for Living your A Fulfilling Life, Mind, Body and Soul  

by Dr. Debbie Smrz, BSc, ND

Naturopathic Doctor

The heat wave we had for most of September tricked us into staying ‘summer fun’ focused, and many of us are suddenly finding ourselves unprepared to get back to the ‘grind’ of packing school lunches, having to wear closed toe shoes and overall taking better care of ourselves. 

Physical fitness is a key element to living a healthy lifestyle but often we think of it only in terms of how it affects the way we look or the number we see on the scale, or on the tag of our clothes.  

Moving into the freshness of the new season is a perfect time to rethink this approach, and focus more on how much all three aspects of our overall health – physical, mental, and emotional – can benefit from regular, and unique, fitness activities.  

Here are our Tips for falling head over heels for Fall Fitness! 

TIP #1: GO OUTSIDE and ENJOY NATURE: CRISP WEATHER BOLSTERS MIND AND BODY 

The crunch and rustle of a fiery rainbow of fallen leaves, the smell of pine needles and wood, the sight of wildlife busily preparing for colder months – all of these delight the senses, and bring a calm sense of ‘oneness’ to our own daily routine come Fall.  

We actually have some wonderful hiking trails right here in Markham.  The Seaton Trail, Rouge River, TooGood pond trail, Milne dam to name a few, and most exciting of all, York region has embarked on a massive project that will connect Lake Simcoe to Lake Ontario, a 121 kilometre recreational, hiking and biking trail, going right through our back door.   

An added benefit to taking your cardio outside on a brisk day? Not only does a crispness to the air feel wonderful when you’re biking, hiking, or running outdoors in the fall but cooler temperatures also require our bodies use more energy to keep us warm – and that translates to an more in calories burned! 

TIP #2: GET SOCIAL AND MEET NEW PEOPLE 

Don’t want to exercise alone and can’t convince your friends or family to join you?  No problem.  Join a fitness class (you can always come to my BodyCombat class at Goodlife to give it a try first, just let me know you are coming and I can get you in), or join another group, such as the Oakridges trail association that hikes each week in our area http://www.oakridgestrail.org/ or search meetup.com for a similar group. 

Otherwise, why not sign yourself up for an extracurricular activity and try something new? Learning a new physical skill not only challenges our muscles, but it can also help support balance, agility, and have positive effects on the brain – staving off diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia.   

Some great Fall activities to try: 

Horseback riding 

Fencing 

Ballroom dancing 

Team sports like football, soccer, or rugby 

Cross-country running  

Roller skiing/Nordic blading 

TIP #3: ADD FASHION TO YOUR FITNESS  

Start the season off by going through your fitness gear to clean out the items that are no longer helpful like stretched out, stained, or pilled fitness clothes or gear that has too much ‘stink’ to ever get out again – and replace them with a core couple of items that make going for a bike ride or out to your favourite class that much more fun! 

Think that sounds a bit far-fetched? Studies have shown that the clothing we wear can directly affect our performance. Researchers have even developed the term ‘enrobed cognition’ to describe the mental shifts we make when we wear particular clothing. 

Whether you choose the practicality of the weather, the science of mind affecting matter, or simply knowing that looking good makes you feel better, changing up your fall fitness clothes and prepping your fitness gear for the season will make it that much easier, more exciting – and maybe even may help with – to get out there and enjoy exercising this season.  

Add the following pieces to your outdoor exercise gear and see how easy and enjoyable it is to commit to your fall fitness goals: 

Tech-fabric layering pieces 

A wind-protecting, sweat releasing jacket  

A new pair of running/biking gloves 

A sweat wicking hat to protect your ears and head from wind and cold 

And of course, a new pair of running shoes! 

TIP #4: TURN INWARD WITH QUIET ACTIVITIES 

No matter how introverted or extroverted you are, everyone needs time to look inward, and settle in with themselves. Not only is taking time to be alone with yourself important for processing your daily experiences and feelings, but it is also critical for maintaining a positive outlook, developing our reactions time and problem solving capabilities, and perhaps most importantly, for reducing stress levels, which can have serious adverse effects on many aspects of our overall health. 

The subsiding social calendar of summer is a perfect time to give yourself a bit more ‘quiet time’ to take care of your emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Learning techniques like walking meditation, tai chi, yoga, or even creative endeavours like sitting down with a cup of green tea, some coloured pencils, and colouring book can help you ‘turn inward’ and allow your mind to relax as your subconscious works to bring balance to all aspects of your health. 

TIP #5: CREATE A “FALL FITNESS LINE UP” 

That Thursday night TV lineup is a great time to add in a few activities to keep you active and healthy even as you catch up on the newest episodes of your favourite show! 

Stand up and get moving during that TV time’ by taking care of your healthy meal prep for the coming week   

Commercial breaks are a convenient two-minute break in which you can cycle through a series of stretches or sets of exercise for every body part  

TIP #6: START PLANNING YOUR SLEEP   

Speaking of TV….many of us use TV time’ as a means of relaxing before bed. But in reality, using technology of any kind before bed can have negative effects on the quality of sleep you get each night. Not only do they suppress melatonin (which you need to fall asleep, and stay asleep!), but they keep your brain revved up, and can wake you up – even when they’re in ‘do not disturb’ mode. 

Furthermore, as darkness fall earlier and the sun rises later, humans naturally want more sleep as the seasons change. And, there’s all kinds of benefits to actually getting more rest! As much as we need active exercise, the body, mind, and spirit may recover when sleep is consistent, deep, and restful.  

Autumn is the perfect time to start and planning your sleep schedule. Going to sleep at the same time every evening and waking every morning may help with your ability to absorb the health benefits of a good night’s rest.  As does closing off all technology and distractions so you can properly wind-down before bed. So, remember to honour your sleep cycle by saying goodnight to tv, phones, texting, and computers at least 30 minutes before bed.  Your adrenal glands will thank you. 

TIP #7: CHOOSE JUST 2 OF THESE AND CREATE A NEW 30 DAY PLAN 

You already know that it takes 21 days of consistency to create a new habit. You also know that taking on too much at once can set you up for failure instead of success. This Autumn, start the season off right by choosing just two of the tips above and implement them every day for the next 30 days. When those first 30 days are up, look back and feel proud of how well you’ve set yourself up for success but more importantly, think of all the ways you’ve enjoyed the season even more than usual!!