Create Your Perfect Fall Walking Routine: Part 1
Fitness influencers love to tell you that there’s one perfect way to stay in shape—and it’s so simple. Just follow these 45 easy steps and make sure you work your life around this weekly schedule, and you’ll have a supermodel’s body in no time.
Really, though, there’s no easy, one-size-fits-all solution, no one routine that works for everyone. We all have our own schedules, our own responsibilities, our own brand of chaos—and, to complicate matters even more, all of those things are constantly changing.
Summer may have been busy—with kids at home and vacation schedules and camps and other activities to work around. When fall comes, the schedule changes, but it might still be busy. For me, the summer meant working family time around club volleyball tournaments, school volleyball open gyms, tryouts, and a husband who was preparing to launch a new business—while fall means a grueling mix of school volleyball practices and games, packing lunches, squeezing in dinners, and working around a husband with a new business. For you, it’ll look different. So what works for me, probably won’t work for you.
Fortunately, your walking routine doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. It just needs to be something that works for you. So let’s take a look at different routines that might fit into your life and your personality. There are so many options, so we’ll look at more next week, too!
1) The Early Bird
You’re up with the sun and ready to get moving—so early morning walks are your jam. Just wake up, throw on some comfy workout clothes, fit in your walk, and then move into your day. You’ll get to enjoy the cooler fall morning temperatures and a vibrant sunrise—and you’ll get your steps and some me-time before the day starts to get crazy.
Tips:
– Make your morning routine run like clockwork by setting out your clothes before you go to bed. Then you won’t waste time digging through your drawers and choosing the perfect outfit in the morning.
– No matter how many times you check your weather app, you might still wake up to a surprise shower. Be sure to have an indoor backup plan ready, so you can easy shift gears on rainy mornings.
2) The School Drop-Off Walker
For a lot of parents, your routines change whenever the school schedule changes. If you’ve got school-age kids who need to be dropped off at school in the morning, work your walk around school drop-off! Instead of driving to school and then driving back home again, only to get caught up in your day, fit in a walk before your day gets crazy. You can walk in a neighborhood by the school, head to a nearby trail, or even meet up with another parent.
Tips:
– Habit stacking works! If you’re making that school drop-off run every day, connecting your walk to something you’re already doing every day will make you more likely to stick to your daily walk, too.
– Give yourself a few options. Walking every day after school drop-off doesn’t have to mean the same walk every day. You can go on a neighborhood walk one day, a trail walk the next, and a walk to your favorite coffee shop on Friday. Have a list of options handy, so you can switch it up when you need a change of scenery. This will keep it from feeling monotonous.
3) The Lunch Break Walker
If you’ve got a strict work schedule, lunch breaks can be the perfect time to fit in your daily walk. After you finish your lunch, spend the rest of your lunch break walking—whether in the office parking lot, around the building, or (if you’re lucky) the green space around your office. It may not lend itself to long, relaxing walks, but a quick 20-minute reset makes a big difference, too!
Tips:
– Remember that your walks don’t always have to be long or fast! Just 10-15 extra minutes can make a big difference.
– You can also break up your work day with walks. A 10-minute morning coffee break walk plus 10 minutes after lunch plus a 10-minute walk during a phone call still adds up to 30 minutes of walking.
4) The After-Work Walker
If you’re waiting until the last minute to jump out of bed and race to work, morning walks might not be your thing. Instead, attach a walk to the end of your work day. If your company has a fitness area, you can hop on the treadmill or track after work. Or stop at a trail on the way home. Or walk around the neighborhood before you go into the house.
Tips:
– An after-work walk will help you make the transition from the work day into evening activities. This doesn’t have to be an intense workout. Allow yourself time to listen to a favorite podcast or some relaxing music to help you unwind from the work day.
– Worried about dinner? Crock pot recipes and weekend meal planning can save you busy weekday time.
5) The After-Dinner Walker
Walking after dinner can be a great way to connect with your family at the end of another busy day. And you might be surprised by the conversations you’ll have with your kids or your spouse while you’re walking. And even just a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood will help you recover from the day’s stress.
Tips:
– If your kids aren’t excited about walking, let them bring a scooter or their skates. If you have a park nearby, walk to the park and let them play. Or let them choose the route.
– Take in the sights around you. Point out fun decorations or the beautiful sunset.
6) The Walking Snacker
If you’re at a stage in your life where every day feels like a blur of kids’ activities, even finding a 30-minute window for a relaxing walk can seem impossible. So Walking Snacks are the way to go! Fit in a walk whenever you’ve got just a few minutes of downtime, whether it’s between school activities, during practice, or while you’re waiting for dinner to finish cooking.
Tips:
– 5- and 10-minute walks during the day can add up to a whole lot of steps! You just have to keep your eyes open for the short breaks in your schedule.
– Need more suggestions? I’ve got all kinds of ideas to share!
Have you found your perfect walking routine from this week’s list? If not, come back next week for more!
