The children are in school, the swimsuits are in the closet and Halloween candies are in every store. The season of skin is over and gone. It is fall. Are you feeling like it is safe to put your exercise routine away, too? Do you find yourself already dreading the holiday meals and treats?

Autumn is just as important a time to stay vigilant about your health and fitness. As usual, planning is the best way to assure a high chance of success. Do you have to hear another person say, “People do not plan to fail, they fail to plan?” Here are a few tips for you to transition into the new season without worry:

• The season change provides a good reason to change your exercise routine. If you have been hiding from the sun since May, get back outside and enjoy such activities as walking, hiking, biking, running, skating, tennis or softball. Parks and walking trails abound across Wake County. If you have been active outside and want to bring the action inside you can go to any of the indoor pools, martial arts centers or even rock climbing walls.
• Would having the right people around you help? The area is home to a number of mega gyms, large and small-scale women’s gyms and specialized fitness centers for personal training, yoga and Pilates. You can also join a recreational club, sports league or special interest group such as those attended by mothers with their infants or toddlers.
• What could you possibly eat if your grill is packed away? Plenty. Consider trying new foods or methods of cooking your favorite foods in ways you never explored. Question your nearest fresh food grocer about what fruits and vegetables are now in season.

The fall ushers in the holiday season. You might host family, travel, face end of year stress at work, or have the children home for school breaks. The preparation and getting-back-to-normal periods could impact you for weeks. Plus, you might attend numerous annual gatherings and holiday festivities. All of these add up to multiple interferences in your typical exercise and eating routines. Here are a few thoughts for averting a holiday hangover:

• If you participate in events, like running or biking races, find one to perform in January and register as soon as you can. Knowing you must be in good enough shape to perform at the start of the new year will help keep you focused during the holiday season.
• If your child is of school age consider doing activities and exercise together during breaks. You can share duties such as vacuuming, raking leaves and decorating the home, play football or frisbee in the park or take your child to the gym with you.
• Are you monitoring your diet? Record your meals in a journal from October through Thanksgiving. Then use your journal as a guide from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. If you focus on eating well throughout the period, you will enjoy the two to four splurge days with less frustration.

If you are telling yourself to wait until January to start being good to yourself again, then ignore the notion. Fall started a week before October began and ends a week before the new year begins. If you wait until next year, you will have missed an entire season to practice good habits. It is the season of fall, not the season to fall. Why wait? Start now or keep advancing. Do it gradually if you must. Just do it.

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By Leon Bullard, Metavive Fitness. For more information on this topic or further help write to leon@metavivefitness.com