Keeping up with the Changing Seasons: How to Keep on Track when the Clock Rolls Back (or Falls Forward)

With the change of the seasons, many of us find it challenging to maintain our fitness routine. Whether it be the shorter days, the colder weather, or the inevitable hiatus from athletic competition we can fall into the trap of struggling to keep our exercise regimen going strong into the Fall and Winter months. Combine that with the Holiday season and its onslaught of office parties, family gatherings, and the food temptations that come along with them, it can be a recipe for health and fitness backsliding of epic proportions. In fact, most Americans gain 10 lbs. over the winter months. 

However, bulging waistlines and failed fitness goals don’t have to be the norm when the seasons change. Here are 6 tips to help keep up our momentum as the seasons change: 

• Change up your routine to match the seasons. As I’ve mentioned before, change of any kind can be a good catalyst to jumpstart our exercise routine or keep the motivation up. When the seasons change, switching up the workout to match the season is a great way to add some energy to your routine. If running is your workout of choice, consider trail running or hiking as a good substitute. Cyclist or triathlon your jam? Try mountain biking, inline skating, or once the snow comes, cross country skiing. Changing things up not  only helps us maintain motivation, but makes for better athletes. 

• Join a group or get an ‘accountabilibuddy’. Having someone to hold you accountable certainly helps to improve motivation. A spouse, significant other, co-worker, neighbor, or BFF to meet you at the gym or the pool on those cold, dark mornings really helps when you’d much rather stay under the covers. Meeting a masters swim team, run club, or hiking group can also make training more enjoyable, especially for you extroverts out there. I had a client recently join a hiking group that does a different local hike every weekend- she loves it! 

• Consider training indoors. This suggestion can elicit strong responses from all sides, as there are some who hate riding the indoor trainer, running on a treadmill, or patronizing the windowless local gym. That being said, in the past few years, there have come to market several virtual platforms that make indoor riding/running, and even strength training much more interactive. Zwift, Fulgaz, Wahoo, Peloton, and others have pushed the envelope of technology to give their users a highly interactive workout experience in the comfort of their own home. While these platforms aren’t free, the relatively low monthly cost (usually about $12-15 per month) is cheaper than most gym memberships. Droves of cyclists and triathletes have improved by leaps and bounds by training indoors (not only in the fall, but all throughout the season). 

• Swap the time of day you exercise. If indoor training just won’t cut it for you, try switching your daily training time. Try working out on your lunch break, or eat at your desk and take your lunch break at the end of the work day so you can train during daylight hours. If you have a flexible schedule or work from home, try training in the mid morning or early afternoon- it will serve as a great way to break up the day and you’ll return to work with more energy and a renewed sense of focus. Don’t be surprised when your boss notices an uptick in your productivity! When I lived in California, I met up most days with a group of State DOJ employees for a 90 min lunch-time ride. They were so productive that the higher-ups encouraged the entire department to join the ride! 

• Look to technology for that added boost. Nowadays there is a seemingly endless array of technology in the health and fitness space. From smart watches, to activity trackers, to apps, to the various indoor training platforms mentioned already, we have endless options to help track, motivate, and encourage us to keep moving. Keeping motivated can be as simple as setting an alert on a smart watch to alert us to move, or as complex as securing your bike to an indoor trainer and navigating a virtual world for an hour. One of the best (and most simple) fitness apps out there is a simple countdown timer, which helps the user stay on track on timed interval HIIT sessions. Using this timer with 2 or 3 body weight movements can be a potent recipe for serious fitness gains in a very short amount of time. 

• Get some help. Sometimes, tech, workout groups, and changing things up doesn’t quite cut it. If this is the case, it may be time to get some external help. A trainer, a coach, or other professional can really help to dial in a personalized fitness regimen. They are expert at motivating, inspiring, and keeping people on track. Typically they have years of experience working with all types of people with similar objectives. For example, I've worked with literally hundreds of people to help achieve all types of fitness goals- if you need some extra help, just let me know and I'd be happy to help! 

So. As the seasons change, try to keep up with your workout goals. Keep moving and try to maintain that momentum. But If that proves to be harder than expected, try these 6 suggestions to help keep you on track throughout the Fall and Winter months.
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