Olympic Gold Medallist Joanna Rowsell On How To Maintain Fitness Motivation Throughout Winter

As the cold weather sets in it's tempting to grab a TV box set and hide from the world until March.

But even though we might feel like forgoing our exercise routine in favour of a cosy night in, keeping fitness levels up throughout winter can help combat fatigue, keeping us alert at work and ready to enjoy those Christmas parties.

If anyone knows the importance of keeping up fitness levels throughout the winter months it’s pro-cyclist and Olympic Gold medallist Joanna Rowsell.

Here she gives her top tips on how to use exercise and maintain energy levels throughout the winter...

· Schedule exercise In the run up to Christmas all of our diaries can get considerably busier with lots of social events. Make sure that you schedule in exercise, even if it’s just for half an hour, at least three times a week and stick to it like you would any other appointment.

On the days when you don’t do any exercise I would also recommend doing some light activity such as a brisk walking during your lunch break which is a great way to perk yourself up for the afternoon.

· Set goals

I always have my targets I am aiming for as an athlete but I also set short term goals week by week and I think everyone should set short, medium and long term goals.

Whether that is to cycle a certain distance or complete a certain number of hours of training in a week, goals will help keep you focussed and motivated day-to-day.

· Get outside

Winter doesn’t always mean rain and wind; sometimes we have beautiful crisp days filled with sunshine so make the most of them by getting outdoors.

I love going out for a bike ride on days like this to soak up sun rays.

· Mix it up If you are bored of pounding the treadmill try mixing up your exercise routine by adding some winter sports like ice skating or indoor skiing in to the mix.

Making exercise fun and exciting will ensure that it’s something to look forward to rather than a chore.

· Ramp it up

HIIT (high intensity interval training) is a brilliant time efficient way of completing a good workout.

I often do HIIT on an indoor bike by cycling 30 seconds flat out followed by 30 seconds recovery time. With 5 reps of this preceded by a 10 min warm up and followed by a 10 min warm down, you have done a great session in just 25 minutes.

Short hard workouts are often easier to motivate yourself to do than a lengthy exercise regime. You can also do similar things on a treadmill or by doing different types of functional moves like burpees followed by mountain climbers to mix things up. There are lots of apps that you can download to give you some more ideas.

· Think long term

Even as a professional athlete there are always days when the weather’s bad and I’d prefer to stay in bed, but I always remind myself of the long term goal. Whether that is a competition coming up or a target weight you are trying to reach, remind yourself of the bigger picture and how it will pay off long term.

· Maintain your iron

To help maintain energy levels and oxygen efficiency I take Spatone Apple, a natural liquid iron food supplement every morning.

The added vitamin C in Spatone Apple Liquid Iron Supplement can increase iron absorption for active people so it’s great to take if you are exercising over winter. It is also easily absorbed and easy on the stomach and the handy sachets are great when I’m travelling.

· Eat a balanced diet

The key to a healthy diet in my opinion is balance. So as well as keeping on top of my fruit and veg I will also treat myself to some chocolate or cake when I’ve worked hard. My mantra is everything in moderation.

· Motivating mantras To motivate yourself to exercise consider all of the psychological benefits of exercising including a better mood and reducing stress.

I don’t see my training as a sacrifice even if it sometimes means missing out on a social occasion. It’s true that you will never regret a work out, but you might possibly regret not doing one.

· Home workouts

Around New Year a lot of fantastic works out DVDs come out – they are especially good for rainy days.

Instead of sitting on the sofa to watch TV when you get in from work put on your favourite work out DVD. This is also a great way to save time in a busy week.

Exercises like planks, sit ups and press ups will all help you tone up and can be easily done in the comfort of your sitting room in just a few minutes.

· Recovery

Recovery is the most important part of training. Simply, if you don’t recover from the exercise you are doing you won’t get the gains. Sleep is an essential part of a healthy routine and lifestyle so make sure you prioritise it.

One good way to promote good sleep through exercise is by taking a yoga class in the evening as it’s great for relaxation. It’s inside too, so no excuse to not go if it’s cold outside!

Joanna Rowsell is the ambassador for Spatone, a liquid food iron supplement which helps maintain energy levels.

8 Inspirational Women In Sport

Sarah Attar, Saudi Arabian athlete(01 of08)

Her position in the women's 800m heats may have been a distant last but it was a 'first' that prompted a standing ovation from the crowd. Atturst bravely challenged the social conventions of her country to become the first Saudi Arabian woman to compete in the Olympic track and field. So while Sarah Attar didn't win a medal, she did realise her dream - to represent the women of her country and inspire them to embrace sport.She said: "For women in Saudi Arabia, I think this can really spark something to get more involved in sports, to become more athletic," she said. "Maybe in the next Olympics, we can have a very strong team to come."Atturst, along with judo competitor, Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani, were the first Saudi Arabian women to attend the Olympics.The decision was a last-minute one following pressure from the International Olympic Committee. (credit:PA)

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Campaigner (02 of08)

Former Paralympian medalist, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, 43, is world-renowned for her tireless campaigning for disabled sport as well as women's sport.Born with spina bifida, the former athlete was enobled in 2010, after winning 11 gold medals across five consecutive Paralympics Games.Since retiring from sport, Grey-Thompson is busier than ever - she is a TV broadcaster, politician, sits on the board for London Transport and the London Marathon and is the patron for numerous charities. She is never afraid to speak out on what she believes in. Most recently, in May 2013, she told the House of Commons Education Committee that the Government did not take sport seriously and that many disabled children were still “sent to the library” during PE lessons because “teachers don’t feel equipped or able, in many cases to integrate them properly into lessons.”“We are trying to save money because of tough economic times. The obesity bill is just going to keep rising, welfare benefits will just keep rising and, actually, sport [and] physical activity can do an awful lot to challenge and help those things.” (credit:Getty Images)

Clare Balding, Broadcaster & Writer(03 of08)

Clare Balding's incredible coverage of London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics cemented her status as a national treasure and earned her a BAFTA Special Award. It also helped to raise the profile of women in sport as well as women in the media.Balding, whose passion for sport is in her genes (her father is the Queen's former horse trainer), has a particular passion for women's sport and in her frequent interviews in the media, she never misses an opportunity to campaign for gender equality.Not surprisingly, Balding was given an OBE in June this year. (credit:Alamy)

Marion Bartoli, Wimbledon Champion(04 of08)

Unfortunately, Marion Bartoli's impressive victory in the 2013 Wimbledon final - in which she didn't drop a set against Germany's Sabine Lasicki - was somewhat overshadowed by *those* sexist remarks from John Inverdale and a few ignorant souls on Twitter.The fiasco has forced the world to open its eyes to the sexism that women still have to contend with. Meanwhile, Bartoli's dignified and magnanimous reaction has cast her as not only a sporting champion but an admirable role model. (credit:Alamy)

Jessica Ennis-Hill, Olympic Heptathlete(05 of08)

Labelled the poster girl of 2012, Jessica Ennis’ 'girl-next-door to Olympic gold-medalist' fairytale has given a nation of schoolgirls a reason to believe that dreams really can come true.Smashing her personal best, beating her competitors by hundreds of points and scooping the gold medal for the heptathlon, Ennis-Hill, has a great deal to be proud of. But it is her status as a role model that seems to give the athlete her greatest sense of achievement.Recognising the importance of such role models, she said after the Olympics: “You can have lots of regulations and lots of information booklets, to get females involved in sport. But if you want girls to play sport, you have to give them role models.” However she is also aware of the obstacles: “The problem with the traditional non-sporting women in the media is that most of them are size zero. You can’t be a fit, healthy sportswoman – out there beating your rivals – if you’re size zero.“It’s hard to change but it would happen if more sportswomen were in the media, and if more coaches were women, more influential sports figures were women.” (credit:Alamy)

Sue Tibballs, CEO, Women's Sport And Fitness Foundation(06 of08)

Tibballs, a tireless campaigner for gender equality. As the Chair of the Women's Sport And Fitness Foundation, Tibballs aim is to create a nation of active women. Her latest campaign is to target the issue around women and fitness at grass-roots level by recruiting 25 schools for an in-depth analysis of how schools engage with girls to deliver physical education and to establish the perfect model.Tiball believes that body confidence is the biggest obstacle for women and sport. She told HuffPost Lifestyle: "The relationship women have with their bodies and the confidence surrounding that is the last step of women's liberation".She believe that "girls need to own their bodies and move their bodies" and have the confidence to get involved with sport. That involves removing the negative perceptions around exercise and fitness for girls. And she believes a crucial part of that is a greater exposure to sporting role models in the media. (credit:PA)

Hope Powell, England Women's National Coach(07 of08)

Growing up in South-East London in the 1970s, in a world there was no place for women in football, Hope Powell stuck by her guns and challenged conventions, determined to realise her dreams.While studying to be a football coach, she knew she had a greater challenge ahead than the rest of her classmates but she wasn't deterred: "On the course I was the only female, the only black female and there I was with these guys from the professional world of football. I probably worked harder than everyone else; in that situation you’ve got more to prove."But prove herself she did. Though "disgusted" that she was unable to play football professionally in this country, she has forged an alternative career in football as the England Women's National Coach and the Team GB Olympic football team.She is currently leading the England team in the Women's Euro 2013.In 2003 Powell became the first woman to achieve the UEFA Pro Licence—the highest coaching award available. (credit:PA)

Nicola Adams, Boxing Champion(08 of08)

Nicola Adams became the first ever Olympic boxing champion when she scooped the gold for Team GB in 2012.Proving that boxing is every bit a woman's game, the champion's victory has caused a dramatic surge of interest in female boxing.Sport England figures show that before last summer's Games, where women's boxing was included for the first time, there were 19,600 females boxing once a week, compared with 35,100 now - an increase of 79%. (credit:Alamy)

SEE ALSO:
Commonwealth Games 2014 Cyclist Joanna Rowsell: My Tips For Becoming A Cycling Superstar
Forget The Gym: Here's A Brilliant Workout You Can Do At Home

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