Most people wait until January to try to get fit. New Year, new you. But if that’s ever backfired on you, you already know why. It’s starting to get cold especially right after the holidays, with bad weather and short days working against you. It’s a rough setup from the start. Fall is actually a better time to begin and here’s why.

Summer heat makes outdoor workouts miserable. Winter cold and ice push everything indoors. Fall sits right in between. You can go on a run or hike without overheating or pushing against freezing temperatures.

Fall also brings back a sense of structure. Summer tends to be filled with vacations, weekend plans, late nights and inconsistent schedules. Once September and October roll around life usually starts to feel a little more predictable. So adding a workout schedule doesn’t feel like an extra effort. It fits into what you’re already doing.

If you decide to start in the fall you will have a few months’ worth of consistency built up before November and December hit with all the holiday chaos. A habit that’s a few months old holds up a lot better than one that’s a few days old. You’re much more likely to stick with it through the holidays if it’s already normal instead of trying to start from nothing in the middle of the busiest stretch of the year.

In addition, starting to work out in the fall pushes some of the new year resolution pressure off of you. It’s much easier to stay consistent when you’re not surrounded by a wave of resolution people who would be gone by February. You get to build your routine at your own pace.

Fall gives you decent weather; a mindset that’s already leaning toward structure and a head start before the year gets hard. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to start, this is probably it.