Everyone knows autumn is a great time for recommitting to an exercise regimen. That’s why fall is the second busiest season for health clubs. As the weather takes a turn and the sun rises later and sets earlier, people take their workouts indoors. There’s nothing wrong with that. If the only times you have for working out are early morning or late evening, you’ll be safer and more comfortable inside the gym than in the cold darkness of the outdoors. However, fall is a terrific time for exercising outside for those who can arrange their schedules to exercise somewhere between sunrise and sunset. You can try at least one of the autumn outdoor workouts listed below, but LIVESTRONG says that varying your activities will help keep you motivated. That’s a vital factor for sticking with exercise on a regular basis which, in turn, assures you’ll reach your fitness and weight loss goals, so give them all a go if you’re feeling adventurous.  

The Harvest Workout

Head out to the pumpkin patch and heft some of these big boys for a challenging upper body resistance workout.

One of the best things about fall is that it provides the opportunity for fun activities that will give you a good workout but don’t seem like exercise. Harvesting, for example, can be a vigorous workout whatever it is you’re picking. Head to a vineyard to gather grapes, or an orchard to pick apples. The movement, including reaching and bending over as well as walking along the vines or from tree to tree burns calories. Pumpkin patches and corn mazes are other fun fall-time activities that offer exercise opportunities. Hefting portly punkins is a good upper body resistance workout, and you can race against a friend or your own best time to make it through the maze for a brisk cardio workout. 

The Treasure Hunt Workout

Instead of sitting down every time you see a park bench, use it to do lunges, or perform pushups off the back.

Shape came up with a great idea for an outdoor workout that can be done just about any time of year, but you’ll find it especially enjoyable to do during autumn surrounded by the season’s gorgeous colors. Whether you prefer to think of it as a scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt, the workout is the same. You’ll choose 5 to 10 exercises that don’t require equipment, then select an area to workout in, like a local park or greenway, and map out the route you’ll take. Consider the things you’ll see along your route and match them up with an exercise. For instance, you could pair a park bench with pushups and a dog on a leash with lunges. As you go along your route, every time you see one of your pre-selected landmarks, you’ll perform the exercise associated with it. You can either choose to do 10 reps of each exercise before moving along on your route or do AMRAPs, performing as many reps as possible for a certain amount of time like 45 seconds. 

Good Old Stand-Bys

Paddling a canoe works practically everything from your core on up, and the lake isn’t likely to be crowded in the fall.

Autumn is a beautiful time of year to get outside and do activities such as biking, jogging, and hiking. It can also be a good time to try things you’ve never done but have always wanted to, such as rock climbing or head to the beach for new and exciting water activities such as canoeing or kayaking. If it snows early near where you live, you could even give cross-country skiing or snow shoeing a try. Whatever you’re doing, remember to dress appropriately. WebMD advises dressing in three layers so you can peel them off as your body heats up. Start with clothing made of moisture-wicking material for your base layer, add a warmth layer on top of that, and your third and outer layer should be protective, such as a light, water-repellent jacket, depending on what the weather looks like.