With its misty mornings, piles of golden leaves and the excuse it gives us to bundle up in comforting knitwear, autumn has certainly got a lot going for it. It may be the time of year when the nights draw in and the weather gets a little grey (the recent anticyclonic gloom we’ve been having is a particularly extreme example), but all in all, autumn brings with it the opportunity to slow down, take the pressure off and reassess our priorities ahead of the new year.

At least that is the case if you’re not part of TikTok’s ‘winter arc’ community. The trend, which is currently dominating the platform, sees people reframe autumn as a time of year to ‘lock in’ and stick to a strict health, fitness and wellbeing regime until January. The idea is that people will create habits now that will see them through the new year and beyond, giving them a ‘head start’ on those who wait until January to make any big lifestyle changes.

Here at Strong Women, we’re all for people making positive changes to improve their physical and mental health, so if you want to set yourself some goals before the new year, then have at it. But as I’ve scrolled through more and more of the content on TikTok, I can’t help but think this whole thing could do more harm than good.  

First of all, there’s a reason why many of us feel the need to slow down during autumn. This time of year presents numerous challenges for our energy and motivation levels: the sun isn’t strong enough for our body to produce vitamin D (which plays a key role in regulating our energy levels), and the darker nights and mornings can mess with our circadian rhythm, leading to feelings of sluggishness and fatigue. While sticking to an exercise regime, eating well and living a generally healthy lifestyle will help to boost your energy levels and ease some of this impact, it can be hard – and that’s OK. You don’t need to go above and beyond or set yourself a whole list of new goals and ambitions.

The challenges of autumn and winter also make being kind to yourself more important than ever, but the winter arc trend doesn’t really leave space for that kind of nuance. That’s a problem, because there’s nothing wrong with giving yourself a little helping hand or a bit of leeway. Trends like cosy cardio or soft hiking have shown us there are plenty of benefits to be found in making things a little bit easier. 

Allowing yourself the grace to make mistakes, skip sessions and not be 100% perfect also makes it more likely you’ll stick to your new routine in the long run, because forcing yourself to work out when it’s the last thing you want to do isn’t a good idea. You won’t win any medals for beating yourself up in a bid to improve your fitness, but you will feel the benefits if you allow yourself the time and space to make those changes over a period of time.  

Lastly, the winter arc trend places a lot of emphasis on ‘transformation’, especially when it comes to visual aesthetics. Scroll through the #WinterArc hashtag and you’ll see hundreds of videos promising to help you “snatch your waist” or “transform your physique”. This messaging can be hugely damaging for people who have struggled with body image in the past and plays into the idea that all working out has to offer is aesthetic benefits – which couldn’t be further from the truth. Approach working out with a curious mind and you’ll find it can offer benefits for your confidence, mental wellbeing, energy levels and outlook, all of which are worth so much more than a tiny waist.

The last thing we need – especially as women – is more guilt when it comes to our relationship with health and fitness. While eating a healthy, balanced diet and moving your body regularly is undoubtedly good for you, how you get to that point is totally up to you. Some might find that setting themselves a specific goal helps to keep them motivated, but you might find it easier to introduce yourself slowly or leave spaces for changes in your routine when you’re not feeling up to it. So next time you see a winter arc video pop up on TikTok, know that it’s normal to struggle with motivation at this time of year and that you don’t need to ‘lock in’ for three months to live a healthy lifestyle.  

Images: Getty