by Karen Neumann

Created on: October 13, 2008   Last Updated: October 20, 2008

Crispness in the air, a welcome change from the summer heat is an invite to be outside and embrace the new season in exercise. A walk in the Fall, be it on the country road, city sidewalk or State Park, the benefits are the same; aerobic exercise, muscle toning and a colorful landscape. Bike riding is another aerobic activity that gets the blood flowing and you can take in the Autumn hues from a different perspective. Visits to pumpkin patches that have acres of patches to walk and find the perfect pumpkin! How about a neighborhood Fall Festival with games such as bobbing for apples, scavenger hunts, three-legged race with sacks, stuff the scarecrow, duck-duck-goose, red-rover, volleyball and concluding the day with a weiner/marshmellow roast around a roaring fire, staving off the coolness of the evening!

Now to yard work, you knew it was coming! Raking leaves, cleaning gutters, winterizing outdoor grills, pools, ponds. These activities do not have to be mundane! Make them fun by making a competition; the team that bags the most leaves, gets to jump in the leaf pile, or who can spread the fertilizer faster or who can (neatly) stack a rick of wood within 10 minutes. Don't forget to take a break from the chores for a sip of warm apple cider and nibble on homemade pumpkin bread.

Fall festivals are prevalent nationwide and are fun family get-a-ways. Why not combine traveling with exercise? If you are exploring a new area, why not walk it instead of drive. Covered bridge festivals, harvest festivals, pumpkin festivals are usually held in small towns. When you are done with the festival - don't drive into town, walk it and enjoy dinner in a little cafe on main street. Or, if they are held near a State Park, walk a trail before you go home. Or, better yet, make it an overnight and rent a cabin or pitch a tent. Sitting around a fire after a full day of fall sites, sounds and activities, what a treat!

On those Fall days that are not so delightful, there is exercise to be had indoors as well. Let's get the Fall Cleaning issue out of the way, not the most exciting but still good exercise. Getting rid of the summer residue, sorting a cluttered closet or room and getting decorations out for Halloween, Thanksgiving and even Christmas, for those that put up lights when the weather is more agreeable. Does your garage need a thinning of unwanted items? What about a basement or attic? Reducing clutter is also a good time to give those used items to charities. With so many exercise videos on the market and all-in-one weight machines for the home, why not get in shape before the holidays!? That way, if you overeat a little, you are already in a position to continue your exercise program and lose the extra poundage that much quicker!

So when the chill is in the air, don't just tuck in for winter! Get out and enjoy as much cool fun as possible before the snow sets in! Embrace the changes of the season!

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