Chunky sweaters, tights, pumpkin spice everything—it’s officially Fall, and we couldn’t be happier. But Autumn means so much more than just switching up your moisturizer and embracing a heavier serum—did you know that Fall is actually the best time of year to set new fitness goals? It’s true! Here are 8 reasons why Fall is the best time of year to lose weight and make lasting changes to your lifestyle.
1. It’s finally cooler—so you can get outside.
Let’s be honest: nobody feels like taking a long walk or going for a run when it’s nine thousand degrees outside. But with temperatures dropping and less humidity, we’re finally motivated to get outside again. Running and walking are awesome activities, because you can do them anywhere, anytime and if you don’t have to buy a gym membership or lots of pricey equipment to get started. Plus, cardio is essential not just for weight loss and meeting fitness goals, but also for heart health and general well-being.
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2. Everyone feels more motivated.
Call it the Back-To-School effect: as soon as September rolls around, we feel like making a fresh start. Everything feels exciting and new again, but don’t limit yourself to buying a bunch of cozy sweaters—parlay that feeling of optimism into setting (and meeting) some new fitness goals. Whether you’re looking to tone up, lose some weight, learn a new skill or improve your flexibility, Fall is the perfect time to get started.
3. Gyms are less crowded.
Everyone makes ambitious New Year’s Resolutions in January, which leads to packed gyms. We don’t know about you, but major crowds and long wait times for classes and machines aren’t exactly encouraging when we’re already on the fence about working out. But come Fall, those crowds have dispersed—creating a far more welcoming (and less stressful) atmosphere for our gym time, which means we’re way more likely to work out.
4. Seasonal food is delicious.
Tis the season for slow cookers—and because it’s so easy to make home-cooked meals with a minimum of effort, you’re way more likely to skip ordering takeout for the fifth time in a week. Plus, seasonal Fall produce is the best—pumpkin, zucchini, pears, all kinds of apples, brussels sprouts—which means that healthy eating is easier than ever.
5. It’s race season.
If you’ve ever wanted to run, now is the time: it’s officially race season. Even if you haven’t run a race since middle school, you can go from the couch to a 5k with good training and a reasonable schedule. Setting yourself a fitness challenge like finishing a race is often a better weight loss motivator than obsessing over a scale—when your goals are fun and meaningful and you’re focused on an achievement, weight loss becomes a side-effect. What really matters is crossing that finish line!
6. Vacation season is over.
No matter how good our intentions, it’s hard to stick to a healthy eating-regular exercise routine in the summertime. There are trips to go on, lazy weekends spent drinking and brunching with our friends…which is fun, but not exactly conducive to maintaining healthy habits. But come Fall, we’re back with our noses firmly to the grindstone—which really does make it that much easier to make (and maintain) good food and workout routines.
7. It’s time for oatmeal.
We cannot tell a lie: oatmeal is our ultimate superfood. By now we all know that skipping meals is the quickest way to derail any long-term weight loss goals—and that’s why we’re so excited to get back into oatmeal. Not only can you load it up with fresh fruits, oatmeal is nutritious in its own right and keeps you fuller, longer (so you don’t load up on sugary snacks at the office after your commute). Hot breakfasts forever!
8. It gets dark earlier—so hit the gym.
We love spending those long, light-filled summer nights with our friends—which means we’re skipping the gym more often than not. Now that it’s getting dark earlier, you’re less likely to hit the rooftop bars…so why not use that as motivation to go break a sweat? There’s nothing better than a post-workout endorphin rush to beat the inevitable WINTER IS COMING blues—any weight loss on top of that is the icing on the cake!
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