Fall is in full swing now and this means that the kids have been back to school for some time, the holiday season is knocking at our door, we are getting ready to turn back our clocks making for shorter daylight, the weather is cooling off and we are point blank finding ourselves back into a over scheduled calendar. These aspects perhaps sound just as dreary as the long winter months many of us experience, because for many of us this means we find our healthy behaviors being put into hibernation. This outlook doesn't have to be so but instead it can be just as rewarding, all it takes is a little seasonal adjustment to our behaviors!
Plan, plan, plan: Whether is what your daily meals are going to look like or what form of formalized physical activity you are going to get in, make a habit of planning it out. On average many Americans don't even begin to contemplate what is going to be on the dinner table till around 4pm. This can lead to excessive eating out and ultimately excessive caloric intake. Plan how your weekly meals are going to look. This enables you to be certain you have all the ingredients on hand and appropriate time to prepare the desired meals of your choice. Also, engage in some supportive environmental control by strategically placing healthy snacks around the home, office, purse/backpack, and even in the car for when those uncontrollable hunger urges strike. By planning out when you plan to exercise and making an effort to decide what activity you are going to engage in, this helps reduce the common practice of throwing aside the time for working out. Believe me by taking the time to plan now will help you feel much better mentally and physically in the long run!
Begin a new habit: Perhaps the current morning ritual is to enjoy a cup of coffee and read the newspaper or your evening ritual is to watch your favorite television show. With the availability of day light being shorter than the summer months and the busier schedules, it is harder to keep that focused healthy perspective. However, incorporate something small into either your morning, evening or both routines that help stimulate that positive healthy outlook. Whether it is a short stretch, creating a daily goal you set to accomplish for yourself, or a light walk. Incorporating a positive support system into these various times will help in reducing the effects of daily stresses.
Make time for sleep: Because the days are getting shorter and we are finding ourselves cramming everything into a shorter period of time, it is easy for us to forget about the importance of sleep. Make sure you don't deny your body and mind the stimulation that rest can provide to a healthy lifestyle. Perhaps during the winter months this is the perfect time to set a bed time for yourself. Yes I know growing up everyone of us dreaded the infamous schedule bed time, but in reality our parents were actually ahead of the curve ball in building a healthy habit for ourselves. Sure, these times may vary from day to day, but by having a set time to call it a night will help prevent the often occurring staying up too late scenario.
Water is your friend: During the summer months many of us find ourselves hot and sweating frequently thus we resort to water to help rehydrate ourselves. However, during the winter months we don't experience quite the same outcomes and thus many times forget to keep ourselves properly hydrated. Yet, whether we realize it or not we need just as much if not more water to keep us hydrated during the winter months as we do during the summer months. A great strategy is to always carry around a water bottle. This is a great reminder that we still need to keep ourselves just as hydrated as we were during the summertime. It is also a great way to help keep off those unwanted pounds!
No on is perfect: With the winter months and holiday season upon us we are going to have our stumbles here and there, hey no one is perfect. Be realistic and give yourself some forgiveness with these challenging times as everyone of us will most likely have a stumble here or there. By being realistic in our goals that we set for ourselves and as long as we create a strong healthy environment the majority of the time we are to be better guaranteed to see little if any of an unraveling in our hard work. The holidays are meant to be enjoyed, but review the way in which we 'enjoy' them and create a common path of enjoying yourself with your healthier you! Perhaps this is the perfect year to clean out the way you celebrate traditions and update them to fit the current times.
Enjoy yourself this winter season and remember just because the days may be shorter, the air is cooler and the calendar is busier than normal does not mean we have to put aside our healthy way of living for just the summer months. This is a year long journey, all it takes is a little adjustment season to season.
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