always better than nothing.
If the thought of a 60-minute session feels overwhelming after a long day, commit to 10-15 minutes. A short strength circuit at home, a brisk walk around the block or a quick bodyweight session. You may find that once you get started, you feel like doing more. But even if you stick to your original plan, you’ve maintained the habit. Rather than making every workout perfect, let’s learn to celebrate consistency over time.
4. Choose exercise you enjoy
Training can sometimes feel like a chore, the darker months can make it even harder to stick with. Experiment with different activities until you find something you genuinely look forward to.
Swap an outdoor run for an indoor bike set, try a new fitness class, lift weights or explore a different walking route at the weekend with the family. Remember, the best workout is one you’re happy to do again and again.
5. Find a training buddy
Exercise can feel much more appealing when you have someone else to share it with. A run with a friend or book a workout class together, this will give you an extra reason to turn up.
Having a training partner can also provide accountability and encouragement, helping you stay consistent when your enthusiasm starts to wane. Sometimes, the social connection is just as valuable as the workout itself. If meeting in person isn’t practical, arrange a virtual workout or check in with a friend after you’ve both exercised. Knowing someone else is on the same journey can make a real difference.
6. Celebrate the small wins
Make your progress visible with a written record of your training to remind you that your efforts are adding up. Showing up consistently, feeling more energetic, sleeping better or finding a workout easier than it did a month ago are all brilliant signs of progress.
7. Use online workouts to make exercise more accessible
When it’s cold, dark or raining outside, having the option to exercise at home can remove a major barrier to staying active. Online fitness platforms and apps make it easier to find workouts that fit around your schedule, whether you have 10 minutes between meetings or a longer session planned for the evening.
Personalised fitness apps can also help take the guesswork out of training by creating workouts based on your goals, available time, equipment and how you’re feeling. This can make it easier to choose a session that feels manageable rather than abandoning exercise altogether because you’re unsure what to do.
Some platforms like VEYR also allow you to share workouts and challenges with friends, giving you a way to stay connected and accountable even when you can’t train together in person.
Liam Hogan is Head of Fitness at VEYR.fit, which uses its Fitness Intelligence Engine to personalise training and workouts to individual needs.
