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Post Date: Saturday, August 31, 2019 |
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The end of summer can seem
like a sad time of year, but there's something about the cool, crisp air that
can breathe some new life into your usual routine, especially when it comes to
exercise.
With kids back to school and holidays on
the way, it may be a challenge to find
time to exercise ,
especially when there's not as much daylight. Challenge, however, is at the
very heart of staying fit, particularly with the long days of winter to come.
Getting started now can help you generate
enough momentum to make it through the coming seasons without gaining weight.
Try these great fall workouts to keep you fit.
Get Back to the Gym
When the weather
turns iffy, getting to the gym can help you stay on track with your workouts,
especially if you get involved in a variety of activities.
To make the most out
of your time at the gym, don't just do the same machines each time you go, but
take advantage of all
your gym has to offer:
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Swimming: Swimming
is such a great no impact activity and perfect for a complete, whole body
workout.
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Fitness classes: There's an
energy you gather from other people when you workout in a class setting
that you often don't get working out by yourself.
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Hire a personal trainer: Fall is
the perfect time to hire
a pro and get your workouts on the right track from day
one.
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Workout with a buddy: If you
feel intimidated or don't like working out by yourself, bribe a friend
into working out with you. Knowing you have to show up will keep you
motivated.
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Keep it interesting: If you
tend to gravitate to certain cardio machines, you can always change things
up with interval
training, which is a great way to burn calories and get in
shape. You can even try more variety by mixing and matching different
cardio machines, like in this Cardio
Medley Workout.
Making Your Exercise Habit
Stick
Making fitness
stick is all about momentum (among other things), so if you're
a beginner, start with about 3 days of exercise a week.
Do more if you can,
but always start where you are rather than where you want to be. Ease your body
and your mind into your new exercise schedule to minimize the risk of injury
and add on as you get settled in. Here's a Sample Schedule to give you an idea
of how to start:
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Day 1: 20 minutes elliptical trainer, 20
minutes Total
Body Strength and stretching
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Day 2: 30-45 minutes Cardio
Medley Workout
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Day 3: 20 minutes elliptical training, 20
minutes Total
Body Strength and stretching
Try Something New
Summer
often finds us being weekend warriors--going for long bike rides, playing
sports and just generally getting out and being more active.
When
fall hits, many of us head to the gym or bring our workouts indoors and that
can quickly lead to boredom and burnout. Instead of going for the usual boring
routine, this is a great time to try something completely different.
Tai Chi
Also known as a
moving meditation, Tai Chi is a slow, fluid activity that
helps improve balance and strength while keeping you relaxed and connected to
your body.
Tai Chi is an
excellent activity to do on a chilly fall night to help you stay active. It can
boost your mood, improve posture and even improve your heart health.
With the stress of
going back to work and school, Tai Chi is the perfect stress-relieving workout.
Yoga
Yoga is
another kind of moving meditation that promotes balance, flexibility and
soothing mind/body connections. Depending on the type
you choose, yoga can be relaxing or it can be challenging, sometimes
both.
Barre Workouts
Any ballet-inspired
workout that focuses on balance, coordination, and core strength by
incorporating a mix of exercises that go through a full range of motion and
those that isolate and hold challenging positions.
BootCamp/Circuit Training
If you
want something with a lot of variety but without the intensity of something
like CrossFit, good old-fashioned circuit training is a great choice.
With
circuit training, you choose 10 or more exercises, either cardio, strength
training, or both and do each one, one after the other with no rests in
between. With this kind of training, you work multiple areas of fitness, burn
more calories and make your workouts more interesting.
Sample Cardio Circuit
Warm up
with 5 minutes of light cardio and then do each exercise below, one after
the other, without resting in between. Complete 1-3 circuits.
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1 min - Plyo Jacks
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1 min - Burpees
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1 min - Jog in Place
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1 min - High Knee Jogs
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1 min - Plyo Lunges
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1 min - Ski Abs
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1 min - Squat Kicks
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1 min - Jumping Jacks
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1 min - Squat Jumps
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1 min - Speed Skaters
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