Fit Tip: Fall Fitness Plan

Posted On Oct 12, 2020 By Lisa Traugott

A woman running outside.

My friends and I have renamed October “Shocktober”, as in OMG how did it get to be October already? We’re only 12 weeks until Christmas! How did that happen?!

Facing holiday binge-eating and temperature changes is tough enough, but then add in social distancing and kids battling over your computer to attend Zoom classes. Oof. It can be a challenge to find ways to stick to your fitness goals from the summer.

a woman working out outside.

Here are 3 tips:

  1. Time Change?

    You might be a morning person, but waking in pitch blackness to run in 40-degree sleet may not be the best option right now. Consider an afternoon workout when you finish your job/Zoom calls. It’s warmer if you are planning to do outdoor runs and might give you that defined break between work and personal time. See how your body adjusts and do what works best for you.

  2. One night of chocolate.

    Usually chocolate creeps into my house in October, like ghosts creep through the night. I don’t even know how it gets there! Now that most kids are learning from home, you don’t have to worry about school birthday party candy coming home and have better control of what junk foods arrive at your door. Halloween this year is going to be really odd, with some cities already banning trick-or-treating for health reasons. You can still buy candy for yourself and your own family though, just wait until Halloween and buy only one bag so you still enjoy the holiday but don’t go overboard.

  3. Mix up your workouts.

    Your body is a machine and the only time it improves is when you challenge it. Normally do exercise videos? Try a trail run instead. Only use 8 lb. dumbbells with high reps? Go for the 15 lbs. and only lift as many times as you can hold your form. Set yourself a new goal. Work on your flexibility. Take a bike ride. Do Wii Dance with your kids. Our brains are designed to enjoy new, novel things, so give it what it wants! It will make sticking with a fitness plan that much easier.

Colder weather should not be an excuse to lose all those muscle gains you earned all summer. Challenge yourself, trick your body to adapt to the new circumstances and allow yourself to have a few treats too.