Fall is a favorite season for many, but it can also be a stressful time.
The kids are back in the thick of school and parents are rushing to transport them and help with homework. The flu might be starting to make its way into the house (and of course everyone gets it!). Football season and the parties associated with it are happening left and right (filled with loaded nachos of course). Your comfy tanks and shorts are swapped for jeans and light sweaters (and man…they might be a little tighter than you remember…).
It’s a time of change and while change is ultimately the most positive thing in life, it can also be anxiety producing.
Here are some tips that will help you make the most of the fall season.
Healthy Eating
Ahhh fall…cider donuts, maple pecan lattes, wings, nachos and seasonal pies! Falling in love, or at least food lust with this season is all too easy. However, don’t let the healthy eating habits that you forged during the summer go awry. You’ve worked hard to shed some of that winter weight and you deserve to keep it off.
At the heart of things, healthy eating is the way to a healthy lifestyle. While exercise is vital as well, people tend to be more inclined to participate in physical activity if they have the right fuel in their bodies.
Do not be swayed by tempting tastes! The feeling is fleeting, but the after effect is not. Stay the course with your eating plan and reap the benefits of feeling happy all year long.
Need some support? Try one of our Health and Wellness programs!
One of the best ways to keep on the healthy eating track is pre-packing healthy lunches. Make Sunday your day to cut up bags of carrot sticks, roast some veggies and pack individual bags of nuts. Having your sides ready to go makes life a little bit easier.
Shots!
The flu begins haunting us right at the beginning of fall. And really, nothing is more scary than your little ghost not being able to trick or treat due to a long and miserable illness.
However, the flu shot can help prevent the virus! Simply said, you need to get flu shots for yourself and your family. There’s no need to suffer unnecessarily!
If you’d like to learn more about the flu and how truly preventable it can be, check out this previous blog we wrote.
Remember, you can always make a call ahead appointment for your flu shot. It’s a simple, 15 minute appointment and it can make all the difference.
A Little Exercise
There are many ways to get and stay active in summer and fall, but arguably the easiest way to get and stay active is to simply walk regularly. Here are some easy ways you can increase your daily movement:
- Take an after dinner stroll.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Go on an adventure every week (think the Audubon society or hiking!)
- Walk on your lunch break with coworkers.
- Get a standing desk and walk in place.
- Mall walk (less fresh air – but walking is walking!)
- Join a “Couch 2 5K” program (we offer one and there’s an app too!)
Just 30 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your overall physical wellbeing.
Put Your Cell Phone Away at Night
You need sleep to rejuvenate your body in order to be able to be your best the next day at school or work. With the recent studies about blue light’s damaging effects being broadcast everywhere and the rise of phones being given to younger children for safety reasons, phones are becoming a problem for those seeking restful sleep. You need sleep to rejuvenate your body and work hard the next day at school or work. Here are some tips for giving your phone a rest while you catch some zzz’s.
- Read a book before bed – this will expand your vocabulary and tire your brain out so that you can have a more productive night’s rest.
- Make a list of goals – if you’re not much of a reader, unload your mind of extra thoughts by making a “hit list” of all the things you want to accomplish or all of the great ideas you’ve been meaning to execute.
- Get an alarm clock – many people use their cell phones as alarm clocks these days and that isn’t always healthy. If you are a light sleeper, a buzzing text or a pinging Instagram alert can cause you to wake up when you should be resting. Turn the phone off and turn the alarm on – you’ll feel the difference.
Create a Bucket List
September is the ninth month of the year, which means you have just three more to live up to those New Year’s resolutions that you may have already forgotten. Revive them and reimagine them as a bucket list.
What do you want to get done in 2018? Lose a few pounds? Take a fitness class? Hike a mountain? Be a part of a charity walk/run? Try a ropes course? Make a list and crush it! September is the perfect time to start.
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