The majority of people see January as the best time to start a new fitness plan, however, many people quit their New Year routine within one month! Starting anything new can be a challenge to stick with and in my opinion January isn’t always the best time to be trying to get into shape. After over 25 yrs in the fitness industry, I’ve found people who have the most success are the ones that start in September. Here’s some reasons I believe this is so:
- The weather is still very mild. In September we still get warm, sunny days which help to keep us feeling energetic and also means we can still exercise outside and be generally more active by spending time outdoors.
- Fewer distractions. After having a very social summer with holidays, weddings, BBQs etc, the majority of people don’t have as many social events until late November and December when the Christmas parties and events begin. September is a great time to get focused and really go for your health and fitness goals.
- Everyone is back into routine. After the summer holidays everyone is back to work and back into their routines and having a routine makes it easier for people to schedule fitness into their calendars.
- 16 weeks till Christmas. When starting a new fitness regime, you should always have a goal date in mind and Christmas is great for that. Most people will use Christmas as a motivator and stick to their exercise and healthy eating plans right up until then. A few treats at Christmas can be a reward for staying on track during September, October, November and December.
- A better January. If you start now you will get into good habits, following a healthier eating plan and a more active lifestyle whilst the weather is good and the days are still light, with far less distractions. This means when January comes, you will have already set yourself a solid foundation to push on from.