When Fall arrives, I find it difficult to stick to my workouts. How about you?
I think it’s the fact that it is so dark in the morning when I normally workout and it gets dark so early that I have a tough time getting my evening walk in.
Are you finding a similar problem?
So what do you do when the Fall season dampens your workout mojo?
Fall workout mojoHer are five tips to keep you from falling off the “workout wagon.”
1. Change your routine. There’s no doubt that our bodies are affected by the changing of seasons. So instead of fighting against the season, work with it. Change what you are doing. Maybe a lunch hour walk out in the brisk Fall air would rejuvenate you during the day instead of an evening walk.
Perhaps, instead of working out every morning – perhaps do 2 mid week AM workouts and then 2 weekend workouts where you can get up later when the sun is up.
2. Change your actual workouts. What can you do now that you wouldn’t do during the summer. Perhaps the colder air means it’s time to dust off the treadmill and workout indoors.
Perhaps it’s time to do more weight lifting instead of lifestyle activities. So instead of playing tennis – you are now doing strengthening exercises to make your serve even better in the next season.
Or if you live in the northeast where the leaves change, take advantage of hiking paths so you can get out and see the Fall foliage for a few weeks.
3. Shorten your workouts. Instead of keeping the same 60 minute workouts that you may have been doing – shorten them so you can stay in bed a little longer. We tend to have lower energy demands in the Fall and Winter because we are not out and about as much. So you can lighten up on your workouts because you won’t need quite so much endurance and stamina as you do in the Summer.
4. Catch up on your favorite shows. If you have DVR or digital replay, create a workout space where you can catch up on your favorite shows while working out. It’s a great way to pass time on the treadmill when you are caught up in the drama of your favorite show.
Plus this will let you see shows that normally are on too late for you and it will keep you from becoming a couch potato. Save the shows for the morning workout instead of vegging out on the couch at night.
5. Get a virtual team. During the summer, you might be interacting with more folks but during the Fall you might find you are alone more. You have a tougher time getting a group together to say, play a sport or go for a walk.
So get creative and have a group meeting on Skype or a Facebook chat. Tell your group that you need to sign on at a certain time all together – so everyone sign on at 7 AM on Tuesday morning. Once you have all checked in, then start your workout.
When you are done, chat with everyone one more time before you sign off. It’s a great way to stay accountable to a group without having to venture out in the cold.
What other ideas to you have to keep your Fall workouts going?