How to Adjust Your Workouts for Seasons Changes
Feel like your workout motivation fades as the days get shorter? You’re definitely not alone. When the colder months set in, the urge to cozy up instead of working out can be strong. But staying active through winter doesn't have to be a struggle—it can actually become an enjoyable part of the season. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, I dive into how you can create a winter fitness routine that works with your body’s natural rhythms, making your workout time something you look forward to.
One key strategy is adapting your routine to suit winter’s slower pace. Resistance training, for example, can be a grounding choice that supports your goals without overwhelming your energy levels. Embracing periodization—essentially, cycling through different workout intensities and focuses—allows you to stay consistent without burning out. Fitness isn’t about pushing forward relentlessly; it’s about tuning into the season's natural ebb and flow and working with it, not against it.
I also discuss:
(00:00) Balancing Motherhood and Self-Care
(06:36) Prioritizing Self-Care for New Moms
(14:50) Daily Movement for Postpartum Self-Care
(19:48) Embracing Authentic Beauty and Confidence
and more!
If you want more from me, be sure to check out...
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Website: www.juliealedbetter.com
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Transcript:
[00:00:00] Hey there, beautiful human. You're listening to Embrace Your Real with Me, Julie Ledbetter. A podcast where I empower you to just be you with each episode and issue a dose of real talk and actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned. If you're ready to embrace your real, let's get hands, girl. And though and welcome back to another episode on the embrace of podcast. The seasons have officially started changing and the days have started getting shorter and shorter and the mornings have gotten chillier. But for many of us, our motivation is also starting to dip, right? Our motivation loves to dip along with the temperature. But here's the thing. It doesn't have to be that way. In fact, this time of year can be an incredible opportunity to adjust your workouts, to align with your body's natural rhythms. Giving yourself grace, of course, but also continuing to progress towards your goals. So in today's episode, we're going to dive into how you can keep the fire going in your fitness routine, but in a way that honors your body's needs as the seasons are changing. Plus, I've also got a complete guide on how to make a smooth transition into the winter season. But before we dive in, I want to share this review. It comes from Kath Marsh. Give a five star review and said, Always hear what I need. This podcast I listened to today, the difference between weight loss and changing your body composition really spoke to me. It was like a light bulb went off and I said, That is what I want. Thank you for always sharing such insightful information in such a caring way. I'm so glad I found your podcasts. Well, I'm so glad. Thank you so much, Kath, for tuning into the podcast and also leaving your editing interview. Genuinely means the world to me when you guys do that. So if you haven't left your review ever and this podcast has helped you in any way, shape or form, we keep these podcasts free of ads. All I ask for you is that you will do you a favor in return and leave a rating interview that would really help us out. Just kind of know how the podcast in general is helping you, but also maybe a specific episode spoke to you. Also, you can make sure you subscribe so that you never miss an episode, and if you're subscribed, they just automatically download to your phone so that you know, if you don't have access to service, but maybe you're going on a road trip, you can still tune into the podcast because it's downloaded already to your phone. Okay, so let's dive into kind of how to navigate this transition in seasons with our workouts. Number one, stick to the basics. So one thing I always keep as a constant in my routine, no matter what the season is, is resistance training, dumbbell workouts, right? It is the foundation of my workout plan always has been, you know, since 2019, 2020. And it always will be honestly, like whether you are personally you're training at home with dumbbells, maybe you love to train in the gym. Resistance training itself is going to help you build muscle. It's going to help boost your metabolism and keep your body strong. It's simply like a year round essential. So think of that. Think of, you know, dumbbell workouts, resistance training in general. Think of that as a year round essential. But there are parts of your workout routine that can change kind of depending on the season, which I want to dive into in today's episode. But number two, I need you to remind yourself and allow yourself to change with the seasons. It is okay. In fact, it's natural to change with the seasons. Like as the colder months hit, you might not have the same energy levels that you did in summer, and that's completely normal. Like your body is in sync with the seasons. And just as nature kind of slows down, sometimes we need to slow down to instead of forcing yourself, you know, to push through with the same intensity year round, it's okay to scale things back and adjust your routine to fit how you're feeling. So you, you know, again, sticking to your resistance training, but allow your routine to kind of ebb and flow with the season without placing this unneeded, unnecessary, unwanted pressure on yourself to meet certain expectations. Which kind of leads me to number three, which is stay consistent but compassionate. One of the best things that you can do for yourself is to stay consistent with your workouts, no matter what the weather is or season is. That throws your way. But that doesn't mean that you have to be so hard on yourself or pushed through when your body is screaming for a break. As the weather changes, it's super important to bring in some compassion into your routine. Compassion really means listening to your body, whether that's, you know, taking an extra rest day or opting for a lower impact workout when you're feeling tired or just adjusting the intensity based on how you're feeling mentally and physically. Consistency doesn't mean perfection. It means showing up in whatever way makes sense for you on that day. Like, we tend to be harder on ourselves when we feel like we're slacking because the days are shorter or we're feeling like a little bit more sluggish. But it's okay to lean into the natural ebb and flow that comes with seasonal changes. If you're used to this, you know, high energy outdoor runs in the summer, but your body's craving more slow intentional movements during the cooler months, honor that you're still moving. And that's ultimately what counts. It's about continuing to show up regardless of what look what your day looks like and reminding yourself to give yourself compassion during this time. Number four, cycle your intensity. So here's a golden nugget that I wish more women embrace. You don't have to be pushing for progress all year round. Let me repeat that again. You don't have to be pushing for progress all year round. It's completely normal and healthy to kind of cycle your fitness intensity based on the season. And this is where the concept of periodization comes in. So just like athletes. You know, you can kind of think of your year in phases, times of pushing for progress and also times of focusing on maintenance or recovery. Summer is typically a time of higher energy for many of us, you know, naturally feel more motivated the longer days, the warmer days out, outdoor outdoor activities. Sunshine, this is an awesome time for you to kind of push yourself. But at the end of the year, this can be a great time and is often better suited for kind of pulling back just a bit and allowing for more focus on simply maintaining the gains that you made over the year. Does this mean that you stop progressing? No, this just means that you're shifting your focus. So, for example, maybe you have been consistently hitting, you know, 4 to 5 dumbbell workouts a week. But as the holiday season rolls in, you know, you're going to be busy and you don't know if you can maintain that schedule. Try focusing on 2 to 3 days a week, right? You are. You're still able to move your body, but you're taking those core workouts. So lower body, upper body, full body, and you're doing those on a consistent basis. And that's what will allow you to stay more consistent. Right? You know, during the summer, maybe you're focused on heavier and heavier and heavier and lifting heavier and focus on progressive overload. But now for the next few months would be a great time for you to kind of maintain your weight that you've worked up all year. So really just trying to maintain it, not needing or feeling the urge. You know, if you feel the urge and you feel like energy, that's great. Push yourself, but don't put that additional pressure on yourself to really, you know, push in all of your workouts and get those pressures during this time. You don't have to constantly strive for results, right? It's also healthy to strive for maintenance. Let me say that again. You don't have to constantly strive for results. It is also healthy to strive for maintenance. In fact, your body will actually benefit from the rest and recovery. And when the new year hits, you'll feel this new sense of energy and motivation after a few months of maintaining. So you're still moving forward, you're still moving your body, but just in a bit of a different way and cycles your intensity. And that is something that I wish so many women, so many more women knew was that it is okay. In fact, it is healthy to want to cycle your intensity throughout your workouts throughout the year. Number five cycle your goals. Right? Should our goal constantly be weight loss all year round? If you've been tuning in for any length of time, you know, I'm going to say absolutely not. Our goals should change depending on where we are in our life and what season we're currently going through. So if you're feeling unmotivated, I want you to set a season, a goal of just maintaining your progress through the new year. You can enter into, you know, maintenance macros for the season, focusing on maintaining a certain frequency of workouts. Just focus on maintaining what you built up this year or just where you're at. Focus on maintaining that right instead of always having this intensity goal of upping your reps or upping your stats or upping your weight instead of pushing your intensity to the max week in and week out, you match your intensity of your workouts to your current energy levels. So are you feeling more energized today? Great. Push harder in your workout, feeling a bit more fatigued as the days get shorter. That's okay. Dial it back. Your body's energy naturally fluctuates with the seasons, and the priority during the season is consistency, not intensity. The priority during this season is consistency, not intensity. You got it. Your goal is to show up and maintain and just be proud of that. That is amazing. Remember, there's no rush. Fitness is a lifelong journey and it is okay to have seasons where you're simply maintaining the strong, capable body that you've already built. You can always ramp up when you're ready, but maintenance is a win, too. Number six, Evaluate your schedule. So the busyness of fall and winter seasons, especially with the holidays, the end of the year commitments. This can throw off your regular routine. I want you to take a look at your calendar and decide when and where you can realistically fit your workouts in. When evaluating your schedule, remember to please be flexible with yourself if mornings were great for you in the summer, but it's harder to get up with the darker mornings. Consider shifting your workouts to lunchtime or evenings. You don't have to force yourself to continue to hit these morning workouts if it just does not feel right for you. And this season, instead of feeling guilty about not being able to hit your workouts in the morning, just find a solution for when it will feel best for you to hit your workouts. I also and have talked about this before, but I will continue to say it because it's so, so important and so valuable. But I also recommend that you book your workout time like an appointment. Like having a plan in place makes it so much easier to stick to your routine when motivation dips. And it also helps you to figure out ahead of time where the workouts can fit in between your fall and winter. Schedule. Number seven Create a cozy, comfortable workout environment. So fall and winter are all about comfort and coziness, right? I live for cozy and comfort. I love it. I love it. I love it. So what if we made our workouts feel cozy and comfy? Like, what? Have we started to kind of bring that vibe into your workout routine to really set yourself up for success by creating this workout environment that. Feels warm and invites you into something that makes you feel excited. If you are working out at home with dumbbells, maybe add like a touch of soft lighting or string some lights, or decorate your workout space for the holidays. Play some holiday music. Light a pumpkin spice candle. Get a space heater whatever it is to make your space feel warm and cozy. The more comfortable you feel in your space, the more likely you are to show up for your workouts even on those colder, darker days. So make the space happy, make it cozy. And you? I trust me when I tell you if you do this, you're likely going to feel just more excited to enter into it on a weekly basis. Number eight, walk more so during the winter months. It is so easy to be more sedentary. But the more sedentary we are, the more unmotivated we become and the more unwanted seasonal depression will likely hit us. Right. I highly recommend that you just start with having kind of a step goal throughout the end of the year. I cannot say enough good things about my walking pad. I know I have mentioned it so many times within the last few months, but I can tell you throughout pregnancy and postpartum it has single handedly changed my experience. Like having a walking pad has been such a game changer when it's freezing outside and the last thing you want to do is bundle up for a walk. Having an indoor option can make all the difference. Walking is such a gentle but effective form of movement, and it's perfect for the fall and winter months when you might not be in the mood for something intense. Right? Even if you don't feel like doing a full workout, walking is an easy way to keep your body moving, and it doesn't even have to last for that long or be fast. Like 20 minutes a day can do wonders for your energy and mood, helping you get through this dark season a bit more easily. And last but not least, a number nine. Spend more time warming up so as the temperatures drop, motivations drop. And that's partly because your muscles tend to stiffen up more quickly. Your body circulation slows down a little bit, and it takes longer for your muscles to reach the optimal temperature for exercise. Your body just doesn't really ever feel ready to work out when it's like this. And that's why a thorough warm up is key for preparing your body for movement. So really rushing into a workout. This can feel daunting. So tell yourself that you can ease into it slowly and that there's no rush in colder months. I want you to additionally warm up a little bit longer, especially if you feel like you need to. So even if that's, you know, hopping on your walking pad for 5 to 7, maybe ten minutes to get your heart rate up, increase that blood flow that's going to help so, so much If you don't have a walking pad or a treadmill, you know, do some marching in place. Low impact movements gradually raise your core temperature. And this is going to help to loosen your muscles, making you feel a bit more motivated to get after it. And then after that, the next step is to really incorporate, you know, some dynamic stretches that target that muscle groups that you're going to be doing during your workout, which you'll see inside me more enjoy community and inside my app and programing. I oftentimes mimic certain movements that maybe we're using, you know, we're doing later in that workout with weight, but starting with bodyweight workouts. And that's just going to help to ensure that you are, you know, actively lengthening your muscles and improving that mobility. The warmup process itself, it's a foundational place for you to ensure that you're going to have a safe and effective workout. So instead of, you know, diving into a cold, be fully prepared for the workout ahead. Having that warm up process can be super helpful. And also it can be a time where it can get you a little bit more motivated to get your workout in. So there you have it, your ultimate guide on really how to transition your workout with the current season. Let me quickly recap what I talked about in today's episode. Number one, stick to the basics. Number two, allow yourself to change with the seasons. Number three, stay consistent but compassionate. Number four, cycle your intensity. Number five Cycle your goals. Number six, evaluate your schedule. Number seven, create a cozy, comfortable workout environment. Number eight, walk more. And last but not least. Number nine, spend some more time warming up. All in all, to really make this transition simple and to stay consistent through the holiday season, you're going to want to have a proven plan. And that is why I want to encourage you to check out my movement, my Julie app. It gives you brand new resistance training workouts every single week using dumbbells bands. I have dynamic warm ups. I have shorter variations. When you're unmotivated or don't have a lot of time, I have alternate exercises, video demonstrations for every single movement. So if you want to follow a proven plan that you can do five days a week or two days a week or three days a week, it is there for you. You can check it out at scale. That's. SAGAL E got movement julie.com again that's sale s l e demo and julie.com. If you love this episode I know you will also love episode 253 My weekly workout split. In this episode I dive deep into what my workout split is and I give you the five day split the three days. Two days split, four days split, depending on, you know, what your current season of life is in. And especially as we enter into the cooler months, that cooler, darker months oftentimes that we will likely want to switch up our workout split. And so this should hopefully give you some education on how to do that. And what I currently do and what I have been doing for a while and it has been hands down. One of the best decisions I've made in my fitness journey is following this workout split. So again, 253 my workout split. I will link that episode in the shout outs as well as the sale Sally Gottman which Slate.com to learn all about my double only weekly workout program. But that is all that I have for today's episode. I hope that you found this helpful. Be sure to share it out with a friend, a coworker, or someone in your life who feel like really benefit from this specific episode or just your your audience in general might benefit from this episode or this podcast in general. So thank you again for tuning in. I love you so much. I mean it. I'll talk to you next one. All right, sister. That's all I got for you today. But I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you are not already following me on the gram. Be sure to do so, Julie. A lot better. Yes, it's with an A in the middle for that Daily Post workout. Real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world. And I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace your real, because you're worth it. [00:00:00]