Active in autumn

With the weather on the turn, it is all too tempting to snuggle down with a good book or watch a film when it’s damp and chilly outside. However, it’s important to keep the family active in autumn time and there are plenty of ways to do so that will help to blow the cobwebs away. Outdoor activities and exercise can also boost your mood. People who exercise outdoors have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and higher levels of vitamin D. MOLLY MAID, the house cleaning professionals recommend some of the following ways to get you and your family active in autumn.

Indoor or outdoor rock climbing: Why not try a new hobby as a family and if you prefer not to endure the elements, find your nearest indoor climbing wall and give it a go. What can be more fun than giving yourselves a new challenge and exercising in a totally different way? Alternatively, you can find some hills or small mountains for you to hike nearer to home to get the full benefits of being outdoors. Hiking uphill, even at a gradual incline, works the quads, hamstrings, adductors (inner thigh muscles), and abductors (outer thigh muscles), and also strengthens your lower back and core. Children will often find this more fun and regard this as an adventure if you involve them in map and GPS locations for example. This way you are not only burning calories, exercising your heart but also getting closer to nature.

Join a local sports team: By joining your local sports you will not only burn calories and exercise the mind, you will improve your fitness level, spark new friendships and help you to see and feel the benefits of an active lifestyle.

Leaf raking: Part of the beauty of autumn is seeing those colourful leaves appear. This inevitably means that they also need raking up. Whilst this can be a chore to some adults, children will love raking up the leaves into a pile and then giving them the chance to jump in, or even better, create a competition to see who can make the biggest pile! So, gather your family together and start raking! Did you know that raking and bagging leaves can burn 200 to 300 calories an hour?

Cycle as a family: Dig out your local ordnance survey map and work out an appropriate route to take you and your family on. You may also find that a mountain bike trail would be more adventurous for you all to go on, but prepared to get muddy! Some tails have facilities where you can hire a mountain bike if you don’t have on. Biking builds strength, muscle tone, stamina, and cardio-respiratory endurance and best of all, can be very enjoyable when the weather permits. Please do stay safe and ensure that everyone wears a helmet, whatever their age.

Above all, have fun together blowing away those cobwebs and staying active this autumn.

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