There is something about the arrival of fall that naturally makes us want to reset.
Maybe it is the return to routine after a summer filled with vacations, longer days and constantly changing schedules. Maybe it is the first morning when we step outside and realize the air finally feels a little different. Or maybe September simply gives us another chance to begin again without all the pressure that comes with January resolutions.
Whatever the reason, fall feels like a good time to take inventory—not necessarily of everything we need to change, but of the small things we could do to feel a little stronger, healthier and more balanced heading into the final months of the year.
And perhaps that’s the key to a successful fall wellness reset: don’t make it so complicated.
Wellness doesn’t have to mean completely changing the way we eat, committing to an hour at the gym every day or following a rigid routine we’ll abandon within a few weeks. Sometimes it starts with making healthier choices easier to fit into the life we’re already living.
For me, one of those changes has been creating more opportunities to exercise at home.
Bringing the Workout Home
I enjoy having a home gym because it eliminates one of the biggest obstacles to working out: getting there.
Recently, RitFit sent Franklin County Magazine a dumbbell set to try, and I’ve been using the weights in my own home gym. They’ve been a perfect addition, particularly because strength training is something I can now work into my day whenever the opportunity presents itself.
There’s no drive to the gym. No worrying about whether it’s raining, cold or simply one of those days when I don’t want to leave the house again.
More importantly, I don’t necessarily need to find an entire hour.
If I suddenly realize I have 15 free minutes, the weights are right there.
That’s enough time for a few sets of squats, curls, rows, shoulder presses or lunges. On another day, I may have time for a longer workout. The point is that exercise doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition.
That convenience is one of the reasons home fitness can work so well.
RitFit specializes in equipment for home gyms, with products ranging from dumbbells and adjustable weights to benches, racks, power cages, Smith machines and more extensive home-gym setups. Their dumbbell collection includes individual weights as well as sets and storage options, so a home workout area doesn’t necessarily require an enormous dedicated room.
Sometimes a few weights and enough space to move are all you need to begin.
And strength training is only one piece of a fall wellness reset.
When the Weather Cooperates, Head Outside
One of the best things about fall in Franklin County and surrounding areas is that moving outdoors starts becoming enjoyable again.
After months when North Carolina heat and humidity can make an afternoon walk feel like a workout before you’ve made it to the end of the driveway, those first cooler days practically invite us outside.
And we don’t have to go far to take advantage of them.
A walk through a neighborhood or local park can become an easy way to add movement to the day without thinking of it as exercise. Head toward Falls Lake or one of the area’s greenways and trails, and suddenly a workout can feel more like an afternoon outside than something on a fitness checklist.
You don’t have to count miles.
Walk the dog. Meet a friend. Take the grandchildren. Explore a part of Franklin County you haven’t visited before. Spend some time near the water, take a trail through the woods or simply walk around town on a beautiful fall afternoon.
Movement still counts when it feels like fun.
That’s another mindset worth carrying into a fall reset. Exercise doesn’t always have to happen inside a gym, and it doesn’t always need to leave us exhausted to be worthwhile.
Maybe your movement comes from a yoga or Pilates class. Maybe it’s working in the yard on a beautiful Saturday morning. Maybe it’s a walk after dinner or 15 minutes with dumbbells while you’re waiting for something to come out of the oven.
The best exercise routine is often the one that realistically fits your life.
Wellness Goes Beyond the Workout
Of course, we can’t exercise our way into feeling our best if we’re ignoring everything else.
Fall is also a natural opportunity to reset some of the routines that tend to get lost during summer.
Sleep is a big one.
Vacations, late sunsets, social events and changing schedules can make summertime sleep routines inconsistent. As evenings begin getting darker earlier, consider letting your body follow the season a little. Establish a more consistent bedtime. Put the phone down earlier. Give yourself time to unwind rather than answering one last email from bed.
We spend plenty of time talking about what we should do for our health.
Sometimes we need to talk more about rest.
The same goes for what happens in the kitchen.
A fall reset doesn’t require throwing away everything in the pantry and declaring that dessert is forbidden until Thanksgiving. Instead, let the season inspire a little variety.
Apples, pears, sweet potatoes, squash and hearty vegetables begin appearing everywhere this time of year. Fall foods can be comforting and nourishing at the same time. A pot of soup simmering on the stove, roasted vegetables or a crisp locally grown apple can feel every bit as seasonal as the treats we associate with autumn.
And while we’re resetting the refrigerator, September is also a good time to reset the calendar.
What appointment have you been putting off?
The annual physical you meant to schedule months ago? A dental cleaning? Eye exam? Mammogram or another recommended screening?
Wellness isn’t always something we can photograph for social media. Sometimes it’s making the appointment we’d rather keep postponing.
Maybe the Most Important Reset Is Slowing Down
There is another part of wellness that has very little to do with dumbbells, walking trails or what’s on our plates.
It’s giving ourselves permission to slow down.
Fall has a way of reminding us to do that.
Sit outside with your coffee when the morning finally turns cool enough to enjoy it. Take a drive simply to see the leaves begin to change. Spend an afternoon near the water. Read the book that’s been sitting untouched on the nightstand. Meet someone for lunch instead of saying, “We need to do that sometime.”
Put the phone away for an hour.
Say no occasionally.
Leave a little blank space on the calendar.
Mental wellness doesn’t always require adding something else to our schedules. Sometimes it comes from deliberately taking something away.
And connection matters, too.
Call the friend you’ve been thinking about. Check on an older neighbor. Take your parents or grandparents to lunch. Invite someone to walk with you. Spend time with people who make you feel better when you leave than you did when you arrived.
Those things count as wellness.
Don’t Wait for January
Perhaps that’s what I like most about the idea of a fall reset.
There is no dramatic declaration involved.
We’re not waiting until January 1 to suddenly become entirely different people. We’re simply looking at where we are right now and asking what might make the next season a little better.
For me, having the RitFit dumbbells in my home gym has made strength training easier to work into real life. If it’s raining, I can still work out. If I don’t want to drive anywhere, I don’t have to. If I have an hour, great.
If I have 15 minutes?
I can use those, too.
Your reset might look completely different.
Maybe it’s getting outside more now that North Carolina’s fall weather is becoming inviting again. Maybe it’s finally trying that yoga class you’ve talked about for a year. Maybe it’s going to bed earlier, cooking at home more often or scheduling the checkup you’ve been avoiding.
Maybe it’s simply deciding that you don’t have to do everything.
Fall reminds us that change doesn’t always have to be dramatic to be meaningful.
Sometimes we just need a new season—and a reason to begin.
What We’re Using: RitFit
RitFit offers home fitness equipment for everyone from those creating their first workout space to those building more extensive home gyms. Its product line includes dumbbells and dumbbell sets, adjustable weights, benches, racks, power cages, Smith machines and other strength-training equipment.
Visit RitFitSports.com to explore its home fitness equipment and dumbbell collections.
Franklin County Magazine received a RitFit dumbbell set for editorial consideration. I incorporated the set into my own home gym and routine. Receiving a product does not guarantee editorial coverage or a positive review. All opinions expressed are our own.