Transitioning Your Summer Fitness Routine To The Fall

It’s much easier to become a “gym buff” over the summer when your schedule is mostly free, and you don’t have school, work, and a social life to keep up with.

You find the perfect routine and carry it through three summer months, just to lose all your progress once school starts back up in the fall. I’m here to tell you that doesn’t have to happen. Here are some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way to transition your summer workout into the fall season.

Don’t be too hard on yourself.

My first, and most important, piece of advice is to be easy on yourself as you transition into the new season. You’re going to add so many things to your schedule that are going to take your focus away from the gym. And that’s okay! If you miss a workout or eat an unhealthy meal, don’t think you have to start all over on your fitness journey. Self-care is essential in maintaining your wellness, so prioritize yourself when creating your new routines.

Utilize your mornings.

It’s usually easier and more enjoyable to work out in the afternoons/evenings. However, this very rarely works with our fall schedules. It sounds hard but try waking up early to get your movement in before starting your day. This not only gives you plenty of time to get in a good workout, but it sets you up for a productive day. It’s definitely a hard thing to keep up with, but waking up early is a great way to find time for the gym.

Meal Prep

One of the most important things for being successful in the gym is your diet. It can get hard to maintain a good diet during the fall because you may not have time to cook every day. It becomes easier to grab a quick snack or meal that may not be as healthy as you’d like. Meal prepping is a great way around this problem. Take one day out of the week (I prefer Sunday) to do your grocery shopping and then cook everything all at once. This makes it super easy to grab a healthy meal and go during the week.

Shorten your workouts.

If mornings don’t work out for you, try shortening your workouts. Instead of longer, more focused workouts, try full body HIIT workouts that can target everything at once. This way, you are still able to train all of your muscles while squeezing it into your schedule without any stress. Also, incorporate compound movements that can train multiple muscles at once like squats, lunges, and deadlifts. Do some research and find ones that work for you.

Transitioning into the fall season is never easy, but with these tips you can at least keep your fitness journey going. Remember to take it easy on yourself and don’t expect every day to be the same. And don’t let the gym consume your schedule; it’s okay to take a few rest days each week.

Have a great fall semester! And as always,

Be Well, Auburn.