Back-to-school is the perfect time for back-to-exercise.

Back-to-school coincides with autumn, and both are usually associated with ends. The end of summer; the end of long days; the end of warm temperatures; the end of vacations; the signal of the end of the year. The negative outlook combined with all the changes fall ushers in stress some people out so much that they struggle to keep their schedules on track. Working out often falls by the wayside when the days grow shorter and colder, and school causes schedules to tighten up.  

Try taking a look at it from a different angle. Make back-to-school synonymous with back-to-fitness. See the season as energizing beginning to your fitness workout program along with education. Autumn is the perfect time to revitalize your exercise plan because it gives you the chance to build the habits you will need to keep working out through the holidays, one of the times during the year when people fall entirely off the workout wagon. Plus, getting started (or continuing) with fitness in the fall gives you a killer head start on your next New Year’s Resolution.

The Weather Enables

Beautiful scenery and cooler temperatures are an excuse to workout, not to quit exercising.

Instead of seeing cooler autumn temperatures as a reason to throw in the towel, see the weather as an excuse to change up your workout program. If you exercised outdoors when it was warmer, you will love how energizing the crisp fall air is. Since a lot of people quit working out or at least head indoors when autumn arrives, you might notice that you have more space to yourself, whether on the hiking trail or the beach. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy a fall outdoor workout even after just one session.

On the other hand, even the most perfect Indian Summer can have a few rainy days. The health website SecondsCount.org lists inclement weather as one of the top reasons people stop exercising. Don’t become one of those statistics! Whether you choose to move your workouts indoors for the fall or just need a backup plan for those days when it is too cold, windy, rainy, or all of the above, LA Fitness suggests a group fitness class for your plan B. You might be tempted to participate in a class you are familiar with. If it keeps you motivated, there is nothing wrong with that. However, in the spirit of back-to-school and back-to-exercise, consider a class you have never taken before. Working out with kickboxing, dance class, or a warrior workout like Forza will get you fit and give you the chance to master a new skill. 

Exercise Earlier

It’s nice to get your workout done in the morning and out of the way. Plus, with the extra hour daylight savings time provides, it’s not even like getting up earlier.

LIVESTRONG points out that the fall time change coupled with shorter days can make your body start prepping for bed long before it’s time because it seems later than it is. That can cause your exercise enthusiasm to fizzle. The solution is to work out in the morning or at least the daytime. If you already exercise in the morning, this one won’t be hard to adjust to. On the other hand, if you have been setting aside time in the evenings to workout, already having exercise out of the way gives you a little bonus time after work.

Look for Excuses to Exercise

Use commercial breaks to workout while watching TV–and get the family involved.

If you have kids in school or are a student yourself, the first few weeks of the fall semester will likely be busy–so busy that it will be hard to work exercise into the equation. Web MD recommends thinking outside of the box to work exercise into unconventional areas of your life. Make a game out of raking the leaves by timing yourself, or make it a competition and get the family involved. Walk the perimeter of the soccer or football field while your kids practice. Even an evening in front of your favorite must-watch TV shows can be an opportunity to exercise if you get moving during every commercial break. Some are as long as 5 minutes, some as short as 2 1/2, and the individual commercials might be as short as 15 seconds or as long as a full minute. Run in place for the duration of one commercial, then switch to pushups for the next one, and jumping jacks for the next. A typical 60 minutes of network programming should give you close to 20 minutes of exercise.