Seasonal changes, as witnessed by those of us who live in the northeast, typically lead to changes in lifestyle, wardrobe, etc. With the fall season approaching, if you are eating right and staying active, the season also brings an opportunity to review your nutrition and menu, as well as your exercise routine given the cooler, damp weather.
The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. And the benefits of exercise are yours for the taking, regardless of your age, sex or physical ability. We all know the benefits of regular exercise and those benefits extend to physical and mental health:
Exercise can help to:
- control weight
- combat health conditions and disease
- improve your mental health and mood
- boost your energy level
- promote better sleep
- improve sex life
- can be fun and social
Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, gain health benefits and have fun. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Whether you want to boost brainpower, bust a bad mood, or alleviate stress, moving your body can help!
As the fall season approaches, winter is not far behind so for some of you, you may want to add an indoor component to your exercise routine. Don’t let the seasonal change to cooler, inclement weather be an excuse to stray from those daily exercise routines. Your personal trainer should have some good options for you and here is a list you can consider as well and discuss with your trainer:
Resistance Training - No need to venture outside. Bodyweight exercises, guaranteed to improve strength and endurance with just body resistance alone.
Switch to a Boot Camp Workout - Inspired by military training, these booty-busting sessions combine strength training moves with high-intensity cardio to deliver a serious full-body workout.
In-home Personal Training -This is a great option to take your outdoor efforts indoors with the benefit of a certified trainer who can choose the best exercise groups to meet your fitness goals while getting the personal one-on-one motivation you need.
Tandem Training - Similar to Personal Training, the difference is you train with a friend which can make it more fun and add a little healthy competition to the mix.
Yoga - Give your mind and body a workout with yoga.
Plyometrics - Workout incorporates explosive movements like tuck jumps, jumping jacks, and single-leg hops to improve cardio endurance and strength.
Kettlebells - Who knew swinging cast iron could reap such huge benefits in so little time? If you want to combine strength training and cardio workouts into one effective, calorie-blasting workout, pick up a set of kettlebells. One recent study found that, in a 20-minute workout, participants were burning about 20 calories per minute — the equivalent of running a 6-minute mile pace.
A last option to ‘winter exercise’ could be an online, virtual training program. You can train anytime, anywhere. Online and mobile personal training options allow you to access your workouts anytime, anywhere. At bornreadyfitenss.com you can set up your ‘virtual trainer’. With a combination of online and in person training you can follow workouts and view instructional training videos right on your phone.
Along with the benefits of regular, daily exercise, a healthy diet needs to be factored in. Additionally, consider what changes you can make in your diet to utilize the fall foods – the seasonal fruits and vegetables. Local produce, fresh from farm to table is the best kind. You may want to consider an in-home nutritionist who can customize a nutrition plan since your diet is a critical part of helping you meet your health and nutritional goals.
Personal chefs can make life much easier. Cooking ‘healthy’ and even cooking in general takes time and planning so a personal chef may help you to be more successful with your food plan.
If you like to tackle some recipes on your own, consider taking some cooking classes with themes. Seek out those that utilize farm to table ingredients or that promote healthy, lighter cooking.
Fall fruits like apples and cranberries offer essential vitamins and antioxidants that slow aging and may help fight cancer. On the veggie side, the entire cruciferous family, the dark, leafy vegetables—that’s the cabbage, rutabaga, and cauliflower gang—also have cancer-fighting potential. Don’t forget about squash – all varieties. These big, bright gourds offer healthy alpha- and beta-carotene, which promote good eyesight.
So don’t let the change of seasons discourage your daily exercise routine or keep you from eating healthy. The fall, and cooler weather still give you the opportunity to continue to exercise and eat right to stay happy and healthy. No winter blues this year!
Contact Born Ready Fitness and Wellness and consult with our personal trainers and nutritionists for the best programs to keep you fit and healthy throughout the fall and winter.
Call Mike Gulyas, owner, at 203-895-8715.
