Fall is my favorite time of year.
Falling leaves, warm sweaters, chili, apple cider, and any pumpkin treat I can get my hands on. But, sometimes I can go a bit overboard and then I start feeling bloated, groggy, and lathargic.
This got me thinking…this time of year, when it gets colder and we find ourselves more sedentary, it can make it difficult (and intimidating) to attempt or maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
I wanted to share some tips to avoid the weight gain that many of us experience this time of year. (FYI – you can still have the fried okra and lose weight – it’s called BALANCE). Check out these five tips to maintain a healthy lifestyle while still enjoying those pumpkin muffins.
Use a Smaller Plate
The bigger the plate, the more food we want to put on it. Instead, opt for a smaller plate. This way you’re less likely to overeat. I don’t know about you but when I have a big plate, I tend to pile it on. A smaller plate will trick your mind and help you avoid feeling bloated and exhausted after your meal.
Avoid Alcohol During the Week
Aside from the fact that you don’t want to head to work on a Friday with a headache, avoiding alcohol during the week is a great way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Depending on your drink of choice, you could be consuming a lot of extra calories with your evening cocktails.
When you’re drinking, you’re also more likely to opt for unhealthy foods and to avoid your workouts. Instead, save your eggnog and spiced cider for the weekends.
Eat Healthy Through the Week
The weekends may be full of tailgate foods or smores, so you want to be sure that you’re eating healthy throughout the week. Plan your meals and prep them if possible to ensure that you always have strong, healthy foods available. Plus, if you do indulge on the weekends, you won’t feel like you’ve gone completely off track.
And while you’re making better food choices, if weight loss is a goal, you will want to know how many calories to consume. Figuring this out may feel overwhelming, but you could use a weight loss goal calculator to quickly and easily find out what calorie consumption is necessary to reach your goals. Just enter a few details and you’ll know what to aim for!
Get Plenty of Sleep
When it comes to maintaining (or beginning) a healthy lifestyle, you may overlook the importance of your beauty sleep. Poor sleep habits can affect us in many ways including changing your fat cells and increasing food cravings. Figure out what your optimal sleep is and aim to get it each night.
Get Your Movement In
Staying active will not only help with the extra calories you may be taking in but it will help with stress and anxiety too. When you work out, you release endorphins, “the feel-good chemicals”. Remember what Elle Woods said about endorphins? They make you happy and who doesn’t want to be happier?
Feel Like You’ve Fallen Off the Wagon?
If you feel like you’ve fallen off the wagon of a healthy lifestyle, don’t fret. You never feel off, you just got sidetracked and you can easily get back on track with a few tweaks to your daily routine.
If you want more help or accountability to get back on track or start something new, I would love to help. Fill out this quick application to see how I can help you reach your goals.
