Reviewed by
Louise Chang, MD
How many New Year's Eves have you spent sipping champagne and vowing to get
more fit in the coming year? And how many times have you failed to follow
through?"December 31 over a drink is too late to set goals and make promises," says Justin Price, owner of The Biomechanics, a personal training and wellness coaching facility in San Diego, Calif.
Fall, on the other hand, is a great time to start a fitness program because "'you're going to create good habits for the holiday season and the upcoming winter months," says Price.
Chris Freytag, a fitness instructor and fitness expert with Prevention magazine, agrees.
"With the change of seasons comes a renewed time to rethink and restart," she says. "'What's so special about January?"
Besides, says Freytag, a mother of three, moms with school-aged kids "think of September as the new year."
Here are 10 ways to start making the most of the season. And who knows? This year, you might be in great shape before that New Year's Eve party rolls around.
1. Take advantage of the weather. Fall can be a treat for the senses: the crisp air, apple picking, pumpkin carving, a gorgeous canopy of fall foliage, and the crunch of leaves underfoot. These months are a great time to exercise outdoors and enjoy cooler temperatures.
2. Think outside the box. Always wanted to learn to tap dance? Attempt to box? Master the jump rope? Ask any schoolchild: Fall is a great time to learn something new.
3. Be an active TV watcher. Many people get geared up for fall premieres of their favorite television shows, says Freytag. "If you're going to sit down and watch hours of TV, get moving," she suggests. "Make a date with exercise and TV."
While you watch, you can walk or run in place, do standing lunges, do tricep dips off the couch, or lift weights. During commercials, do push-ups or sit-ups. In a one-hour show, you probably have close to 20 minutes worth of commercial interruption.
4. Integrate exercise into your life. You already know the obvious suggestions: park farther away from your destination; take stairs instead of elevators; take a walk during your lunch break.
5. Rejuvenate yourself.
6. Remember the 30-day rule. "'It takes about four weeks for the body to adapt to lifestyle changes," says Price. That's why people who give up on their fitness programs tend to do so within the first 30 days.
7. Strive for the 3 Cs. Freytag calls commitment, convenience, and consistency "the three Cs", and says having all three will lead to a successful fitness program.
8. Deal with darkness. The best way to enjoy fall is to exercise outdoors. But it is getting darker earlier, and staying dark later in the morning, so be smart and safe.
9. Dress in layers. When exercising outside, layer your clothing. Before your body warms up, you may feel chilled, but once the blood gets pumping, you'll feel overdressed.
10. Find your motivation. "People are motivated by different things," says Durkin. It's important to first discover what your individual goals are, whether it's losing weight, strengthening and toning, or preparing for a race or event, says Durkin.
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