It’s official. Autumn is here.

The mornings are darker, the evenings are drawing in, the temperature has dropped and Daisy has already decided this means it is spooky season.

Pumpkin spice everything. Halloween decorations. Cosy evenings. Oversized hoodies. The lot🎃

Paddy, meanwhile, will probably continue wearing shorts until December.

But alongside arguably the best season of the year, comes something slightly less exciting: everyone getting bloody ill.

As we head into autumn and winter, coughs, colds and various bugs inevitably start doing the rounds. Combine that with training, busy jobs, less daylight and the general chaos of life, and recovery can take a bit of a battering.

Unfortunately, there isn't a magic supplement that'll make you invincible.

The boring stuff still matters most: eating enough, getting plenty of protein and micronutrient-rich foods, sleeping properly, managing your training load and actually resting when you're ill.

But…Vitamin D becomes particularly relevant for us here in the UK as we head into autumn and winter. We make vitamin D through sunlight exposure, and between October and early March, the UK sun isn't strong enough for most people to make sufficient vitamin D through their skin.

UK guidance therefore recommends that adults consider taking a daily 10 microgram (400 IU) vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter. Some people may be advised to supplement throughout the year depending on their individual circumstances.

Check out the Vitamin D we use HERE. 

It's a tiny habit that can be easy to overlook when you're concentrating on protein, creatine, pre-workout and everything else.

Supplements are exactly that: supplementary. They're not there to replace a decent diet, and taking handfuls of random vitamins isn't automatically better. A few of the staples we commonly use or discuss within strength and performance include things like creatine monohydrate, protein powder, electrolytes and vitamin D, depending on the person, their diet and their needs.

For those who do need to stock up on their usual supplements, you can shop through ESN and use DAISY or PADDY10 at checkout. 💪

And obviously, there is one essential autumn supplement...A Haynes Strength Hoodie.

Scientifically proven* to improve autumn walks, coffee runs, rest days, warm-ups and standing outside a strongman competition questioning your life choices.

*Research conducted exclusively by us. 

With the colder weather creeping in, now is the perfect excuse to get the oversized layers back out.

Keep training. Keep eating properly. Get outside during the daylight when you can. Prioritise your sleep. Take your vitamin D. Use supplements where they're actually useful. And if you do get ill, give your body the chance to recover rather than panicking about missing a couple of sessions.

Consistency across months matters considerably more than forcing one terrible workout because your programme says it's Tuesday.

Stay warm, stay strong and embrace spooky season🎃👻

Team Haynes Strength 💜