There’s nothing more beautiful than a white winter in New York City. The sunshine creating glistening snow that sits perched on tree branches is a scene East coasters can’t imagine not having this time of year. But with snow, comes cold!

While the LA Gloveworx contenders are surfing waves and skateboarding their way to the studio, New Yorkers are dodging black ice and digging cars out of snow mountains in below zero degree weather!

Winters in New York make it a much more difficult to stay active. Snow aside, the freezing temperatures make you want to stay cooped up in fuzzy socks and thick robes with a hot cup of cocoa!

Nonetheless, it’s still super important to stay healthy and well during the snowy season, and that includes movement. While it certainly takes a bit more effort to get going, here are some tips to staying active during winter in The Big Apple.

1. Pick a Session

Let’s be real; you need all the accountability and motivation you can get in the winter. Training classes are a great tool for both. Joining a session at the studio offers an uplifting atmosphere full of other people in the same boat. It helps you connect, feel supported and show up when you know you’re not going through it alone.

Group sessions are also great for accountability because you have to sign up for a spot ahead of time. Having that date set and marked on your calendar makes it much more likely you’ll follow through. If you're a regular, you’ll quickly get to know other regulars as well. Having people there who are expecting you is an additional accountability boost.

We love group sessions at Gloveworx. Aside from motivation and accountability, they provide a myriad of benefits. You’ll push yourself harder, create healthy competition, and hopefully make lifelong friends. That’s why we have a variety of sessions to suit your needs. Are you an extrovert who likes a session full of others looking to achieve the same goal? Join our Boom X, large group session. We also offer a number of small groups for those who enjoy more of a tight-knit atmosphere. And lastly, we have one-on-ones for those who want to work individually with one of our coaches.

Whichever session you sign up for, it’s sure to keep you coming back, rain (snow) or shine.

2. Find Your Tribe

Similar to what we just talked about above, having a workout buddy (or better yet, a tribe of people) for support, motivation and accountability will help you to stay on track throughout the year.

Creating your tribe is all about surrounding yourself with supportive people who want to see you succeed. Your support system can include coaches, spouses, friends and training buddies.

Having a support system is crucial to your success, and is especially important during those times of low motivation, like cold, winter days. In particular, finding a training partner can help you move forward, as you have someone by your side through your ups and downs. However, it’s important to choose the right person. Train with someone who matches your personality and goals, and who is as committed as you. Stay away from a workout buddy who you think will slow you down or bail out on the daily.

Of course, no matter how great of a tribe you have, you’ll always run into one or two #haters along the way. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered in this article on Explaining Your Goals to Naysayers.

3. Exercise at Lunch Hour

For those who like early morning or evening sweat sessions, it’s not so easy with the short days. The sunlight is much more motivating than the dark, don’t you agree?

If you find you’re skipping workouts due to the drudgery of the winter mornings or evenings, try working out during your lunch break at work. Sound crazy? It actually makes a lot of sense.

When it’s dark, your melatonin levels increase. Melatonin is a hormone that helps you feel sleepy. This explains why you can feel super tired as early as 4:30 pm in the winter months. The same thing goes for early mornings. Do you notice that it’s much easier to wake up and feel ready for the day in the summer when the sunlight is peeking through your windows?

Hence, a lunch-hour workout is a great way to get that movement in during the daylight hours. Also, it will provide you with some much-needed energy to finish out that dragging work day.

Afraid you won’t have enough time? Try our Lightning session. It’s specifically designed to give you the intensity you need to see results, in a quick 35-minute workout. You can be in and out in no time. Then, enjoy your lunch, finish your workday and go home with a clear mind knowing that you got in a great session!

4. Pick Your Time & Schedule It

Whatever time of the day you like to workout, try to be consistent. When you just wing it and say “I’ll train at some point today” it’s likely that other things will take precedence and your training session will be pushed off until tomorrow.

Think of your workout like a meeting. It's something important. Something crucial. Something for YOU. If you know in advance when you’re going to workout, it’s easier to set that time aside and work other responsibilities around it.

This is yet another great benefit of joining Gloveworx. Whether you join group sessions or one-on-one training, you set a meeting. You have certain days and times you need to be there, and you can schedule it into your calendar in advance.

5. Make Self-Care a Priority

What does self-care have to do with working out in the winter? Actually, a lot.

Many people experience a drop in mood and motivation during the winter months. We don’t see enough sunlight and we don’t get to spend a lot of time outdoors. Our circadian rhythm is off due to the time change, and the short days can bring about fatigue.

In fact, many people experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a type of depression related to changes in the season. While it can occur during any seasonal change, it’s most common during the fall and winter months.

Even if you don’t experience SAD, you’re likely to notice a drop in your motivation and overall performance during the winter. That’s why it’s so important to create a self-care routine. Exercise is a big part of that, but you also want to be eating well, managing stress, sleeping enough and making room to enjoy life in the midst of your daily responsibilities.

It’s no doubt that winter is a tough month to keep up with your health goals, especially your exercise routine. Joining Gloveworx is a great way to maintain your motivation, create accountability and surround yourself with supportive (and awesome) people and a positive and fun atmosphere.

Don’t let the winter keep you from reaching your goals. Sign up for a Gloveworx 101 session to get started.