Fall into Fitness
The shorter days, colder temps & impending craziness of the holidays often make Fall a difficult time to stay on top of your exercise program. But just remember, average weight gain during the cold months is 5-7lbs! And, it does makes sense.
- Colder temps mean we wear more clothes – when we’re under layers we’re less likely to be concerned about an extra pound or two.
- We drink higher calorie beverages – a whopping 380 cal’s in a Starbucks pumpkin pie latte!
- We eat higher calorie foods – there’s Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pie, Christmas cookies, Super Bowl nachos…
- We cocoon & nest – we’re more likely to snuggle up on the couch than get outside & be active.
Despite these factors, all hope is not lost. Here are a few ideas to keep yourself fit & healthful going into Winter.
- Sign up for a fun run. Fall brings many opportunities to participate in organized events. And we all know that having a goal makes getting out the door for your run much easier! How about the YMCA Halloween Run on 10/26?
- Join a gym. If going out into the cold is difficult for you, getting a gym membership can be a life saver. There are group options to help motivate you & the myriad of indoor exercises options can keep boredom at bay.
- Try something new. If you’ve always wanted to try yoga or wondered about OrangeTheory, now’s a great time to introduce something new into your exercise routine. Cross-training is an excellent way to ramp up the excitement as well as to challenge the body with different intensities & movement patterns.
- Turn off the power tools. Remember that chores can become workouts also. Raking leaves is an excellent workout…provided you use a good old-fashioned rake. Raking into piles, then manually bagging leaves is an awesome way to get low-level cardio as well as some functional movement training in. Get the kids involved too for a family exercise activity!