Winter is one of the toughest times of the year to stay active. Not only does it take another level of commitment to get out in the cold weather and workout, but then there’s all the delicious, warm, and not-so-healthy food. As soon as the weather changes it’s easy to fall into a less active pattern and let your self control go a little bit.

After having 2 full plates of Thanksgiving dinner plus dessert (obviously) I’m hoping to get out and about as much as possible for the rest of the weekend. The trick to motivating yourself for winter workouts is coming up with good options of things to be excited about and having the gear to get excited about, too.

On the workout side I have 4 ways to help you stay active this winter:

1. Take up an outdoor sport

Whether you’re in Colorado and can ski or snowboard, Texas where you can actually still play things like golf and tennis in the winter, or on the East Coast where you can try paddle tennis, taking up a winter sport is a great an engaging way to keep yourself active in the colder months. MG has been teaching me paddle tennis and I love just getting out in the crisp weather and hitting the ball around and having something to get us up and out of the house.

2. Invest in a fun workout class

One of my first winters in Chicago was the most brutal one I’ve ever endured. I couldn’t bring myself to get to yoga and all of the classes I liked were too far from my house and it was before the days of things like Classpass. These days I’ve found several different classes I enjoy near my office and apartment so that there’s really no excuse to not go. Whether it’s hip hop yoga at Y7, a Barry’s Bootcamp class or a trampoline class (pretty fun and a great workout) there’s no shortage of things to try. Take up the studios on their new client offers to find one that you like and then buy a class pack to encourage yourself to go!

3. Turn it into a competition

If you have someone else to push you it’ll always help. Challenge a family member or a friend to a friendly workout competition and see who goes the most times a week/month. You could also incorporate things like taking vitamins, drinking water, and not drinking as a part of the contest to make it even more 360.

4. A little goes a long way

Don’t overdo it! You don’t have to run 10 miles every time. Just 1 measly mile will do wonders for keeping your metabolism up and your body engaged. Try 15 minute at home ab workouts (I love the Nike Training Club app) and simple things in between days where you can’t get a full workout in.

For the outdoor workouts I’m loving the HEATTECH layerable options from Uniqlo. I’ve never tried them before and the first thing I noticed was how comfortable and stretchy they are. They’re surprisingly thin and warm and very easy to layer. Growing up I hated layering in the winter because you end up feeling so bulky and immobile, but these pieces are perfect as your bottom layer for a day on the mountain or a long run.

How do you stay active in the winter?

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HEATTECH top and pants c/o  •  NIKE SHOES

This post was sponsored by Uniqlo. As always all opinions are my own!