Smart Goals for Fall Fitness

Need to keep up with your fall fitness? We get it. Between all the holidays between now and the new year, it’s easy to skip fitness and focus on comfort. Research shows that physical activity for many people tends to slow down in the fall and winter. But that’s only if you don’t plan ahead.

Set Those Year-End Goals

When setting goals, it’s great to say them aloud, but for many, that’s about as far as the goal goes. Instead, make S.M.A.R.T. goals for exercise to keep yourself on track.

S.M.A.R.T. goals are always: 

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely

When each individual goal you set has this sort of direction and focus, it makes it easier to laser-focus efforts to achieve goals, especially your fitness goals.

For example, by the end of the year, you want to do 10 push-ups on your toes without stopping. That offers a time frame in which to do a very specific and measurable goal. If you can already do two push-ups without stopping, it’s quite achievable and may even motivate you to set a higher number goal if you reach your initial one sooner.

Other fitness goals worth setting this fall:

• Average 15,000 steps monthly - This is a realistic goal and one that can be easily set if you’re spending more time outdoors this fall. A brisk walking pace offers health perks like a better immune system, too. Focus on hitting your goal with a pedometer which makes it easy to track your steps daily.
• Commit to working out X number of days - This smart goal for exercise is one focused on consistency, the key to overall optimal fitness. When you’ve been inactive for a long time, it can take a while to build up your strength and commitment. Try shooting for three days a week by planning ahead.
• Get outdoors when you can - Planning ahead for nice weather to do outdoor exercise not only gets you motivated to enjoy the beautiful outdoors but changes up your scenery for your workout routine. And, you get the added health benefit of outdoor time plus exercise — a win-win.

While it’s easy to skip over this step of goal setting, try it out. See how it goes for you. Keep it as simple as writing it on a piece of paper and sharing it with a friend.

Simple Fall Fitness Tips to Keep in Shape

Now that you’ve got your fitness goals lined up, it’s time to take action. Consider this a new challenge and an exciting opportunity to find fun ways to stay in shape. Do it for yourself and note how you feel along the way both mentally and physically.

Here are some tips to keep you motivated:

Add it to the Calendar

You know your schedule best. With the holiday season approaching and plenty of other (often more exciting) activities to do, it’s easy to skip working out one, two, or three days in a row. Then, you may find you have gone a whole month without a workout. Make it a part of your routine that you schedule workout time for yourself.

Wear the Proper Clothing and Gear

Spending more time outdoors on walks or runs? Make sure you’re appropriately dressed for the weather conditions. Whether you need long pants, better running shoes, or even gloves, ensuring your comfort when working out in the great outdoors will ensure you stay safe and your workout isn’t shortened. If it’s too cold, consider a workout indoors instead.

Don’t Do Too Much

Even if you’re pumped to work out, taking the time to properly stretch and warm up the body is essential to injury prevention. Warming up with simple moves like jogging in place and dynamic stretches gets blood flowing and muscles warmed. Once warmed up, pace yourself and remember to listen to your body. Pain is never a good thing in working out, but a little bit of discomfort is.

Find a Cheerleader

Boost your chances of staying on top of your fitness goals by connecting with a fitness buddy. This should be someone who has similar workout goals to you. You’ll want to workout with someone who feels like an encouraging coach, not a discouraging cheerleader.

Change Up Your Workouts

Don’t get bored with your usual workouts. Change it up each day you decide to break a sweat! Consider exploring virtual classes and other cardio-based lessons. Even basic outdoor activities like raking leaves, gardening, and putting up decorations can count toward exercise goals. Make it fun, whatever you decide to do.

Remember Your “Why”

When you’d rather hit snooze than get up for your 6 a.m. spin class, it’s tempting to just ignore your exercise goals. Part of keeping up with a fall fitness routine is ignoring that it’s still dark out when you get up, it’s chillier, and your bed is more comfortable.

Show Yourself Kindness as You Work Through Fitness Goals

Goals are meant to challenge you. If you’re struggling to meet your goal or it’s taking longer than you expected, know it’s ok.

Don’t beat yourself, but instead, consider gratitude for all that your body is allowing you to do. This is hard to forget sometimes when you’re feeling frustrated that you can’t run one more mile or lift another weight.

Be gentle with yourself as you move forward in setting your workout and fitness goals. When you do so, you give yourself space to grow mentally. Remember your reason for working out in the first place and that can also offer comfort and encouragement in moving forward.