As we officially put a close to Summer ’16, talk of Pumpkin Spice flavored everything, cooler temps (hopefully, we ARE in Texas) and shorter days are ahead. This also tends to mean diets, schedules and motivation levels change. So we put together 10 ideas for transitioning your summer routine to a fresh fall fitness routine.
1. Get Outdoors: take advantage of these cooler temps (again, we’re hoping they come soon) and go for a walk in the evening with the pup. Or maybe add in a morning jog a couple times a week. This will help curb the extra calorie intake that is said to happen in the fall months.
2. Make the Crockpot your BFF: cooler temps means cravings for comfort food. So in an attempt to not grab those frozen pizzas, prep some meals in the crockpot that you can have ready, warm and smelling delicious as soon as you walk in the door. Our favorite place to find some inspo and new recipes is Pinterest. Seriously, there are a ton of recipes there but just try and avoid the ones with too much cream, dairy or pasta.
3. Eat your (seasonal) Veggies: over the summer you may have enjoyed the bounty of local seasonal produce like watermelon, cantaloup, tomatoes, zucchini but those are now going to be ‘out of season’ and may be harder to come by or just not taste that great. So now is the time to enjoy say goodbye (for now) and say a ‘Whale Hello’ to the seasonal veggies of fall like butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, pears, apples and more.
4. Pick a time of day for classes and be consistent: Starting a new routine boils down to one thing… consistency. They say it takes at minimum 21 days to form a habit. So set a goal for yourself to take 2 6AM classes a week for 3 weeks.
5. Write it out: If number 4 on this list is proving to be a tough one, another suggestion is to journal your schedule for 3 weeks. After that time, go back through and see where you have consistently started bad habits and then work on eliminating them. Maybe it’s too much TV watching or skipping workouts. Look back through and identify where you need to make some changes!
6. Avoid late night eating: this can especially be difficult when the time change happens but stick to eating meals at regular times. RESIST the temptation for an after-dinner snack and you will cut out 200-300 calories a day. (depending on what you are eating. We’re giving you the benefit of the doubt here assuming it’s not an entire Ben & Jerry’s pint.) Doing this alone will help you feel more empowered about your daily eating habits! Who knows what else it will motivate you to do.
7. Try our favorite fall protein shake: 1 scoop vanilla Juice Plus Complete, 1/4 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 frozen banana, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, dash of cinnamon, almond milk.
8. Plan a fall activity to look forward to: a weekend getaway, a picnic with your favorite fall foods, a coffee date and walk with your BFF, etc.
9. Write down your goals: putting pen to paper (or writing them in the notes app on your phone.. hello, who writes anything these days) can help you stay accountable and achieve your fitness and health goals!
10. Get a new pair of kicks: nothing says you’re ready for a fresh new fitness routine like a new pair of tennis shoes! You’re welcome for the excuse to go shopping!
