Fitness: Back to Basics

It's no secret that I was in way better shape last year. I was more motivated, I was eating healthier, and I really enjoyed working out on a regular basis. But this year is just different. We had close to zero snow in Boston last year and were able to run outside well into December and pick right back up by March. Right now? There's a layer of ice on the sidewalks, a layer of frozen snow on my car, and it's close to freezing outside. Talk about no motivation!

So, what am I getting at? Ah, yes. I need to get my act together. And man is the treadmill brutal right now! So I need to slow down and take it little by little. One exercise I really enjoyed back during Best Body Bootcamp was treadmill intervals. I had honestly never attempted intervals before then! So when I got on the treadmill last night, I knew exactly what I needed to do if I wanted to keep myself going for 30 minutes. Intervals. And this particular interval set gives me comfort that my ability to run a 5k road race is not out of the realm of possibility.

I've intentionally left speed off of this interval because it's totally up to you. I try to push myself during the run to an 8-9 out of 10, and take the jog down to a 5-6 out of 10 in difficulty. Bringing my fitness back to basics, I ran these intervals at a slower pace than I was running a few months ago. But I didn't let myself get frustrated, just happy I actually made it to the gym!

Praying this snow in Boston ends soon though so I can get outside for a run. You just can't beat running outside.

How about you, how do you stay motivated to workout in the winter?

Knowing we'll be on the beach next month has certainly made me motivated recently!

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