Written by Menswear Style in Health & Fitness on the 21st October 2015

It’s that awkward time of year. Summer has come and gone in the blink of an eye and its time to pack away the swimming trunks, shorts and sunglasses for another year. It’s not quite cold enough for winter but we all know that the gloomy nights and Christmas festivities are just around the corner. In most cases, fitness is slipping off the high priority list.

As we adjust to the colder and darker days it is easy to forget that the summer body is in fact honed to perfection during the winter months. Autumn 2015 is the perfect time to start training so that by the time Summer 2016 rolls around your fitness goals are firmly in check. We take a look at four important fitness trends to make working out more fun, more effective and easy to incorporate into your lifestyle this season.

1. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) 

HIIT has gained a mass following this year and is the perfect way to warm you up during the winter! It is fast-paced and packed with variety meaning that you are constantly challenged and engaged during your sessions. This is the exercise of choice if you are after a ripped torso and muscle definition. Short bursts of high intensity training are followed by quick low intensity breaks where you slow down to a light jog or walk. It may be tough to start, but it’s quick. Long gone are the days of running at a medium pace on the treadmill for hours on end! With HIIT, you can achieve your fitness fix in under half an hour.

2. Recovery workouts 

These are proving to be as important to your progress as the workout itself, and rightly so! Your rest days and recovery periods are absolutely crucial in allowing your muscles to rest and strengthen, ready for your next workout. Skipping proper recovery can lead to injury and extended periods of soreness and pain. You may have noticed some strange looking equipment including foam rollers and massage balls in gyms and fitness stores. The truth is that these recovery tools have been used by serious athletes for years but they are only entering the mainstream now due to higher intensity workouts such as HIIT training leaving individuals much more sore and in need of recovery tools. Some more examples of ways to recover from your workouts can be found here.

3. Train with an expert 

If you have a very specific training goal, then it may be time to up the ante and employ the help of a personal trainer. Rather than spending money on unutilised gym memberships, receive a fitness education with focused one-hour sessions either at your gym or with a mobile personal trainer who can come to you. As cold evenings draw near, there is no better time to train from home or at your office to increase your chances of always getting a workout in.

4. Good fats 

Common sense prevails when it comes to nutrition also this season with good fats back in favour with fitness enthusiasts. Fat is no longer demonised by the fitness industry with the consumption of natural fats found in meats, nuts, oils and butter gaining positive encouragement. Sugar now faces the spotlight, as we realise low fat foods are the worst sugar culprits, causing many of us to easily exceed our recommended daily consumption levels. High fat, high protein winter comfort foods are back on the menu this season. Avoid packaged and processed foods and pay extra attention to your sugar intake if you want to get in shape this autumn and see the results!

We list HIIT workouts, recovery workouts, good fats and training with an expert in out guide to 4 Steps to Shaping Up Over Winter.