Falling into Fall Fitness

With seasonal change, you may feel it is time to change your fitness routine. In these Autumn months people begin gearing up for winter sports or seek out new challenges. There is something about the transition of every day routines from summer to fall, like going back to school, that gets people inspired to make some healthy changes. In a survey conducted by the National Dairy Council’s “3-A-Day of Dairy” program, participants said fall is the ideal season to jump-start healthy eating and exercise programs. (2) Now is a great time to evaluate your current fitness plan and make changes!

By adopting a fitness plan now, you are creating good habits for the holiday season and the upcoming winter months. Here are 6 easy and stress-free ideas to transition into a fall fitness routine.

Sign up for a 5k. The weather is great for these types of events and you can even support a good cause. Check out our monthly newsletter for local races in the area.

Dress for the weather. Wear layers that you can shed as you start to heat up. Moisture wicking materials are always great for keeping you warm and dry no matter what the outdoor temperature is.

Get some fresh air. Pumpkin patches, corn mazes and apple picking make for fun exercise, bonding experiences and fresh air.

Establish a routine. Start now so when the holidays hit, you are already back into a solid groove. It takes about 4 weeks for the body to adapt to lifestyle changes. (1) Most people give up within the first 30 days so if you can adapt to these changes now, it will be much easier to stick with a fitness plan through the next season.

Write down your plan. By keeping a specific exercise plan, like writing down what days of the week and what time you will be working out, will allow you to plan the rest of your schedule more effectively. The late Yogi Berra said it best,“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else.”