As the days grow cooler and daylight hours shorter, we naturally begin what I like to call “hibernation mode” – energy levels wane, meals transition from light and bright to warmer and more dense “stick-to-your-ribs” dishes, and time outside becomes less and less for many of us. This is a gentle reminder, that as you go through the feelings of ending Summer and welcoming Fall, to not forget the importance of exercise as a major part of a natural fertility program. We still need to commit to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise at a minimum of 5 days a week. So how do you do that when you’d rather bundle up with tea and a good movie/book? Here are my ideas…
Keep Going Outdoors to Exercise
Bundle up and enjoy the foliage! There is so much beauty in the Fall. For some of us, it’s even a time of year when we can be a bit more lax with sunscreen application (yet you don’t have to). The following activities are more physically demanding than you might realize and can make being outside in the Fall fun:
- Bike/Hike/Walk local trails to take in the scenery (hikes don’t require mountains and so many cities have or are developing urban trails)
- Do yard work – rake, bag and dispose of leaves, transplant plants/flowers or plant your bulbs, put your garden beds to sleep or get your winter crop growing
- Pick your own apples at the apple orchard (you may have to walk a ways to your favorite variety)
- Play frisbee in the park with a friend
- Try canoeing, kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding (I’m told you don’t get too wet!)
- Hold walking meetings in lieu of lunch meetings
Seek New Exercise Opportunities Indoors
Class offerings at gyms and fitness studios often increase in the Fall/Winter. Consider also:
- Fertility Yoga – specific poses and breathing techniques to strengthen, tone and stretch muscles that are related to reproductive health while helping clear the mind and reduce stress.
- Try the Fit & Fabulous Pre-Pregnancy Fitness Program – a preconception fitness and wellness training for women of all skill levels designed to help strengthen the body and mind.
- Swimming – offers amazing cardio and is virtually no-impact meaning it isn’t known to stress the joints, both great preconception and during pregnancy.
Don’t forget to keep vigorously cleaning your house, walking to where you need to go or parking farther away from your destination to walk, taking the stairs instead of escalators and elevators, and walking on your lunch break or getting a stand-up desk. If you can’t get motivated or find a routine, seek support from a trainer at a gym. Maybe most importantly, switch it up… you don’t have to do only one exercise every day. Find a few you love and enjoy them regularly!
As with most anything worthwhile, it takes consistent commitment to making exercise a part of your daily routine, a habit. Be flexible, but try to stick to your program or the same general daily exercise practice for at least one month. ‘“It takes about four weeks for the body to adapt to lifestyle changes,” says Justin Price, owner of The Biomechanics, a personal training and wellness coaching facility in San Diego, California. Price says, “After a month, behavior patterns will have adapted and it will be much easier to stick with it after that.”’
I can’t believe the urban hiking resources online! There’s a guide for every major city and many smaller ones… do an internet search and maybe I’ll see you on the hiking trail.
- G. (2014, September 23). 10 Tips for Fall Fitness. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/galtime/10-frugal-tips-for-fall-f_b_5822546.html
- Sarnataro, B., & Chang, L. (2013, September 09). 10 Tips for Fall Fitness. Retrieved from http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/10-tips-fall-fitness
