Fall Foward

In a couple of weeks, it will officially be Autumn/Fall and the weather will be turning cool. As a Fall baby, I love this weather for many reasons. One of them being, that this is great weather for running outside. It’s not too cold and it’s not too hot. I just hope my knees can keep up with me this season. I spent most of the summer in Tae-Bo and spinning classes. While these are great year-round exercise sessions and I definitely burn the calories, it’s time to change up my routine so i don’t get bored. 

I know many of you may start to pull back on your workouts as the days get shorter, but instead of falling back this season, fall forward and change up your routine. Our bodies get used to the same exercises and we don’t see the results we were seeing back in July. It’s time to trick your body and do something different.

* The Fall is a great time to do some other type of outdoor activities like flag football and hiking. You would be surprised how many co-ed flag football teams have already started in your city. Ask around and see if you can join one. It is actually a lot of fun — great exercise, nice way to meet new people, and a good stress reliever.

* Of course walking and running are always great in the Fall, especially if you felt it was too hot over the summer to do either of these.  Check out the September issue of Fitness magazine – “Best-Ever Walking Workout.” This article gives some great tips on “stepping up” your walking routine, as well as strengthening exercises. 

* I am not sure how many calories you will burn with this activity, but it’s fun and that’s bowling. Get a group of friends together and go bowling on the weekends. Start some teams and throw in a prize to make it more interesting. You will no longer be bored on Saturday nights, your arms will get toned and you will have a good time.  

Don’t let the cooler weather cause you to “fall back” into bad habits of not working out and overindulging in comfort food. Resist the urge to curl up on the couch, under the covers and with the remote control. Keep your workouts going and most importantly pick a fun activity. The latter will ensure you don’t get bored too quickly and stop exercising. Just think how great you will feel when you slip on those jeans around December. You will be so happy that they still fit even after the summer. Happy Exercising!