Oh summer, we love you, and we hate to see you coming to an end. Although we have to admit, you do make it harder to stick to a fitness routine. So, summer, as we get ready to say goodbye, why do so many of us exercise less during these warm sunny days?

There are a myriad of reasons, at least for many of us (and we are including ourselves in this!), that makes it harder to stick to a workout routine- we spend time on vacations, the kids are out of school or back from college, there’s more to do outside like BBQing with friends and family, concerts, beer gardens, pool parties, and much more. Our priorities shift. And this is great- I wouldn’t recommend EVER skipping all the great things that come with the warmer months. Suddenly though, we find ourselves in that summer exercise slump. While it is totally possible to fit exercise into our summer schedules, with every day looking a bit different than they do during the school year, we lose our routines and find ourselves working out less. 

A scheduled fitness routine is easier to stick to during the school year (even if we aren’t in school!) for many of us than the often more chaotic and less fitness-oriented summer months. Even if you’re one of the lucky ones that has more free time while school is out (we see you teachers, and we love you!), that doesn’t mean that it’s any easier to fit workouts into your day. We always think that with more free time we will exercise more, but studies actually show that sticking to a regimented schedule, even one with less free time, makes it easier to do all the things you need to do- including working out. 

Humans, largely, thrive off of structure, at least to some degree. We know we do. It’s much easier to stick to a fitness routine if it is planned ahead of time and integrated into your day-to-day, and the allure of the variety of activities there are to enjoy in the summer makes it harder to get into a sustainable routine. After all, who doesn’t want to take advantage of a spontaneous adventure that it seems only the summer can bring? On top of that, taking a break from working out, even if it’s just for a week during that much anticipated summer vacation, can throw us off and make it harder to get back into the swing of things. 

Things come up, we get it. Sometimes those things are more important than going to the gym or taking that run, and that’s perfectly fine, as long as we get back to it! There is nothing wrong with enjoying the summer. After all, life is short, and we should take every opportunity we can get to spend time with family, friends, and doing all of the activities that summer brings. As we move into the chillier, and well, chiller, days of fall, lets focus on adding structure back into our lives!

So as we say goodbye to summer, let’s say hello to a better fitness routine!