Make Your Fall Workout Resolutions

The Fall also brings a return to routines. School is back in session, spontaneous backyard scrimmages turn to scheduled sporting events, and (for those with kids) bedtimes get enforced. Elements of predictability in our days create the ideal opportunity to incorporate exercise into your routine.

The touted lazy, hazy days of Summer are often actually overbooked with cookouts, trips, and the graduation of you-name-it, whom you haven’t seen in 10 years. With all of this fun (and not-so-fun) now just an entry in your digital photo album, it’s time to commit to your own well-being. Give these ideas a try:

• As darkness creeps in earlier every night, you might not feel like your after-dinner jog around the neighborhood. Head to the Center and take advantage of our extensive exercise equipment. You’ll fit in your run here and then some—all in a bright, warm atmosphere.

• Prioritize your health, even if it’s a quick Express Group Fitness class during your lunch break or a personal training session between school pick-up and dance lessons. Exercise does not have to involve an enormous time commitment. Try introducing half-hour increments of fitness into your schedule when time permits.

• Members who start their day with a workout repeatedly express this jump-starts their energy level. By the time they arrive at work or begin their mom/dad duties, they report a sense of satisfaction at having already accomplished something to better their health.

• A new season is a great time to try something different. Sample a Zumba class, attend a nutrition seminar for fresh eating suggestions, or try some equipment that’s thus far been foreign to your exercise program. The Center is always offering new classes and programs to keep your routine exciting. Research proves that continuously evolving your fitness routine keeps it effective. Experts recommend changing your exercise method every six weeks.

• Take note of members who seem to share your schedule. Introduce yourself and plan to work out together. Meeting someone, say, on the Exercise Floor several days a week can be a big motivator in keeping you on your new fitness track. Perhaps he/she has a few tips to share in an exercise arena that might be new to you.  Hold each other accountable and offer support as you exercise to reach fitness goals. Chances are you might become friends.

• The end of Summer doesn’t have to mean the end of swim season. Join one of the Center’s aquatic classes, swimming lessons, or swim laps on your own. With a heated pool available, you can enjoy the benefits of a water workout year-round.

By Winter, you’ll have passed the standard six-week marker for developing an activity into a habit. Crawling out of a warm bed in the early morning hours of February, or darting outdoors to get to the Center, will already be a regular part of your daily routine.

Don’t wait for the New Year to set resolutions! By then, you can be a role model. Use this new season to begin a healthier life through exercise and a renewed sense of self.

Related Articles:

• Aquatic Program Helps Create a Swim Star
• Your Summer Bucket List
• Your End-of-Summer Checklist
• Bring on the Heat!
• 7 Must-Dos This Summer