The Autumn Motivation Dip, And How to Beat It

There’s something about autumn that makes the sofa look just a little more comfortable.

The mornings are darker, the evenings are drawing in, the temperature has dropped and suddenly that gym session you were looking forward to in July seems much less appealing. Add a bit of rain into the mix and the temptation to stay home with a cup of tea becomes very real!

But this is exactly why autumn is a good time to focus on consistency rather than motivation.

Don’t rely on motivation

The problem with motivation is that it comes and goes. You can feel enthusiastic about exercise one day and struggle to find the energy the next.

Instead of waiting until you feel like going to the gym, make exercise part of your routine.

If you normally train on a Monday and Thursday, keep those days in your diary. Treat your gym session like any other appointment. You don't have to feel motivated every time – sometimes you just need to turn up.

And quite often, once you're there, you'll feel much better for it.

Make it easier to get started

Autumn is not the time to make things unnecessarily difficult.

If you normally train after work, take your gym clothes with you and head straight to the gym rather than going home first. Once you're home, the sofa has a surprisingly powerful gravitational pull!

You also don't need to spend hours exercising. A 30–45 minute workout can be more than enough to maintain your fitness, strength and routine.

Set yourself a small goal

Rather than thinking about completely transforming your fitness, choose something achievable.

Maybe it's getting to the gym twice a week, increasing the weight on an exercise, improving your fitness on a cardio machine or simply being more consistent.

Small improvements add up.

Remember why you started

Exercise isn't just about losing weight or looking different.

Being stronger can make everyday life easier. Better fitness can help you enjoy walks, gardening, holidays and playing with the kids or grandchildren. Staying active also helps you maintain strength, mobility and independence as you get older.

Those are pretty good reasons to keep going when it's cold and miserable outside.

Autumn doesn't have to mean slowing down

You don't need to be perfect. You just need to keep moving.

So when the evenings get darker and the weather turns typically British, don't wait for your motivation to return. Put your trainers on, come through the door and get started.

You might not always feel like going to the gym – but you'll rarely regret having gone.

And if you need a little help getting back into your routine, that's what we're here for at Forefront Fitness. A friendly local gym, where you're always welcome