by Coach Nolan & Shawn
The clocks have turned back….
It’s dark by 4pm….
Is it really THAT cold outside?
I just want to stay home.
Winter is coming, my friends!
And we are all about to to enter the proverbial ring and go 12 rounds with adversity in the form of mother nature and our own behaviors and possible excuses.
And here’s a friendly reminder and unbiased truth:
You can have results
OR
excuses,
You CAN’T have both.
Routines & consistency
Big shoutout to everyone who has attended a 630am class! It’s because of YOU that they’ve been successful in their revival!
As we head into the heart of winter (which is quickly approaching) there are a number of things that could potentially derail our routines and consistency.
To help you STAY on track, I wanted to outline and offer strategies to
- Plan ahead in how to be successful through winter
- Offer strategies to beat our own excuses
- Aid in helping in not falling off
- Or ultimately quitting on yourself (losing progress, fitness and ultimately health)
Snow is Coming…
It’s inevitable.
We live in Upstate New York.
Snow will no doubt be here at some point.
We always think safety first when it comes to opening the gym when faced with some heavy white stuff.
If safety is not a huge risk or threat you can expect the gym to be open.
To GET AHEAD of mild snowfall, overnight snow accumulation or not our normal road conditions here’s a few recommendations:
- Warm up your car (& clean it off if needed) 5 minutes earlier than normal
- Allot time in your morning routine if needed to shovel or clean off your car/driveway
- Plan to wake up anywhere from 5-15 minutes earlier to give you time to leave earlier and drive slower if needed
- Know that it’s better to be a few minutes late to class than to NOT go at all (just don’t make being late your routine)
- Pay attention to the weather via app on your phone or a quick search on weather.com for updates if snow is coming
The big takeaway here is to be PREPARED. It’s when we try to resume normal life with the addition of snow we lose time which could mean losing our opportunity to workout that day.
CLASS CANCELLATIONS
If there’s a chance of the gym closing, check the following locations for updates before coming in:
- Railroad CrossFit Instagram Story
- Private Members Facebook Group
- SugarWOD
On mornings of severe or questionable weather, I will update these channels by 515am at the latest.
“Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail.”
-Benjamin Franklin
SNOOZIN’
I’m guilty of this one myself.
The bed is warm.
You’re tired still.
There’s no light outside yet.
What’s another 7 minutes?
And another 7 minutes.
How about another?
Next thing you know 30 to 45 minutes have gone by and you have YET to start the day.
I’ve already heard a few regretful stories of
“I didn’t make the 630am class and then I got stuck at work!”
This one comes down to the simple behavioral habit and discipline of when the alarm goes off and it’s time to get up, you get up.
Helpful tips here are:
Speak what you WILL do or NEED to do immediately, for example:
“Sit up…”
“Feet on the floor…”
“Take a deep breathe in and get up…”
You just chunked your waking process into 3 easy steps.
Helpful tips to not let SNOOZE ruin the rest of your day:
- Stop eating or drinking 1 hour or more before bed
- Consistent (in) bed time
- No cell phone 30-45 min before bed time.
- Cool dark bed room to help you get to sleep faster.
And use those 3 verbal cues to help you get up immediately!
Sleep Schedule
With the recent time change, having sporadic times of going to bed and inconsistent wake times,
it can be very easy to get thrown off our sleep schedules and as a result our schedules as a whole.
Here’s just a short list of the BENEFITS of getting to bed & waking up at the same time,
(regardless of the time of year.)
- Easier to wake up + fall asleep (circadian rhythm)
- Less morning sleep inertia (that sleepy feeling)
- Decrease in caffeine dependency
- Improved alertness, focus and short-term memory
- Much easier to wake up for the 630am class (personal favorite)
Build a system that works for you.
For example, done eating last meal by 7:30-8pm. Winding down to a book or television 8-9pm and in bed by 9-9:30am with an alarm set for 4:30am-5:30am.
As humans we crave structure and building your own structure here will help you be even more successful.
Stress
We’re in the thick of it.
I’m talking about the holiday season.
With so many distractions and stresses, it can be easy to let the once non–negotiable things, slip.
Skipping your workouts will result in MORE stress.
Missing one workout isn’t going to kill or hurt your progress.
It’s when they stack and stack and it becomes a pattern.
And you now let STRESS run your life.
Morning workouts mean you’re less prone to distractions.
When you first wake up, you haven’t started tackling the day’s to-do list.
Beginning your day with your workouts you are starting the day with de-stressing, performing self care, releasing endorphins and taking care of your MIND & BODY.
Putting deposits into your health and wellness.
You’re also less likely to get phone calls, text messages, and emails (Which starting our day with these almost always puts us into REACTIVE mode.)
With fewer distractions, you’re more likely to follow through with your workout.
Staying consistent
Winter is often a time of the year where people let their goals slip away from them.
Then the new year hits and they see a clean slate ahead and deem “okay this is it, I’m going after my goal(s)!”
Only to meet more adversity in the form of what we outline above: snow, snooze, stress amongst many other demands of life.
Prepare yourself in advance for obstacles ahead to to continue to succeed in your health and betterment.
“Success is the residue of planning.”
