All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey – but that’s no reason you can’t maintain your workout routine well into autumn, and establish some good exercise habits to carry you all the way through winter too.
Darker mornings and evenings, falling temperatures and the urge to cosy up inside can all create obstacles to sticking to your exercise plans, so many people find it’s beneficial to make some adjustments to their routine. Whether you’re looking to maintain your current fitness levels or achieve some new goals, we’ve pulled together these helpful tips to keep active during the autumn months.
Enjoy the outdoors…
Just because the temperature drops doesn’t mean your workout routine needs to come to a standstill – in fact, the slightly cooler temperatures can actually make for much more comfortable conditions than the heat of the summer months. For example, there’s something about stepping out on a brisk morning and warming yourself up with a run that is tremendously satisfying.
Getting outdoors for a walk, a jog or any other activity is always a boon to your mental health, and during autumn in particular it is a good way to soak up some mood-improving sunlight at a time of year when you – and your vitamin D reserves – need it most.
Autumn is also a great season for getting involved in hiking, when the changing colours of foliage cast scenic locations in a beguiling new light, and you can indulge in long walks safe in the knowledge that you are unlikely to overheat.
… but also enjoy the indoors!
As beautiful as autumn can be, there are still likely to be times when it’s simply too cold or too wet for an outdoor workout to be appealing.
Fortunately, there are plenty of indoor workouts that you can get involved in on those occasions – such as swimming, strength training or rock climbing to name but a few. Group fitness classes such as yoga, spinning or pilates can also provide a socially beneficial, structured routine to your exercise.
If you prefer working out alone there’s always the good old gym and its array of indoor cardio equipment – helping you to emulate outdoor activities such as running, cycling or rowing while safely shielded from the elements. Whatever your chosen activities, just remember there is no reason you shouldn’t be able to have a balanced routine of indoor and outdoor workouts during autumn – whatever the weather.
Adapt to conditions
Autumn weather can be very changeable: often very cool in the mornings, potentially warm in the afternoons, with the unpredictable possibility of a rainy spell at any moment. Fortunately, a few simple changes in gear and scheduling can go a long way to preparing you for any conditions.
In terms of clothing, layering is an important element of comfort during autumn activities in the great outdoors. Your base layer should be moisture-wicking to help deal with any sweating; your mid-layer should provide insulating warmth; your outer layer should be water and wind resistant to prepare you for any eventuality. And the other big benefit of layering? The ability to easily remove items as you heat up during your workout.
In terms of scheduling, you may want to shift some of your exercise activities to the middle of the day to take advantage of milder temperatures and get the most sunlight, avoiding the chilliness and darkness of the mornings and evenings. If you can’t do that, make sure your clothes are sufficiently visible to be seen in low light.
Take advantage of seasonal nutrition
Seasonal produce is one of the great joys of autumn, full of nutrition-rich foods that can help keep you energised as you strive towards your fitness goals.
Autumn is a time traditionally associated with root vegetables rich in complex carbohydrates that provide sustained energy to fuel your body; we’re talking sweet potatoes, butternut squash and pumpkins, all of which are especially delicious at this time of year. Meanwhile leafy greens such as spinach, swiss chard and kale are high in vitamins and minerals like iron and magnesium which are beneficial to muscle function and recovery.
Root vegetables combine wonderfully with lean meats and beans to create hearty, warming stews that are particularly comforting during the cooler months, and are filling and flavoursome while also being healthy.
Assess your autumn fitness goals
Autumn is a great time to look back over what you’ve achieved during the summer, as well as to think about what elements of your workout routine you found more difficult than others. Doing so will provide useful yardsticks for what you want to accomplish next, and which fitness goals you need to work harder – or differently – on.
If you found running outdoors during the heat of summer too uncomfortable and sweaty for example, you may want to consider working towards longer distances now that the temperature has dropped somewhat. Did you discover that you preferred exercising in the gym to being outdoors? Then why not make the gym the focus of your autumn workout routine?
Above all, focus on the activities that bring you the most joy – because those will be the ones that inspire you to stick to your routine and keep going whatever the season throws at you. Finally, make sure you reward yourself for meeting your goals; celebrating each new milestone, however small, will help mark your progress and keep you motivated throughout autumn.
