Isn’t autumn the best time of the year? It’s always been my favorite. Growing up, I think it had to do with the fact that my birthday is in October, so that always had me excited, along with the fact that fall meant cooler weather. Living in Texas for years, we all couldn’t wait for the 100-degree days to be over.
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t Living in NYC now, there is nothing like walking through Central Park and looking at the beautiful colors of the leaves on the trees.
t Fall is also a great time to get in shape, before all the holiday indulging, and the cooler temps will allow you to really hit your stride (literally and figuratively). So in the spirit of the season, I wanted to share some of my favorite fall fitness tips with you.
1. Try a new class
t Being a student at NYU, I still love back-to-school season. It’s exciting to take new classes, and it’s a fresh start. I try to let that sense of excitement and possibility spill over into my fitness routine as well: There’s no better time to try something new and learn something new, whether it’s a dance class, a Pilates class, yoga or anything else you’d like to try out. Learn something new and flex your mental and physical muscles.
2. Take your workout outside
t Get out and enjoy the crisp fall weather, the beautiful foliage and get your heart rate up all at once. The cooler temps mean fall is a comfortable time to run outside, hike outside or grab some friends for a game of frisbee or touch football in the park.
3. Get back into the routine
t Summer getaways and fun are the best! But they can definitely take away from your regular workout routine. Personally, I feel it’s so important to do something active every single day, whether it’s an intense workout or just 20 minutes of exercises and stretches in your living room. Most people’s schedules become more structured again in the fall, which means a great time to get active again and establish new healthy routines (or just get back into your old one).
4. Eat clean, but don’t deprive yourself of fall treats
t I always try to eat a clean and healthy diet built around lots of greens and healthy protein but I also love fall baking and pumpkin everything! So I make sure to incorporate treats into my lifestyle as well. One of my favorite things to make is pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
t Wishing you a healthy (and happy) November!
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Nastia Liukin is a 2008 Olympic All-Around Champion and five-time Olympic medalist in gymnastics. She’s currently a student at NYU and a gymnastics analyst and Olympic correspondent for NBC Sports. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
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