With summer slowly coming to a close, nature begins to prepare itself for slumber and the pace of things seem to slow down. People, however, can take these cooler days and crisper air and turn them into the perfect time for reinvigorating active and healthy lifestyles. New school years and changing seasons are great times to get into learning new habits.. Follow this simple guide and get into some of these fall health and fitness activities.
Get Outside
Fall is a delight for the senses: the sight of blazing fall foliage, the smells of apples, the crunch of leaves, and the brisk air. Tending to outside chores can help get both your home and your body in shape. Try raking leaves and tending to the landscaping.
You can also get out and play. Toss the frisbee around with the kids, play badminton, shoot some hoops. The season is also wonderful for walking. Start up a regimen that will last throughout the other seasons to keep in shape. Enjoy being out and about with it being too sweltering or too cold.
Take a Hike
Try park trails that you have not yet encountered and experience new scenery. It need not feel like exercise to get in shape. Let yourself be distracted by the beauty of the season and your surroundings while your body works steadily along.
Hiking is great for working multiple muscles and several areas of fitness. Muscles are strengthened by climbing, as is cardio endurance. Even small inclines in the hiking trail get the quads, glutes, calves, hamstrings, core, and feet working.
Go for a Run
Fall is among the best times of the year for beginning a running regimen. Neither too hot nor too cold, the season allows you to mark the progress of trees changing colors with each new day and new run, offering fresh sights. Running is an amazing exercise to practice on those beautiful fall days.
Be sure to dress in layers so you can remain comfortable throughout the run. Do not neglect a hat on chillier morning runs. Be safe at the beginning and end of daylight, remembering reflective gear and a flashlight as part of the routine.
Commit to the Gym
Fall weather can be beautiful; it can also be stormy. When deluges prevent the enjoyment of walks, runs, or hikes, remember that gym membership and make use of it. Switch things up each time you go.
Many gyms offer swimming pools; swimming is a great full-body workout that need not end when summer does. Fitness classes bring you together with like-minded people striving toward similar goals. Bringing a friend can help keep things from being too intimidating.
Learn Something New
Fall is an ideal time to start a new class. Everything from tap-dancing to fencing to tai chi can encompass mind and body, offering a complete workout while gaining a new skill. Look for special offers on the first few classes or see if you can sit in and watch a class to gauge whether or not the activity is right for you.
Get Active on Commercial Breaks
Another notable feature of fall is the fall television lineup of new series. While experiencing what the new year of television has to offer, stay active. Do crunches and push-ups during commercial breaks. Do standing lunges, walk or jog in place, try tricep dips using the couch, or do simple curls with hand weights.
In a one-hour show, you can make use of about 20 minutes of commercials by getting in shape. You can also treat exercise like a drinking game when binging old shows: every time a beloved character says that catchphrase, do 10 jumping jacks. Get creative and have fun.
Work In Working Out
The most basic suggestions for working exercise into your life include parking farther away from the door of your destination and taking stairs instead of an elevator. There are other ways to work in workouts during the hours at the office and those at home. Try walking meetings, for example. Getting active often helps people brainstorm. Getting the blood flowing helps to focus attention and get things done while getting in shape.
Grow in Well-rounded Ways
Fall is a time of transformation. It is perfect for rejuvenating the body, spirit, and mind. Take up meditation for personal wellness. Try an art class to exercise your creative spirit. Exercise is not just for the body. Practice activities that promote mental wellness so you can feel well-rounded physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
Weigh Yourself Regularly (But Not Daily)
While weighing yourself in the colder days when heavier clothes are the norm, it can be easy to turn a blind eye to a few extra pounds. Before dressing, weigh yourself on a regular basis. There are apps to help keep track of weight, BMI, and exercise goals. Remember that weight is only one means of measuring progress, but if it is one of yours, do it the right way. Know what to blame on clothes and what might just be new muscle bulking you out.
Don’t Quit Early
It takes you about thirty days to adjust to changes in lifestyle, on average. People who quit on their new fitness programs generally do so within that first month. It takes time to adapt, to learn new ways and new skills, and to settle into a new routine. Give it at least a month or so before you quit and move on to some other means of exercise or well-being, even when the snooze button tempts you on mornings that are darker and colder.
While the seasons change for the colder and darker, enliven your days with exercise and enjoy the fresh produce of the season for healthy snacks. Do not wait for January 1st to start new habits, but take advantage of fall’s features to get a head-start on the next year’s resolutions. If you’re learning something new, you will have settled into it and be burning plenty of calories by the time the next summer rolls around.
