As beautiful as the autumn and winter seasons can be, let’s be honest, the dark mornings and dark evenings aren’t the ideal workout conditions. No matter if you’re an early bird when it comes to working out, or more of a night owl – either way you get caught out by the change in daylight hours. And then there’s the weather. England’s version of autumn and winter usually consists of rain, drizzle and more rain. So, what are the best top tips for getting around these changes? #1 – A tip for early gym-goers As horrible as it sounds, getting used to waking up at an early hour will help with the overall adjustment. And yes, this does mean fairly early starts on the weekend too. Although it might seem like an awful idea – after a few days getting up early, it will become “the norm”. #2 – A tip for late gym-goers If you usually go to the gym straight from work, you might begin to feel like throwing the towel in. Not only will it feel like the middle of the night, but you’ll be exhausted from work – potentially resulting in you going home for a feast accompanied by a blanket instead. Perhaps try swapping to a morning workout. Yes, it’ll still be dark, but you’ll have just woken from a good night’s sleep and therefore will be full of energy. And the best bit? You can go home for that feast and blanket with absolutely no guilt whatsoever. #3 – A tip for those who workout outdoors Dark skies, drizzle and mushy wet leaf piles really aren’t great conditions to work out in. So, how can you get around this? If you spy a rare sunny/overcast hour in the morning or evening on the daily weather forecast, workout then instead – or if you can be flexible with your work, exercise during the day in order to skip those pitch black mornings or evenings. Little changes like these will allow your workouts to become far more efficient, and most importantly – more enjoyable. If that still isn't working for you - consider converting to indoor workouts for the winter months, and either join a gym or purchase your own gym equipment such as a multi-gym or a treadmill. #4 – A tip for those who workout indoors Working out in a warm, hectic gym as you look out of the window at dark, miserable weather conditions isn’t going to fill you with joy – but let’s take advantage of that. Is it raining out? Or god forbid, snowing? Try adding an extra 10 or 15 minutes onto your workout in the sheer hope that the weather calms down. Perhaps throw in the use of some different gym equipment, such as dumbells and kettlebells. This way, you’re working out twice as hard – and potentially avoiding getting unnecessarily soaking wet! With these tips, soon enough you'll feel at ease with the change in daylight hours and weather - and you'll be back fighting fit, ready to take on the next challenge!