Fall is a Great Time to Start a Fitness Program
How many times, when the ball dropped in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, have you vowed to get fit and reach those fitness goals – only to realize that Dec 31st is too late to do it?
Fall, on the other hand, is a great time to start a fitness program, because it will allow you to create good habits and push you through the holiday season and winter months without losing ground and having to start farther behind when the New Year begins.
I have always said that the fall is like a second New Year because there is a sense of renewal and rethinking after the brutally hot summer months are past.
That being said, here are ten fall fitness tips to get you moving and reaching your goals before the end of the year!
1. Take advantage of the weather – I am sure you are like me and you just love it when you open the door one morning and feel that crisp air hit your face and know that fall has finally arrived. When that happens it becomes a perfect time for you to get outside and start exercising outdoors while enjoying the cooler temperatures. Walking, inline skating and cycling are great activities to do in the fall and are perfect for almost every age. If you live near a lake, try kayaking or canoeing for a great whole body workout, which will give you a nice change of pace. Discover some of the parks that are close to your house: get there and enjoy the scenery. Take the time to appreciate the beauty around you that you missed because of those sweltering summer temperatures.
2. Outside-the-box thinking – Have you ever wanted to run a 5k, take a Zumba™ class – or maybe you always wanted to learn to box? Well, fall is a great time to learn something new: just ask any schoolchild. Health clubs and gyms typically start new classes and programming, so check out what they are offering and see if something intrigues you. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Yeah, at first you may not get a great workout because you are still learning the skill – but by next year at this time you will have mastered it and will be reaping the rewards.
3. Be an “Active” TV watcher – I know a lot of people get geared up for the fall premieres of their favorite TV shows, and this is a perfect time to make a date with the TV. If you are like the majority of us you probably use a DVR and watch the show later after the kids go to bed. When you do end up watching it instead of fast-forwarding through commercials, use that time to do push-ups or sit-ups. There is probably 20 minutes that can be used to exercise – and you’ll be amazed at how puffed your arms and tight your abs will get in just the fall season!
4. Rejuvenate yourself – The fall is a great time to rejuvenate your body and mind. Get a massage after you work out. Take an outdoor Yoga class or maybe just go outside and find a quiet place and meditate for 15 minutes a couple times throughout the week. It does not always have to be about physically working out: try to incorporate all aspects of wellness during this time of year.
5. Integrate experience into your life – I am sure you have heard the term “Lifestyle Change” before, but if you have not then focus on making some changes in your daily life. Some of the obvious ones are parking farther away from the entrance to the store or taking the stairs at work. Another way to integrate exercise into your routine instead of sitting down reading your IPad or Kindle during soccer practice would be to walk the track. Also, this is a great time to start doing exercise with the kids. Start up a kickball game or tee-ball game in the back yard and set a good example for them.
6. 30 day rule – Remember the saying, “Rome was not built in a day.” Keep your expectations in check and realize that for you to start seeing results or for new habits to be formed you need to give it at least 30 days. Focus on some short-term goals so you don’t get discouraged and quit because you didn’t lose 10 pounds in the first week you started your new routine.
7. The 3 C’s – If you are going to make it through the holidays you need to have these three words ingrained into your head and thinking.
- First of all, exercise takes commitment – and we all know that the holidays can present lots of temptations to waver from staying committed to an exercise program. There are a lot of things happening, and most of my clients say that not enough time is the reason they don’t fit exercise into their routines. Listen – we are all busy – but unless you schedule exercise and make it a priority you will never have time for it. So, just like you have your kids soccer games or activities scheduled into your calendar, put time in there for your own exercise.
- As I just mentioned, time is a big reason many people put off exercising, so if you don’t make it convenient you are only setting yourself up for failure. Now, with the weather cooler, is a perfect time to do workouts outside or at home.
- Finally it comes down to consistency. If you are only going to plan on working out once a month then you are not going to see results. If all you have is 15 minutes a couple of times a week there are short workouts that you can do to get results.
8. Deal with Darkness – As we head into the fall months we have mentioned already how getting outside is great, but we do have to deal with darkness. The sun is not coming up until later and sets earlier, but that is no reason to stop getting outside and working out. You do, however, need to take precaution and make sure that moving vehicles can see you. Make sure you wear bright clothing – and if you have dark clothing wear something reflective or carry a flashlight. The same goes for cycling: make sure that you have a good light and reflective wheels.
9. Dress in Layers – Those of us that live in the south know that the mornings can be cold but the afternoons are warm, which leads us to dress our kids in layers. Well, it goes for you as well. At first you may be cold, but as you exercise your body will warm up and you will want to shed some layers. You also want to wear clothing that will absorb your sweat. “Dri-Fit” clothing is best to wear during your workouts so that your clothing does not stay soaked.
10. Find your motivation – You must have a big “Why?” Essentially, you need to find a reason big enough to motivate you – and no matter what gets in your way you will not quit. It can be a personal reason or maybe it can be for a cause.
Whatever you decide to do – whether it is to train for a cause or to create your own “Why?” make it big enough so that when you feel the urge to quit you can go back to it and it will keep you moving forward!
David McGarry earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in Exercise Science and an MBA from UT Dallas. Along with his degrees David is certified through the NSCA as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and is the current owner of www.davemcgarry.com and www.workingmomworkouts.com. Working Mom Workouts is a lifestyle program geared towards providing busy moms weekly fitness workouts that can be done at home to maximize their time and their fitness goals without sacrificing anymore time away from the family.
