10 Reasons Why Fall is the Best Time to Start a New Fitness Routine
The fall season means more than just autumn color and hot apple cider. It’s also an ideal time to start a new fitness routine with the kids back in school and the cooler temperatures making it easier to run a sprint around the block.
With that in mind, LadyLUX talked to fitness experts around the country to find out the reasons why fall is, indeed, the best time to begin a new workout regimen. Here are the top 10 reasons, in no particular order:
- Prepping for the holidays. Beginning with Halloween, it seems like November and December is just one food-filled event after another. Celebrate without guilt by establishing a routine in the fall to ensure you can enjoy holiday treats without adding on the pounds this winter. Plus, you will look fantastic in all of your new holiday outfits.
- Gyms often have membership specials as they try to reach for year end sales goals, so you can take advantage and get a membership on the cheap. Packages and special deals are common in the fall.
- Get a head start on the New Year's rush. Many people think January 1 is the best time to adopt a fitness routine, but studies show most people drop off by February. Buck the trend and start in the fall to be ahead of the game.
- Most gyms revamp their group class schedule at the beginning of the season, so try a new class. It may become your new weekly favorite.
- The weather is great in the fall. It's so much more pleasant to run in cool temperatures and it’s easier to breathe with low humidity. You can wear shorts and a T-shirt and not overheat outdoors.
- There’s plenty of time to get in shape before next summer, with no pressure to get those sexy abs carved out in the next six weeks. Instead, you’ll have an opportunity to get into a workout regimen in plenty of time for swimsuit season.
- There is less social pressure at the gym in the fall, rather than after January 1, because in November no one is checking in on “autumn resolutions.”
- Some people are still trying to squeeze the last drops of summer, so the gyms will be emptier than usual. This means no more waiting for the elliptical or packing into a crowded class. But soon those last drops will be spent, and everyone will be back. So go now.
- The leaves are falling. While most people feel like fall is the end, it is the beginning. With the start of a new school year, it is a great time to jump in and start a fresh fitness program.
- The kids are participating in sporting events to keep them active, so this is a great opportunity for parents to be healthy role models to keep it going. Get off those smart phones and tablets and go for a run and be active — it’s a great way to show your kids how important fitness is for a lifetime of good health.
If any of these reasons have convinced you it’s time to exercise, consider hiring a personal trainer to get into the routine of regular fitness. If hiring a trainer isn’t an option, find a friend to serve as your workout buddy. Also remember to mark your sessions in your calendar like any other important appointment and keep your gym bag packed and in your car at all times. You never know when your schedule will free up for a fitness class.
Sources: Liz Barnet, New York, N.Y.-based fitness and food coach; Christine Bullock, Los Angeles-based fitness coach and trainer; Tish Hamilton, Executive Editor, Runner’s World Magazine; Toni Belafonte, New York, N.Y.-based fitness expert; Michael Feigin, founder of The Fitness Guru in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Darline Yatim, president and owner of Shrewsbury (Mass.) Health and Racquet Club.
LadyLUX
