I don’t know about you, but it’s been my personal experience that this time of year does damage to any healthy routines. Any progress I’ve made prior comes to a screeching halt. Here are a few simple strategies I will be implementing this winter to make it my best yet!
Weekly Prep – Often, I’ll find myself in trouble if I just ‘go with the flow’. Unhealthy treats will slowly creep into the house. A workout will get skipped here or there. Many hours of TV will be watched. This winter, I’m going to make a weekly written plan. Planning the week ahead will be a helpful tool to stay on track and control what I do. I’m going to dedicate time each week to plan my meals and activity. At the beginning of each week I’ll create a menu of healthy meals and a schedule to stay active. This will certainly include what Osiris classes I can attend, but also activities to do outside the gym. I love being outside, but tend to be more active during warmer months. This winter I’m going to find ways to get out more! Snow shoeing and cross-country skiing are among the top of my list. Getting things down on paper and on purpose will set me up for success. It will give me a solid outline to follow, making it less likely to fall off the wagon.
Sleep – We all know sleep is important. It’s easy for me to keep a consistent sleep cycle during the spring/summer. Go to sleep when the sun goes down, and wake up when the sun comes up. Simple. Not so much in the winter. With the shorter days and longer nights, it’s typical to leave the house and get home in the dark. Because of the perpetual darkness I lose track of time and tend to stay up later into the night. To conquer sleep this winter I’m going to set a consistent sleep schedule. I’m going to shoot for 8 hours a night. My alarm doesn’t change, so that means having an earlier bedtime. They say turning off the TV and putting down your phone an hour before bedtime helps. This means bed by 10pm, TV off by 9 pm. With that quiet hour before bed, I’ll have extra time to catch up on stretching/mobility work! Maybe even read a good book!
Accountability – One great thing about CrossFit Osiris is community! We’re all great resources to learn from and our community is a natural support system. Accountability means much more when it’s coming from someone else. Having an accountability partner for support, someone in your corner, is a fantastic way stay on track and achieve goals. I signed up for a crossfit competition at the end of January, and without blinking an eye I gained two awesome teammates to motivate me to live well and train hard. Good news is, you don’t have to sign up for a competition to find accountability. It’s as simple as finding one friend or coach to stand in your corner. Even if it’s a quick weekly conversation about progress, what’s working and not working, you’ll have someone on your side to help get you to where you want to be!
So, these are things I will be focusing on over the next few months. Winters are long here, but that doesn’t mean I have to lose progress. I hope these ideas help you stay on track with your goals as well. I’m going to be more intentional this season, and I hope you join me!
-Coach Andrew
Nice plan, I’m also looking to get some x-county skiing and snow shoeing in. Haven’t done it yet but was just looking at an event for snow shoeing 2/4 in St. Paul.
Love that idea Kim! Have you been able to get out there yet and battle the cold yet? We’ve had some really nice weather here and there so hopefully you’ve been able to take advantage of it! 🙂