Falling Leaves and Fitness Feels

Autumn is a stunning time of year. The leaves change colour, the air turns crisp, and somehow, everything feels a little more magical. It’s that sweet spot where it’s no longer hot enough to be sweaty after a simple walk, but not yet cold enough to require thermal underwear and emotional support tea.

The winter veggies start making an appearance at the markets, and my slow cooker comes out of hibernation. Suddenly, I’m whipping up hearty stews that make the whole house smell like I’ve been cooking all day. When in reality, I’ve just chucked a bunch of things in a pot and hoped for the best. Domestic goddess? Sure, let’s go with that.

But while autumn brings many joys, it also brings… the leaves.

My front garden’s crowning glory is a row of ornamental pear trees. Ten of them. Yes, ten. They’re tall, elegant, and absolutely magnificent - especially in autumn, when their green leaves morph into shades of burnt orange, crimson red, and sunshine yellow. It’s like a fireworks display for foliage.

Now, I’ve never been one for fussy gardening. My approach has always been “survival of the fittest” . If it thrives without much effort, great! If not… well, good luck out there. So the fact these trees are thriving is either a horticultural miracle or they’re just as stubborn as I am.

But then the leaves start to fall. And fall. And fall.

Suddenly, I’m in a full-blown, six-week standoff with nature. I rake two bins full of leaves, only to wake up the next morning and find my driveway has been re-leafed overnight, like some cruel autumnal prank. Who knew trees could be this leafy?

At this point, I ask myself: should I just surrender? Let the leaves pile up and only clear them once the trees are finally bare? (Obviously not-I’m not about to wade knee-deep through crunchy foliage to get to the letterbox. I have standards.)

And here’s where I had an aha moment: this endless cycle of falling leaves and raking is the perfect metaphor for the fitness journey.

Progress isn’t a neat, upward slope. It’s not always about doing better than yesterday, or smashing every workout. Sometimes, it’s two steps forward, one step back. Sometimes it’s feeling amazing one day, and like a soggy leaf the next. But does that mean you stop? Nope. You keep going. You show up. You pick yourself up, and the leaves,again and again.

So instead of getting frustrated every time I drag out the rake, maybe I should see it differently. I’m outside, getting fresh air. I’m moving my body. I’m surrounded by beautiful colour that only lasts a few weeks each year. Maybe-just maybe,I should savour the moment, rather than begrudge it.

And if I happen to count raking as my cardio for the day? Even better.