Contrary to popular belief, January 1 isn’t the only time to kick off (or reset) a health routine! In fact, it’s one of the tougher times.
A more fun (and sustainable) approach? Give yourself — and your goals — a quarterly reboot. It allows you to check in more frequently with yourself, your body, your mindset, your routine… the works! With the beginning of each new season, we have an opportunity to start fresh all over again. It allows us to revisit our “why” and what we want out of our lives and our health.
And while Fall isn’t always seen as the ‘fresh new energy’ kind of season, it also happens to be the back-to-school season, and you don’t have to be a kid to harness that energy!
Ahead, five tips to make the most of this delightful, colorful season — and keep yourself on track toward your goals.
5 Tips to Stay on Track with Your Fall Fitness
#1 Start Fresh
As we mentioned, use this ‘launching’ energy of a new season to kick off a new era for your health routine and stay on track with your fall fitness. If you’ve already got a good thing going, GREAT! Is there anything you want to tweak, change, or add on? This is the perfect time to take inventory. And if you took some time off during the summer or have just felt off your game, that’s ok! Wherever you’re at is perfect. Without judgment, let’s kick off a fresh chapter and a new (or restarted) routine.
Toward the end of September, we have our autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere. If you need some motivation to get started, you could set this as your start date!
#2 Set Goals
While you’re gearing up for your goals, consider the following questions:
- Why is a health and wellness routine important to you?
- What are your health goals, and why are those your goals? What makes them important, and how do they positively impact your life?
- What are some accomplishments you’re proud of and goals you’ve achieved in the past season or past year?
- What are some things you’d like to see changed?
- Imagine the healthiest, best version of yourself… What does that person do every day? What’s their routine like? How do they feel?
- What steps are you going to take this season to become that version of yourself?
Any of these prompts can be used in a journal or as tools to create whatever game plan works best for your brain (even if it’s just thinking about it). Refocusing and getting clear on what’s important to you this season will help you stay sharp and on track with your fall fitness goals.
#3 Start a Program or Course
Don’t go it alone! You don’t have to design your own routine or regimen, especially not here! Perfectly timed with this back-to-school season, there are courses and programs on the FitOn App to guide you through your fitness, nutrition, and overall wellness journey. Think of it like having a coach in the palm of your hand! Take the stress out of the equation, and don’t worry about designing a program for yourself… they exist already! Now get excited to jump into something new.
Want to nail your nutrition this fall? Sign up for Cara’s Healthy Eating 101 Course. Want to work on toning? We’ve got programs for that! Consider some of our programs, such as this 6-Week Slim Down Program or this whole-body Total Tone Program.
#4 Tap Into Seasonal Flavors and Activities
Pumpkin spice lattes and leaf peeping aren’t the only things to get excited about in autumn. Think about your favorite seasonal, healthy foods, including produce (hello, butternut squash, and fresh, crisp apples!). With the new season comes new cuisine, flavors, spices, and colorful finds at the farmer’s market.
Then, of course, there’s your activity roster. Since the temps are cooling off, it might be a more comfortable time to go for a walk or run outside without overheating and sweating through your clothes, eh? Give some seasonal workouts a try! Maybe you’ve swapped summertime swimming for autumnal hikes or rock climbing. List out — mentally or on paper — all the things you’re excited about this season, and then work that into your healthy routine.
#5 Listen to Your Body’s Season, Too
Just like the environment here on earth goes through seasonal changes, your body does too. What worked for you in spring and summer might not work for you in the fall… and that’s OK! Don’t force it! Tuning into the seasons (and your body) and switching it up can actually be a healthy thing. So, no judgment!
Depending on your body, the stage of life you’re in, what you’ve got going on, etc., this might be a slower season for you… you could find yourself gravitating toward yoga, gentle stretching, maybe some Pilates. Forcing yourself to do HIIT at a time in which your body is asking for softness is a surefire way to not stay on track, so try to tune in as best you can to your personal needs.
Conversely, if you spent the past several months on a Vinyasa Flow bender, perhaps this is the time you want to try something different, something even more energizing and challenging, like kickboxing or weightlifting.
The key, regardless of the specifics here, is to tune into your body, your mind, and your needs. What feels good? What are you feeling called toward? What doesn’t feel good, and what do you want to avoid? This is a powerful tool when used correctly!
Get Ready to Celebrate the Season
Imagine how much healthier we’d be as a collective if we treated the start of every season like we do the start of the new year. Setting goals and resolutions… checking in with ourselves and our bodies, and making (actionable) plans.
Finding things that light you up, get you excited, and reignite that focus is going to be essential when it comes to your fall fitness. This is personal to everyone (remember, it’s your season!), so keep checking in with yourself and treating your body the way it deserves to be treated!
