Feel Fabulous with Fall Fitness

Get ready to shake up your fitness routine this season with fall fitness trends and activities from My Food and Family. We cover great ideas to get your blood pumping and help you ‘Fall’ into fitness. Just because it’s the end of the summer season doesn’t mean you don’t have exciting fitness opportunities in the fall. From spending more time outside to trying out a new activity, here are fresh ideas to try this fall.

Take a Walk

While the fall season looks different depending on where you live, it’s beneficial to take some time to take deep breaths and enjoy fresh air outdoors. Bask in the colors of falling leaves or take time to notice the chill in the air during this season. Walking is a wonderful activity to reduce stress without wading through the warm humid air of the summer months. Take an opportunity to get to know your neighborhood or a new park and take advantage of reacquainting yourself with the world around you this season.

If you happen to live in an area with trails for hikes, take the time to explore a new trail. Put on your shoes and invite a friend to take a scenic hike with you. Challenge yourself to different trails and don’t forget to take your binoculars to see and breathe in excellent views!

Ride Your Bike

Make spinning a part of your fall fitness routine. Whether you’re new to biking or a pro, there are plenty of ways for you to break a great sweat when you cycle. If you don’t own a bicycle, don’t fret! Plenty of bike shops rent both bikes and helmets for a reasonable price. If you live in a metropolitan area, you might find street bikes to rent for a short period. Set a distance goal and pedal your way to a part of your local area you’ve never visited. Ride to a museum or a new park to take in the view on your journey.

Try a New Activity

Perhaps you’ve had an activity on your list of things to try that you haven’t gotten around to. Fall is the time to get to it! You might consider Tai Chi, a smooth, flowing variation of martial arts that helps improve overall fitness while lowering stress. Similarly, Vinyasa yoga routines allow you to focus on your breath and building strength through simple body movements. These low-impact exercises can be modified to fit your needs. Look for a class at a local fitness center or online for instructional material.

For higher intensity workouts indoors, try out HIIT (high intensity interval training) or kickboxing! HIIT is a cardiovascular exercise strategy alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercises mixed with recovery periods. Burn calories and break a huge sweat with this training. Kickboxing was developed from a mix of karate and boxing. This is a sport based in kicking and punching, and is practiced as a method of self-defense and general fitness. A number health and workout centers now offer both of these activities, which are great for getting your energy out through high-intensity training or a punching bag!

Whatever falling into fitness means to you, be sure to set goals and find accountability buddies to hold you to them. Consider an activity you’ve always wanted to try—tennis, golf, hiking, canoeing, kayaking—the possibilities are endless. Find a local group to join or make your own, it’s never too late to get moving. For more information on nutrition tips and lifestyle tips, check out My Food and Family Healthy Living articles.