Summers here in Eastern North Carolina have a tendency to do one of two things. They either direct people toward the Outer Banks and the beach or they force people to just stay inside. As if the often-oppressive heat weren't enough, we get humidity that makes the air so thick being in it feels like putting on a heavy winter coat. Exercising outside is unheard of.
Unless you've bought a good at-home training program (P90X and Insanity, for example), it's quite easy to forego your exercise routine. Then starts a downward spiral - once we're no longer exercising, we stop eating well. The rest of the story is a journey into weight gain.
I'm personally looking forward to fall. Even though I love the at-home programs, there's nothing quite like getting out of the house and into the crisp fall air that just invigorates the body. It's my favorite time to go for a run down by the river or along the tree-lined streets. I especially love the trails down at the park around the lake. There is a running trail with a pull-up bar and beam for doing incline push-ups and dips between laps.
I've personally found myself slacking a bit since going back to school and having most of my free time dominated by work, karate, and kids' activities. Thankfully I can still get a good workout in karate, but I need to do more still. Since the kids have just started soccer, once the temperatures go down just a bit more, I'll be donning my running gear and using those trails I mentioned earlier.
If your summer has found you taking it easy, make plans now to get back into a regular routine of training and nutrition. Sit down and make a plan that you can work with and will lead you back into a body that will declare your fitness to the world when next summer rolls in. If you're fairly new to fitness training, you can read my article on Getting Started with Physique Transformation to get yourself on the right road.
It's been a great summer. Embrace the autumn reprieve from the heat and get outside for a daily walk. Once the winter rolls around we'll probably huddle up inside again, so now is the perfect time to get yourself into a new routine. We're behind you all the way. Go for it!
Be well!