Get the Best Fitness Results This Fall
Forget New Year’s, experts say the end of summer and start of fall may be the best time to start a new fitness routine. In the Midwest, the summer and fall months are a much-needed break from what can seem like an ever-lasting winter. Summer and early fall provide warmer weather, extended daylight hours, and a greater chance you can schedule a workout with a friend, all of which help us reach our fitness goals.
Take advantage of all that is fall
It is no surprise that exercise patterns fluctuate from season to season in the United States, but it may not be in the way you think. Exercise goals are so commonplace when it comes to New Year’s resolutions that it would be natural to think that winter is the most active season, but research shows that spring and summer/early fall are the most active seasons with winter coming in last; except in the southern states, where activity levels can drop in the summer because of the heat.
Hopping in your freezing car in the morning or after work to head to the gym, only to sweat and have to reenter your freezing car after your workout can be a demotivator for many. Working out in the summer and early fall offers plenty of exercise options, either you can cool down in an airconditioned gym or take your workout outdoors, without the worry that you will become an icicle along the way. Since summer and early fall also have longer daylight hours, you will not be going to or leaving the gym when it is dark out, making your day feel longer.
Besides the weather-related benefits of summer and early fall, they can also be the seasons where people are less busy, making it easier to find a workout buddy. An abundance of studies show that working out with a friend or with a group is associated with maintaining a regular workout routine, exerting yourself more during the workout, and feeling calmer.
How to stay motivated year-round
Although the warmer weather months may be the easiest season to squeeze in your workout routine and see results, you can maintain the same results in the winter.
The key is variety. Variety in your workouts will keep you motivated and stave off your boredom. Try a new group class, HIIT workout, or exercise routine. Late fall and winter are also the perfect time to work on your ideal body before summer rolls around again, as you should give yourself about three months to start seeing results, depending on your body type.
The most important thing you can do is to make fitness a habit. Start your fitness routine in the summer and watch the habit stick, even when the colder weather comes around.
Taking care of your body is a year-round commitment, not just a summer job.