Back in the spring I posted an item dealing with folks who use the pending warm weather as motivation for getting into shape. I’m not a big fan of this mind-set, as all-year consistency is the key to feeling and looking your best, and to being as capable as possible.
So now that Labor Day has come and gone and as the seasons are about to change – and the weather starts to get cooler and then colder (YUK!) – I want appeal to those of you who might drift away from the gym as a result. Don’t let the coming autumnal equinox – September 22nd – bum you out and sap your enthusiasm for working out.
IMHO, many people fizzle as the days grow shorter because they’ve been working so hard – perhaps overworking – since the early days of spring. Gearing up and staying up for 4 months is tough, especially as we get older. In the effort to look good in a bathing suit, many people stress about every meal and every workout during the summer.
Despite what you’ve been lead to believe by too many so-called fitness experts, it’s not natural to work in top gear for months on end. Living in the northeast where the weather can be as lousy, miserable and depressing as just about anywhere, I understand why people want to take advantage of the nice weather while we have it. However, overtraining is never a good thing regardless of the reason.
I admit that there are times when I’m tempted to go for that extra workout on a beautiful day during a string of beautiful days, and sometimes I even fall for the siren’s song of sunshine and low-humidity. But as I’ve gotten older these instances are few and far between because I know that I always pay for overdoing it. So as kids are going back to school and us adults start gearing up for getting back to the usual routine, make sure you make time for regular workouts. Stay consistent and you’ll be content.
