If statistics are correct, most people reading this can expect to gain anywhere from 5-7 pounds once summer comes to an end. Yikes! That is a scary number!

Good thing you found this article because we aren’t going to let YOU be “most” people! Lower temps do not have to equal larger waistlines! You just have to have a plan! 

In this short read we will …

• Explain why winter weight gain happens. Knowing why is important if you want to prevent it and the reason is probably not what you think. In fact, it is partially not even your fault!
• Tell you why fall/winter is actually the BEST time to start a diet and training plan.
• Give you 7 easy pro tips that will help guide you through the next few months. 

You may believe winter weight gain happens because of the holidays. Those extra home cooked meals and holiday parties are certainly a factor.

But there is a DAILY issue you need to be prepared to fight if you want to avoid packing on winter pounds.

WHY YOU REALLY PACK ON POUNDS AFTER LABOR DAY

In the spring and summer months, you are given what we call a fitness freebie.

You get a seasonal motivation boost that doesn’t happen when temperatures start to drop, and you begin to pull out the chunky sweaters and comfy leggings. 

Not only is the sun shining (which makes you happier because of Vitamin D), you are wearing LESS clothing in the summer months.

I don’t know about you, but knowing I’m going to be exposing more skin makes walking in the gym a little easier. 

Covering up in layers, no doubt leads to the temptation to slack on body goals!

Knowing your arms, legs, and abs will be less exposed can easily be an excuse to slack.

Also, being layered up often means you don’t SEE the extra pounds, so they are easier to ignore.

But there is more to it than being bundled up….

The #1 reason you slack on health and fitness goals in colder months ISN’T EVEN YOUR FAULT!!

Of course, you have a part to play in all of this, but there is actually a scientific reason why you have less desire to train and eat healthy when the sunshine of summer fades.

We will explain why a little further down. But ya know what really stinks?

The scientific reason why we all experience these motivation slumps in the winter only adds to an even bigger issue with motivation.

It doesn’t matter what season it is motivation ALWAYS comes and goes!

Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter – you can NEVER rely on it!

So, what can you do when lack of sunshine and warm temps leave you even more tempted to hit snooze and reach for comfort foods?

You certainly don’t throw your hands up in the air and wait until January to make a resolution to crash diet to get your body ready for spring. Believe it or not, RIGHT NOW is actually the IDEAL time to get started! 

To help you out, and give you an extra edge on beating winter weight gain, we are offering a special end of summer 40% OFF promotion on ALL Sculpt Nation Supplements!  


CLICK HERE TO SHOP and use code: LABORDAY for 40% off your order!

Sculpt Nation supplements are a great addition to any fitness program to help you push past plateaus and take your results to the next level.

This sale is  only available for a limited time, so stock up for the winter months with 40% off while supplies last!!

Just click here and use the code LABORDAY at check out to redeem your discount.  

If you START NOW, you will develop discipline and a routine heading into the holidays. This will put you in a great place mentally and physically to relax and “indulge” a little more at all those holiday gatherings!

Look at it this way ..
Would you rather head into the holiday season already making progress toward your goals and be in a great spot (where it would be okay even if you did gain an extra pound or two?)

Or would you rather put it off and only add more fat on top of what you want to lose?

The answer is clear— the solution to getting the motivation needed to make it happen, not so much.

But don’t worry! We’ve got ya covered (no pun intended) with a few easy motivation hacks!

7 TIPS TO STAY MOTIVATED AS SEASONS CHANGE

One of the number one questions we always get is … “I am just not motivated. How can I motivate myself to train and eat better?”

As we mentioned earlier, it doesn’t matter what season it is, you can’t always rely on motivation. 

When you have it, great! You should certainly take advantage of it! But you have to know that it is totally normal to not have much of it. Even professional athletes lack motivation. 

You have to develop other daily habits that create discipline if you want to succeed long term!

Here are a few of our pro tips that we use with our clients, specifically when temperatures drop, and motivation seems to be at its lowest! 

TIP #1: Switch To An At Home Training Program

If you know that getting out of bed and stepping into the winter elements is going to be an excuse trigger, make a plan to train at home during cooler months! Some of the most effective and challenging workouts only require your body weight and maybe a set of dumbbells or some resistance bands.

A good fat-blasting, muscle-building sweat session can 100% be achieved from the comfort of your home!

Adjustable dumbbells, ankle weights, resistance bands, a jump rope, etc., are all things that are inexpensive and can easily be stored in a closet or under your bed and pulled out anytime you don’t feel like leaving the house.

But if you have the right training program, you don’t need any of that. 

Our favorite at-home bodyweight-only program is called MOVE. It was designed to help you achieve your fitness goals without a single piece of equipment, and each workout is under 20 minutes!

Learn more about MOVE by watching the video below!

CLICK HERE to get your copy of MOVE: 30 Day At-Home Program!

If you need a little extra “nudge” to get up and get moving, another pro-tip we use is keeping some PRE WORKOUT on your bedside table. Have it already blended up and chug it as soon as your alarm goes off!

By the time you have brushed your teeth and put on your workout clothes, you will have a nice little jolt of energy and tons of motivation to get going before you have a chance to come up with an excuse! 

At the bottom of this article, we will tell you about a big end of summer sale happening so that you can stock up on our favorite PRE WORKOUT for 40% off when you use code: LABORDAY at checkout! 

TIP #2: Make Your Workouts Seasonal

Embrace the change of seasons and take advantage of activities that you can only do in fall or winter! 

• Go on a fall hike and view all the gorgeous foliage.
• Try rock climbing.
• Walk around a corn maze or pumpkin patch with your family. 
• If you live in a snowy climate, go skiing, sledding, build snowmen with your kids, etc.
• Go ice skating.
• Lace-up your sneakers, go for a walk or run at night, and admire all the Christmas lights and decorations.

There are some things you can only do and see during specific times of the year. So instead of missing sunshine and water sports, focus on all the positive things that only come about with cooler temps!

TIP #3: Try Something Totally New

Sometimes a change of routine is all you need to boost motivation.

If you have been doing all your gym lifts alone, recruit a gym buddy! Try switching up your cardio by skipping your solo runs and joining a group fitness class instead. 

Another option is to allow yourself to slow down! If you have been crushing it all spring and summer with intense training and hardcore workouts, it may actually be time to take it down a notch. 

Going full force 365 can cause your stress hormone cortisol to increase. This can lead to a host of drawbacks, including weight gain, muscle loss, poor moods, fatigue, and occasional issues sleeping! 

We aren’t saying you should become lazy! But if you have been crushing it 24/7 all spring and summer, your body (and mind) may need to slow down.

Use the next few months to embrace a slower routine. 

• Commit to daily yoga.
• Focus on becoming more flexible.
• Switch to low or moderate-intensity cardio, instead of HIIT.
• Try out some bodyweight workouts instead of heavy lifting.

Giving your body a couple of months to recover might even make you more responsive when you decide to kick things up again come spring/summer!

TIP #4: Stay Accountable

The best way to stick to a plan is to have someone that you report back to. This could be a friend, family member, a social media community, or even a coach. 

Including someone else, or even just telling someone else about your health and fitness goals and asking them to check in with you to make sure you are sticking to the plan, is a great way to keep the promises you make to yourself.

If you prefer to fly solo, it helps to create visuals. Make a vision board, create a daily checklist you can mark off after each workout, or keep an accomplishment journal.

TIP #5: Set A Spring Goal

March may seem like a long time away, but it will be back before you know it, and 6 months is a long time to make significant changes. 

Setting a goal is a great way to encourage yourself to push past discomforts and temptation, but there is a science to goal setting.

The key to creating goals that stick .. be REALISTIC and SPECIFIC!

Let’s start with reality. You should always focus on one goal at a time and make sure you are being honest with yourself if that goal is really attainable.

If you know that your schedule will never allow you to work out 6 days a week, why would you choose a program that requires you to do that?

If you know it’s not healthy to attempt to lose 10 pounds a week, why would you aim that high?

If you love carbs, why would you go on a KETO diet? 

Doing these things will essentially set yourself up for failure. Set attainable goals that fit YOUR lifestyle. You can always bump things up if your schedule allows, or you notice you aren’t pushing yourself hard enough. Just keep in mind that being realistic isn’t the same as not believing in yourself or making excuses. 

Moving on to being specific. The more specific you are about your goals, the more likely you will be to reach them. 

It may seem like it’s good enough to say things like .. I want to look good, lose weight, or get ripped! But you have to dig deeper than that!! 

Wanting to “lose weight,” for example, is an excellent place to start. But ask yourself what that means to you?

If you expand on that and say — “I want to lose 10 pounds of fat. I will do this by not eating any sweets and doing the V Shred MOVE program for 30 consecutive days. I am doing this because I want to have better self-esteem and a head start on bikini season.” — that makes your goal more specific.  

The more specific (and attainable) your goals are, the more likely you will be to not give up!

TIP #6: Reward Yourself

Once you have checked a “mini goal” off your list, treat yourself. Knowing that you have a reward coming to celebrate your efforts will make you want to achieve it even more. 

It may be tempting to make your reward one of your favorite “forbidden foods” but we never suggest that you reward yourself this way.

You aren’t a dog. You should never reward “good behavior” with food. Having this mentality can create a really unhealthy relationship with food.

You need to eat healthy MOST of the time, control your portions, and see food as fuel. But if you are craving something that isn’t quite as healthy as your grilled chicken and rice, never feel like you need to lose 20 pounds to “deserve” a bite of cake, or nice dinner out with your family. 

Instead of rewarding yourself with food, buy yourself something you have been wanting. Maybe some new workout clothes, a massage, or an extra $20 bucks in your vacation fund! 

If you think you need some nutrition guidance or want to learn more about creating a healthy relationship with food, take our free body type quiz and we’ll tell you exactly what type of diet will deliver results for your goals and specific body type. 

TIP #7: Make Mental Health Top Priority

Earlier, we mentioned that cold weather motivation dips may not be your fault.

I’m sure you have heard of winter blues. Well, it’s a real thing. Less natural light can cause dips in serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates mood.

The dark and dreary days of winter can also cause your body to produce more of the sleep hormone melatonin. This shift can disrupt your body and impact your sleep patterns and overall mood.

Here are a few ways that you can focus on improving your mental health.

• Invest in a light therapy box that simulates natural daylight.
• Make sure you are supplementing with or eating plenty of foods with Vitamin D.
• Start journaling. There is a lot of scientific evidence that supports putting your thoughts on paper provides a long list of benefits, including stress management, self-confidence, and goal setting. 

Suppose you still find yourself struggling with negative seasonal motivation shifts. In that case, you may need to experiment with taking naturally sourced herbs to help support brain health and a positive mood.

Here are a few with some great scientific backing to help boost mood.

• EnXtra: A natural caffeine-free patent-pending botanical ingredient that has been shown to help increase dopamine levels.**It is also one of the first and only natural caffeine-free patent-pending botanical ingredients shown to boost mental alertness & acuity for hours or ending in a huge caffeine energy crash.
• Piper Nigrum Fruit Extract: A very specific type of black pepper that has been shown to help increase both serotonin and dopamine.
  
• L-Theanine: A powerful amino acid that is believed to help reduce occasional anxiety brought on by stressful situations.

You can find all of these natural herbs (plus 3 more) in a one of a kind supplement called NEUROCTANE.

As part of our big end of summer sale, this brain and mood booster along with Sculpt Nation’s entire line of body optimizing supplements are 40% off for a limited time!

Just click here to shop and use code: LABORDAY at checkout for 40% off your order!

BOTTOM LINE IF YOU WANT TO STAY MOTIVATED YEAR ROUND
When you put away the shorts and swimsuits and shift out of bikini season, it’s common for motivation to “fall back” with the clocks. 

The seasons have to change (unless you live near the equator) – so you have to figure out ways to not let your fitness goals go into hibernation mode! Pumpkin spice lattes are only here for a limited time, but getting into shape isn’t seasonal! It’s a year-round commitment!! 

Combining Sculpt Nation supplements with V Shred’s diet and training programs is a great way to get a head start on keeping those winter pounds at bay this year. 

This combo has helped tens of thousands of happy customers reach their goals faster and easier!

(Click HERE now and use code: LABORDAY for 40% OFF — Prices will go back up after Labor Day weekend!)