She be jumpin' up and down tryin' to get that ass in...

It’s that time again…

Fall is here, the temperature is dropping, you’ve already taken your favourite boots out of the closet, and love wearing your brand new leather jacket. October is always fun, but with all the pretty colours and fall fashion comes a lot of excuses. Thanksgiving is around the corner and with that the Christmas season and the excuse to curl up in a ball with a blanket, pop some popcorn and watch movies with your boyfriend. Most girls dread the holiday season because it’s the easiest time to gain those few extra pounds we notice when trying to slip into our favourite pair of jeans come the spring. So how do we avoid this we ask? Well the simple answer would be to watch you’re eating and go to the gym but we all know it’s no that easy when you’re moms baking up a storm that smells way too good to resist. One of the biggest reasons people gain weight over the winter is because the days seem shorter when the sun is setting at 6:00pm. The cold and dark make us just want to run home, so we drive right past the gym and we start to come up with excuses:

“It’s too cold out” – You aren’t working out in the cold, find a gym close to where you live and start moving. You’ll love the breeze after a hard and sweaty workout!

“I’ve had such a long day”  - All you really need to put in is 30 minutes of intense cardio to feel amazingly energized afterwards and you’ll be able to sleep a lot nicer as well giving you more energy for the day ahead.

“I hate using machines” – You don’t need to use any equipment, most gyms offer many aerobics classes that vary in difficulty. Take up some yoga or kick boxing, find something you love and more than likely you’ll want to keep going back.

“I give up too easily” –It’s easy to find a friend to join a gym with you. Make a schedule that works for the both of you. You can hang out and gossip while working on those abs.

“I hate working out infront of guys” – If this is one of your reasons for not hitting the gym then look around. There are gyms that offer Womens Only hours, or sections that are just for women. Curves, Premier Fitness, and most gyms at colleges or universities provide these options for girls. On the other hand, working out around guys isn’t so bad. Gyms are FULL of guys, maybe you’ll meet someone special ;)

“Gyms cost too much money” – So you want to work out but it doesn’t meet your budget. Try and avoid big named gyms and maybe something smaller and you’ll be sure to find something affordable. Another option is to invest in some fun work out DVDs that you and your workout buddy can do in the comfort of your home – you avoid the cold and save some money!

Here’s a list of places and workouts you may want to try out:

Premier Fitness – $35- $40/month: Gym offers aerobic classes, pools, health advice, training, boxing, and women’s only sections

GoodLife Fitness – $50-$60/month: A bit more expensive, however offer longer hours and all services including aerobic classes, pools, health advice, training, and women’s only classes.

Curves – approx $40/month. All women’s circuit training, easy and fun – offer health and nutritional advice

Flirty Girl Fitness: $99/month: All girls, no equipment but offer a huge selection of aerobics and dance classes which include kick-boxing, pole dancing, hip hop, and salsa. 3 and 6 month memberships are also available.

Work Out Dvds

Turbo Jam – Combination of kick-boxing, dance, and Capoeira  (Afro-Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music, and dance)

Hip Hop Abs –  Combines fun cardio dance with targeted abs sculpting moves without ever having to lay on your back for sit ups or crunches!

Slim in 6 – resistance training and aerobics DVD which allows you to slim down without bulking up.

Remember, the winter can be tough but you’ll be kicking yourself in the ass (which may have gotten bigger over 3 months) if you don’t get up a move. As lazy as you may feel, working out actually makes you feel really good once you’re done. You’re energized and you’ll feel better about yourself. Don’t starve yourself either, enjoy the things you love (chocolate and desserts) just do it in moderation.