A Guide to Fitness in the Middle of Winter

There is no older New Year’s resolution than “I want to get fit,” “I want to get healthy,” or “I want to exercise more.”

And while that is all great, one aspect of fitness that is often overlooked is mindset.

How are you feeling? What do you hope to achieve by reaching these goals, and why is it important to you in the first place? Whatever the reason may be, it is personal. But it might not always be enough—especially in the middle of winter.

Motivation is already low. Days are shorter. It’s cold. It’s the season of cinnamon buns. You may find yourself wondering if it’s even worth getting off the couch at all.

Then you get hit with a common motivation killer. After a long day of work, juggling kids and other adult obligations, you’re tired. The last thing you’re thinking about is pushing yourself to the limit in a brightly lit gym full of people.

Sometimes fitness and wellness don’t look like a two-hour gym session. Sometimes fitness needs to come from the mind. So here are a few helpful tips and pointers to help focus your fitness energy on days when you just don’t have it—something that requires less than high-capacity output.

Notes for a January Workout

January is not peak performance season. Try leaning into maintenance and rebuilding rather than high-impact workouts.
Colder months mean colder muscles, so you may need to spend more time warming up and stretching to avoid injury.
Motivation may feel lower this time of year due to the holidays, weather, and shorter days. Listen to your body. If it’s craving warmth and comfort, adjust your workout to match your mood. Adaptability is more important than intensity.
Adjust your workout style and duration, and remember: consistency over progress.
Movement can be a mood regulator, even if it’s only 20–30 minutes. Try reframing fitness to accommodate this.

What to Avoid in January

Starting a HIIT routine for the first time
Long workouts that cause prolonged soreness
Guilting yourself for missing a day or having a treat now and again
Comparing yourself to your future goals or to anyone else

Goals for January Workouts

Build workouts into your routine to maintain consistency
Place more focus on flexibility and mobility. These movements don’t need to be big or intense—the emphasis is on duration, not maxing out weight load. This also helps address the cold muscle threshold you might face in winter.
Working out in the winter is already hard, so emphasize feeling accomplished.

So that’s about it. If fitness and wellness are your goals this year, take it easy on yourself for the rest of winter. Don’t give in, but be gentle. It’s okay to lower the bar and focus on routine over hype. That will come—right now, you need a steady foundation for sustainable growth.

Nobody took their first steps without learning to crawl. Focus on what you can control right now, and you’ll see results in one way or another.

Come back on Friday for easy workout routines for different levels of motivation. These will help ease you into a January workout that you can do anywhere—from the bed to the gym.

I’ll also be posting the workouts on YouTube, so look for me there.

In the meantime, good luck and Happy New Year.

light & gather