Thinking Outside the Box: Fall Fitness

During the summer, fitness may have been almost a no-brainer. You’re outside, swimming at the pool, playing at the beach, and so forth. The daylight hours are long, so being more active seems natural. But what do you do when summer ends? The same activities don’t work the same way, and there is less daylight. To help with this dilemma, here are some tips for thinking outside the box for fall fitness this year.

Pick Apples

Look for a pick-your-own-apple farm in your area. You can plan a road trip with others if you want to make it a group event. Apple picking farms involve lots of walking, stretching, and movement. In fact, you can plan to pick apples every week if it’s affordable. It’s a great way to keep your family in apples and in shape!

Jump Rope

Have you thought about the fitness aspect of jumping rope? It’s not just for kids, although they like it too! Jump ropes are very affordable, and jumping outside in the cool weather can be very pleasurable. You can also jump indoors if your ceilings are high enough and you have enough room. Jumping ropes is very versatile, too – you can make it a family thing, or you can do it by yourself.

Dance Lessons

Now is the time to sign up for those dance lessons you’ve always wanted! It’s fall, so you may have a few hours during the day now that the kids are in school. Any dancing is great for increasing your activity level – choose one that you like so you’ll be more likely to stay motivated. Belly dancing, ballroom dancing, and other types are usually readily available.

Indoor Exercise

Have you thought about getting in shape with Yoga, Zumba, or another activity? If the early evenings and short daylight hours make you want to hole up at home, make your home your workout place. If you have internet access, you can find all kinds of great workout videos online. You can also get DVDs. Invite friends over if you don’t want to work out alone.

There are other indoor exercise options, too, that don’t have to be in your own home. There are all kinds of sports you can play indoors, such as:

* Tennis
* Raquetball
* Swimming
* Indoor rock climbing
* Bowling

If you schedule something regularly, it can help keep you fit this fall. If you like variety, switch between activities.