How To Maintain Your Weight Loss Goals In Autumn

Are you looking forward to those cozy nights in but dreading the calorie attack of comfort eating? When the chilly weather sets in, it’s hard to maintain your weight loss goals. Here are some tips on how to take the grind out of your fitness routine and make it more pleasurable.

I love Autumn. The earthy scent of leaf piles, crows cawing, fields shrouded in mist, rain drumming its lullaby on the roofs and windows, and my rendezvous with Edgar Allen Poe with a cup of tea and a cake.

The season of uncomfortable stories and comfort food!

Lots of comfort food…

Maintaining your weight loss goals and keeping in good shape throughout winter means you need to ramp up your fitness routine.

Why is exercise routine especially important in autumn and how can you make yourself stick to it?

Whether you are already working on losing weight, or want to start dieting now, this time of year has its own set of challenges.

While losing weight during any time of the year is difficult, the fall signals it’s time to hibernate in our cozy lairs, preferably with sugar-laden treats while moving as little as we can get away with.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it! In fact, fall is a wonderful time of year to work on your weight management for a wide range of reasons.

Benefits of Exercising in the Fall For Meeting Your Weight Loss Goals

Why exercise in the fall? There are so many great reasons! The weather is starting to get cooler, so you can enjoy outdoor exercise without too much discomfort.

More importantly, numerous studies have confirmed that being active at this time of the year keeps those pesky pathogens away and keeps the production of happiness hormones rolling, so a fitness routine is essential to support your immune system as well as your mental wellbeing.

It goes without saying that this is also the time of the year when we start piling up pounds as we tend to crave heavier foods and comfort treats.

So, if you want to keep healthy, happy, and slim, it’s absolutely crucial that you follow some routine and keep moving.

Plus, with the holidays approaching, you might want to establish a healthy balance between eating and working out, so that you enter the season of festivities primed and prepared.

With a routine already in place, it’ll be much easier to shed any pounds you might gain during Christmas, as your body will already be accustomed to exercise.

Customizing Your Fitness Routine in the Fall

It’s all very well to have good intentions and plans but it’s a different story when it comes to getting your bum off the chair and get moving. When all you can think of is a cup of hot cocoa and your snuggly blanket.

Do you struggle when it comes to being more active in the Autumn as the weather is cooler, and you tend to spend more time indoors?

I certainly do.

However, there are some great activities you can do in this season, both indoors and outdoors, without going hard-core, while enjoying nature’s autumnal charms.

If you’ve been trying to manage your weight for some time, it’s important not to lose the momentum. Just because the weather changes or the festive season gets in your way, it doesn’t mean you have to abandon your weight loss goals.

Don’t forget that exercise is not just for weight loss or maintaining your physique. It is also important for your cardiovascular and mental health – everyone should be working out, regardless of weight.

Exercise in a Way You Enjoy

Exercise is good for self-care in many ways, from improving your physical health and preventing diseases, to releasing dopamine and endorphins to put you in a better mood. It can also help with sleep if you struggle to get to sleep on time or if your mind is in a constant over-drive.

The trick for using it as part of self-care is finding exercise you ENJOY. You should not force yourself to do a workout routine you hate and call it self-care.

Start with Your Favorite Exercise

The easiest way to start (or continue) exercising in the fall is to stick with an activity you already enjoy. This can be the same exercise you have been doing for a while, but maybe with a new spin on it to banish boredom.

For example, if you walk your dog every afternoon, maybe you make that walk longer, or you explore new routes and tracks, now that the weather and leaves are changing.

You might find that you enjoy the gym best, so you keep going to the gym but try some new cardio or weightlifting equipment.

This makes it an easy transition into working out more, but not having to go out of your comfort zone right away.

Find Something New To Make Your Weight Loss Goals Program Enjoyable

When you feel comfortable going out of your comfort zone a little, you can try a brand-new workout.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to do anything crazy. Pick a new workout class at your gym or grab a friend to try kickboxing or yoga in your area.

Any time you try new workouts, it makes exercising a lot more interesting, and you are motivated to keep it going.

Get Outside to Workout

Fall is a wonderful time for outdoor workouts. It isn’t as hot as in the summer, but not quite too cold like in the winter. This is the perfect cooler weather for walking, hiking, biking, even swimming if you live in a warmer climate.

Plus, this allows you to involve others, whether you bring your kids and spouse on an evening walk or head to a local park with your dog.

There truly is no better time than to get outside in Autumn for your exercise routine! Think of how beautiful the scenery is! And after the strong dose of the crisp fresh air, you’ll appreciate that cup of hot cocoa and the snuggly blanket all the more!

Indoor VS Outdoor Exercise in the Fall

There are still going to be some days when the last thing you want to do is exercise outside. Maybe it is a rainy day, or you just want to be indoors and not worry about “getting ready” for other people to see you while exercising.

This is okay too! Just work with whatever you have and what is most comfortable for you. Here are some ideas for indoor workouts:

• Find a gym, yoga studio, or Pilates studio
• Use YouTube workouts like cardio or weight training
• Get a treadmill or elliptical for your home
• Try dancing in the living room
• Use at-home workout DVDs or programs

Find Outdoor Activities

As well as keeping your weight in check, it’s important to maintain your fitness levels too. For this, you need to get in some good physical activity all season long.

It isn’t not winter yet, so you should be okay most days with outdoor exercising. While there are a lot of amazing indoor workouts (at the gym and at home), don’t underestimate the power and the benefits of great outdoors.

Why You Should Exercise Outdoors

First of all, why is it so important to be active outdoors in autumn?

Vitamin D – The problem with the weather getting cooler and days getting darker is that we generally don’t want to hang outside too much. It’s so much more comfortable to have a cozy time in. But by adding outdoor exercise to your routine, you are getting a little more natural vitamin D right from the sun’s UV rays. This is important if you get SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or battling anxiety and depression during the fall.

Fresh air – Not only will you get more vitamin D, but you get a proper supply of oxygen. Being indoors can be comfortable and inviting during the season, but it can also contribute to your seasonal fatigue and lethargy. Fresh air is important to stay energized, sharp of mind, clean of lungs, and as a boost to your immune system.  

Movement – If you are someone that is never motivated enough to go to the gym, or gets bored with home workouts, don’t force yourself to do them! During the Autumn, you might prefer going on walks to scenic areas, taking friends on a hike, or taking your dog to a nearby lake. It’s the perfect time to soak up the energy from nature while walking off those sneaky calories from the previous evening of comfort treats!

Some Outdoor Exercise Ideas

Looking for some outdoor activity inspiration? Here are a few ideas to help get you started:

Go on a Hike or Scenic Walk – To start with, enjoy the changing leaves and cooler weather by going on a hike or just a walk in any scenic area. This is going to benefit you in a number of ways, including getting your heart rate up, allowing you to enjoy the outdoors in your hometown, and get the vitamin D you need during this time of year.

Please Note – Remember to be safe and hike with others, make sure your phone is charged, and bring plenty of water and snacks.

Involve Your Dogs – Not motivated to walk alone? Bring your dogs! They are wonderful companions on walks and keep you from being alone. Dogs can also be extra protection for you if you are walking early in the morning or late at night. Just be sure your dog is healthy enough for the walk and that you bring them water on longer walks.

Try Out Biking – This is a great time to try something new. If you have a bicycle, why not explore some new areas in your city or town? Bicycling is wonderful exercise and lets you use different muscles than when you are just walking or hiking.

Participate in Fall Activities – In addition to traditional exercising outdoors, you can also get more activity in the fall simply by participating in outdoor activities. This might include apple picking, getting a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch, or, if you’re a tough cookie, signing up for a boot camp.

Attaining Your Weight Loss Goals Can Be Fun If You Involve Family and Friends

Having a healthy Autumn isn’t just about watching what you eat and making sure you exercise. It is also great to have daily motivation by spending more time with friends and family who also believe health is important.

Get Together with Other Health-Oriented Friends

Being around others who want you to be healthier and how you can encourage to be healthier is so much more powerful than people imagine.

If you spend all your time with a friend who likes to push sugary sweets and encourage you to skip your workouts, you are bound to cave. While this is okay sometimes, it is also good to have health-oriented people in your life to give you that extra push.

Exercise with the Family

You probably know all the great benefits of exercising, from helping to manage your weight and give you more energy, to boosting your mood and helping you become more fit. But there is no reason to exercise alone; in fact, getting the family involved can help reduce everyone’s stress in the fall.

This can be riding your bikes at a nearby park, spending a Saturday going on a hike, or staying in to have a dance party on a rainy day.

Ideas for Healthy Activities with Family and Friends

Not sure what to do together? Take a look at these simple, fun, and healthy ideas:

Carve Pumpkins – Pumpkins are not just for the kids! Anyone can have fun going to a local pumpkin patch and carving pumpkins. This really makes it feel like fall and can gear you up for Halloween as well. Save the seeds to roast for a healthy snack as well.

Try a New Nearby Hike – Nothing better than exploring something new with friends. Get a group of friends or loved ones out to go on a hike, trying a new hiking trail you haven’t been on before. You can enjoy the fall foliage while exercising at the same time.

Do Fall Crafts – If you want to avoid constantly having to socialize with food around, try some crafts. There are many fall crafts you can enjoy this time of year.

Do Some Fall Healthy Baking – Another option is to get together at someone’s house to bake but choose healthier ingredients.

Gear Up for Holiday Season

This is also a good time to start preparing for the holidays when fattening food tends to be in excess. If you are trying to lose weight during the fall, the last thing you want to do is end up with bags of Halloween candy or over-indulging in pre-Thanksgiving treats. And then there is Christmas with all the festive delicacies!

Before the holidays begin in the fall, start preparing for them. Decide on healthier dishes to make for holidays, buy candy you don’t enjoy for the trick-or-treaters, and stick to your health regimen just in case you want to indulge a little in treats.

As you can see, there are many ways to get active in the fall, both indoors and outdoors. You don’t need any fancy equipment to maintain your weight loss goals in sight and you never have to step foot in a gym if you don’t want to.

Disclaimer:

This article was written by Zuzana Halliwell. I am not a doctor or health professional and cannot be held liable for the information written here. This article is meant to provide information about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. The content is based on my own personal experience and on information provided by medical professionals that is available to the public. It is not intended to provide medical advice. Do not use it as an alternative to seeking help from a medical professional.