By Brian Foley from Activate Fitness

We’ve found Activate clients usually like to refocus on their goals as summer draws to a close, so here are some tips for autumn health and fitness.

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Something about the season change always motivates people to create a routine that usually lasts from now until the holidays.

With all the change and flux over the past 18 months, your routine might be a little different this year. However, that’s no reason to avoid revisiting your goals. As always, we’re here to help. At Activate we’re challenging ourselves to do Goal Review Sessions with as many members as possible in the next six weeks.
We’d love to sit down with you to make a plan. If there are any new challenges in your life - working from home, lack of child care, etc - we can help you find ways to prioritise your health and fitness.

Here are a few simple things to keep making progress:

1. Schedule your workouts

Things are going to get busy in September so pull out your calendar and schedule your workouts. Once you have them booked, treat them like important appointments that can’t be moved. This is key to building your routine as kids go back to school and job stress increases.

2. Get fitness out of the way earlier in the day

Most people find that getting a workout in early in the day “sets them up”. This can be true, but having that non-negotiable time is vital regardless of whether its morning or evening. If you tend to get to the afternoon slump and the idea of a workout slips down the list of priorities and sometimes doesn’t happen at all, start working out before work and stop it becoming an issue!

3. Pack your gym bag the night before

This is a small thing, but it’s super effective. If you’re scrambling in the morning, the kids are crazy, and you’re running late, you might say “forget it” to fitness if you have to pack a bag. But if it’s sitting by the door, all you have to do is grab it. Better yet, put it in the car, so there’s no chance you forget it. An emergency measure: Always leave some “backup” clean workout gear and shoes in the car or at the office, so you’re covered if you ever forget the gym bag.

4. Prioritise nutrition and rest

If you’re feeling burned out, you can do wonders for your health just by eating well and getting a little extra sleep. Resist the urge to order the 10pm pizza. Get healthy meals planned and then get to bed on time - or even earlier if you’re feeling run down. If you absolutely can’t find time to work out, sleep and nutrition become even more important.

5. Get some healthy snacks

Many trips through the drive-through are caused by hunger and desperation. You can often avoid them by getting some healthy options in place so you’re prepared when hunger strikes. Maybe keep a box of low-sugar, high-protein bars at the office, or put a few healthy frozen meals on an “emergency shelf” in the freezer. You can always keep fresh fruits and veggies on hand, but a few non-perishable backups will help you double down on healthy eating when time is tight.

6. Tell your coach how you’re doing

We are here for you! If you’re having a great day, let us know. If you’re struggling, we want to know about that too because communication is critical. This will help us tailor our service to give you exactly what you need each day.

Now is the best time of year to set yourself up for solid routine as winter draws closer. If the pandemic has thought us anything, it’s that health and fitness should be an integral part of our lives.