Before Labour Day is a great time to start re-introducing structure into your life, especially your wellness routines. Summer -being a relaxing and carefree time of year- can often throw people off the ‘program’, and unfortunately, people tend to wait until mid-September arrives to return to routines in their lives. 
The general pattern in the ‘back-to-school’ fever of September is to get everything back into swing. Similar to the New Year season, people often find that they have over-indulged (food, drink, relaxation) and lost momentum with health and exercise goals. Yet, instead of piling wellness onto everything else that is re-starting, why not have it as a foundation to operate from so that the stresses of “back-to school” fever don’t weigh you down?
Recently, I was searching for a running group to join in September, and I found a 12-week group running program that started in August. The immediate appeal for me was that the program would give me a kick-start before fall, so that I would be in mid-momentum by the time the rest of the fall frenzy was under way.
The other benefit to this was that as a group we have goal that we will reach just at the onset of the winter months: to run a half-marathon. The idea of being in peak physical condition before Christmas and the cold-weather is a rewarding alternative to my traditional winter routine: a slow-down into hibernation and weight gain.
As summer draws to an end, human activity stems from the common sense of working with the seasons: winding down and settling in for the fall and winter. If you set fitness goals now, and start gearing your mind towards establishing a stable routine that will endure you throughout the darker months, you will not only stay energized throughout this period, but you will also be well-prepared for the re-awakening period of Spring.
Some goals to set now could be:
- Snowshoe 10 K
- X-country ski race
- Run a Half-Marathon in January
- Run your first 10k Race
- Be limber enough for a level-2 Yoga or Pilates class by January
- Complete a 30 day Yoga Challenge
- Workout with a personal trainer once a week
- Make it to 3 spin classes every week
Reviving your fitness routine before the Fall crunch may require re-training your mind. Thoughts such as “I’d better get back to the gym, I’ll have to schedule that in” would have to be replaced with “ Health and Fitness are a top priority for me, because they will make the rest of my life easier during this busy time.” Thinking like this may be just what you need to transform the idea of working out from a “Have To”…. into a “There’s no way I’m going to miss my workout.”
Consider a new approach to ending summer, by jump-starting your fall. Not only will you reduce stress, but you may just be setting yourself up for a healthy winter season as well.
