Healthy Communities • Healthy Living
3 ways to make fitness part of your “new normal” this fall
04 September 2020 - by YMCA of Greater Toronto
Some people only set new fitness goals when the New Year rolls around, but we think fall brings the same sort of fresh start feelings. After all, many people intrinsically feel the pull to organize and plan in September, perhaps harkening back to all of our back-to-school days. There’s just something about these shorter and colder days that make for a perfect time to start a new routine.
Here are three tips for easing into a healthier, happier lifestyle this fall:
After those long, lazy summer days, it can feel tough to get back into a structured routine — especially this year, when everything feels so uncertain. So start small: go for a walk after lunch, try YMCA Power Yoga at home, or visit our Health and Fitness centres in person by scheduling your workout through our Sweat For Good App.
Setting aside as little as 15 minutes to do something active every day is a great way to start building healthy habits, and the energy boosts you’ll enjoy from your mini-workouts will probably motivate you to start extending them into longer, more intense ones.
You’re far more likely to skip your workout if it’s inconveniently timed. Be honest with yourself: choose the time of day you typically feel most energized and motivated, and commit to doing your workouts at those times. Then, browse our Sweat For Good app to see which in-person activity is available at your preferred time. You can plan and schedule your fav workouts through the in-app calendar, too.
While goal-setting is a great way to get started, you can actually stunt your progress if you focus exclusively on tracking your weight. If you’re getting all your motivation from an external source like a number on a scale, things like miniscule fluctuations in your weight can totally destroy your commitment to your new healthy habits, making you feel like all your hard work isn’t paying off. Sticking to a workout regime for the long run requires getting your inspiration elsewhere — like getting the energy you need to play with your kids, becoming a better role model, or building your sense of confidence and self-esteem.
Take advantage of those feelings of a fresh start we all get in the fall, and make this September count by tackling a fitness goal you’ve always wanted to pursue.
Here are three tips for easing into a healthier, happier lifestyle this fall:
- Streamline your workouts
After those long, lazy summer days, it can feel tough to get back into a structured routine — especially this year, when everything feels so uncertain. So start small: go for a walk after lunch, try YMCA Power Yoga at home, or visit our Health and Fitness centres in person by scheduling your workout through our Sweat For Good App.
Setting aside as little as 15 minutes to do something active every day is a great way to start building healthy habits, and the energy boosts you’ll enjoy from your mini-workouts will probably motivate you to start extending them into longer, more intense ones.
- Make an exercise schedule
You’re far more likely to skip your workout if it’s inconveniently timed. Be honest with yourself: choose the time of day you typically feel most energized and motivated, and commit to doing your workouts at those times. Then, browse our Sweat For Good app to see which in-person activity is available at your preferred time. You can plan and schedule your fav workouts through the in-app calendar, too.
- Stay away from the scale
While goal-setting is a great way to get started, you can actually stunt your progress if you focus exclusively on tracking your weight. If you’re getting all your motivation from an external source like a number on a scale, things like miniscule fluctuations in your weight can totally destroy your commitment to your new healthy habits, making you feel like all your hard work isn’t paying off. Sticking to a workout regime for the long run requires getting your inspiration elsewhere — like getting the energy you need to play with your kids, becoming a better role model, or building your sense of confidence and self-esteem.
Take advantage of those feelings of a fresh start we all get in the fall, and make this September count by tackling a fitness goal you’ve always wanted to pursue.
