Fall can be a great time of year when you prepare yourself for success. Avoiding holiday blues and staying on track with your health goals IS POSSIBLE. Keep your mind, body, and spirit healthy and happy with a few simple tips.
Gratitude
Yay! We made it to another change of seasons! Every new day is an opportunity for joy and fun.
Express your gratitude for all the good in your life. Start with the little things if you are struggling. Thank the sun for shining, the hot coffee or tea you sip each morning, thank your home for keeping you and your family warm. These do not need to be huge things to make a difference in your mental state.
As you are grateful for more little things, you may find yourself attracting even bigger things to be thankful for.
Start Your Morning with Intentional Movement.
Make time to give your body the exercise it needs to stay strong and healthy. Stretching, yoga, brisk walking, a jog, or an online workout are all great options for intentional movement. Studies show that even multiple 10-minute intervals each day are beneficial. Don’t have 30 minutes each morning? No problem! Some movement is better than no movement.
Positive Self Talk
Check yourself throughout the day. Are you being as supportive and positive to yourself, as you are to your closest friends? It is hard to stay on track if “someone” is berating you all day. Give yourself grace and encouragement rather than harsh self-talk.
You won’t be “perfect” and it doesn’t exist. If you know that each season has new obstacles you can embrace each one without getting down on yourself for giving the same effort you might in January or June!
Meal Prep & Planning
Set yourself up for success with healthy comforting meals ready to go when you finish work for the day. Crockpot meals can be simple to prep and ready when you are. Choose foods your whole family loves. Eating warm food helps us feel satisfied and taken care of.
If you don’t want to cook ahead, at the very least plan out your meals. Figure out what you want to have each day so that you aren’t tempted to just say screw it and order in, or go through a drive through. It’s much easier when you have a plan.
Check the Emotional Eating
The holiday season can be stressful for many. Those of us that have turned to food for comfort in the past, will unconsciously continue this path, until we choose to create new healthier patterns for ourselves.
Before you reach for those chips, or holiday cookies, stop and think “why am I about to eat these particular foods?” Get up and go for a quick walk through the house or office. Slow your mind down by sipping some warm herbal tea. Breath in those wonderful scents as you focus on the moment.
Not hungry, but find yourself wanting to munch?
Instead of mindlessly eating, choose a stick of sugar free gum, or a breath mint. Brush your teeth for a “built in” deterrent to eating between meals.
Still want that dessert after eating a healthy meal?
Use the 3-bite rule. Cut yourself an exceedingly small portion of that cake or pie you are craving. Now take a deep breath. Drink some water. Focus on the scent of that bite, the taste and texture. Really enjoy each bite. We experience our greatest pleasure from food in the first 3 bites. Make those 3 bites amazing.
If you want more, and you are sure, have it. It’s not about deprivation, it’s about intention!
I know some of this may seem overly simple, or even silly, but it really does all start with our mindset. Getting your mind in check is the best way to stay on track with your health and fitness through the fall!