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Autumn, with its cooler air and gentle breezes, provides the perfect opportunity to renew your exercise routine. Whether you are looking for a hard-core workout or just the chance to be more active, there are fall activities for everyone that will get your blood pumping, burn some calories and keep you in shape.

Fall is the perfect time to take up hiking. The cooler weather makes it easier to walk farther and climb higher without overheating, and makes it easier stay hydrated on long hikes. The changing fall colors provide a perfect backdrop to a day outdoors and a hiking provides a chance to truly enjoy this spectacle of nature close up. Try exploring places you haven't been, like local parks or forests. You can even take the kids and turn hiking into a fun family activity.

Walking is a traditional way for many people to keep fit, and shorter days mean that an evening walk can include fantastic views of the sunset, which will restore your spirit as well as your body. It's also a chance to try adding a little jog to your step. The moderate temperatures of fall will keep you from overheating as quickly. Especially if you are particularly susceptible to heat, fall is the perfect time to intensify your workout. If jogging isn't for you, the addition of ankle weights or hand weights will make your walk more challenging.

Football is one of the most popular fall sports, and offers a multitude of ways to get more active. Organize a game of flag football with the neighbors to celebrate the start of the season, or toss a ball with the kids. If you have kids who play football or soccer and have 2 or 3 nights of practice a week, spend your time walking around the field with another parent rather than sitting in a chair on the sidelines. For those women who dread football Sundays because the men are in front of the television all day, rather than complain, use that time to head to the gym for a personal workout or find a buddy and take a long walk.

Summer is over and the kids are back in school. This is the perfect opportunity to head back to the gym for some strength training or a new aerobics class. Many gyms offer new classes in the fall as an incentive to parents who finally have some time to themselves. Dress in your workout gear and head straight to the gym after dropping the kids at school or the bus stop in the mornings. The morning exercise will energize you for the entire day.

If you live in the south, as I do, summer is not only stiflingly hot and humid; it is also

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