Are you a winter survivor or striver?

Let’s face it: when it gets colder outside and the days get shorter, it’s easy to want to go into hibernation mode. Humans don’t hibernate, but there can be that desire to stay indoors, keep warm, and even sleep more this time of year – all of which can impact your physical activity routines.

How do you make sure that your tendency to slow down this time of year doesn’t lead to dropping out of physical activity all together?

The key is knowing whether you’re a Winter Survivor or Winter Striver, based on what motivates you to move.

Winter Survivor: Your activity is fueled by your desire to engage with others. You like to get out, go to the gym, or socialize during fitness classes or on a brisk walk with a buddy. You use external motivators, like places and people, to stay active.

Winter Striver: Your activity is fueled by improvement – the drive to do activity because of the way it makes you feel and progress. You use internal motivators, like your own personal satisfaction and positive feelings, to stay active.

There’s not one right or wrong way to be. In fact, you’re likely a combination of a Survivor-Striver.

Cold weather can get in the way of a Winter Survivor’s best intentions to bundle up and get out and about to move. My advice? Build in a little insurance to make sure you stay active with simple steps like these:

• Make – and protect – appointments for activity on your calendar.
• If you work outside your home, carve out time for activity right before or after you leave to reduce the risk of not wanting to go out again once you are home.
• Lean into an accountability partner or team that will keep you active.

If you’re a Winter Striver, your movement is fueled by the personal satisfaction you get from being active – which can often override the elements. Strivers are able to still get out and be active or shift to working out at home without needing to be at a gym or with people. Consider leaning into striving with these three tips:

• Use your Wondr Library for 10-minute videos you can do at home with no equipment.
• Remind yourself of how good it makes you feel – physically, emotionally, mentally, or even socially – when you’re active.
• Set new goals that you consider to be FUN! Think about small weekly goals that focus on feasible targets like:
  • Achieving your activity minutes (you can use your Wondr App to log them!)
  • Trying a new Body Mind Break or Wondr Workout from the Library
  • Taking on a new style of activity that you’ve never done before

While it may be colder out, that doesn’t mean that your activity has to stall out. Remember: moving more naturally raises your body temperature and provides you with so many body and mind benefits to make it through the winter months.

Are you a Winter Survivor or a Winter Striver? We want to hear your favorite wintertime activity strategies. Tell us all about them – and get inspired with some new ideas from fellow participants – on WondrLink.