Fall leaves and pumpkins, please! Fall is my favorite season of the year. There is so much to love about it. Falling leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, apple picking, Halloween! But what about the cooler weather? The rain? The sicknesses going around? For me, when fall comes to town I like to focus on staying active and healthy.
Being active and healthy in the fall doesn’t need to be hard! You don’t need to go to the gym every day and skip out on your favourite hearty meals. It’s about balance and focusing on the things that keep you physically healthy throughout the season.
Here are 10 ways you can stay active and healthy during the cooler season of fall!
It’s so easy to get into what I like to call a “couch potato routine.” This type of routine consists of lots of lounging, cozy blankets, a warm fireplace, yummy drinks and food, lots of TV time, and not much else. Sounds great in theory but where is the activity?
Fall does not have to be synonymous with the couch potato lifestyle. You can enjoy both an active and healthy lifestyle while also indulging in your favorite fall festivities (like PSLs and rewatching The Office). Keep reading for all 10 ways you can stay active and healthy this fall season.
Swap gym workouts for home workout
You might not feel like leaving the house on a cold and dark day so you decide to skip the workout. Not anymore! Swap your gym workout for a home workout. Home workouts can be just as challenging as the gym. You just need to figure out what works for you.
Personally, I have some weights at home and I use free YouTube workouts. I always feel like I got a good sweat in and I don’t need to leave the house. Win-win!
If you are a newbie to home workouts I highly recommend making use of all the free YouTube videos out there! Check out my favourite channels:
Go for a hike
Hiking in the fall is a good way to stay active and also enjoy the great outdoors without the crazy heat and all the creepy crawlies.
Plus, it’s an activity you can do with a friend! During the fall and winter, people tend to stay indoors more and hang out with friends less so hiking is a great excuse to see a friend and get some social time in too!
Prioritize healthy meals
I will be the first to say that I love comfort food and fall is the PERFECT time for it. However, most comfort food is not the best for you. I am a strong believer in “everything in moderation” so please enjoy your mac and cheese but throw in some healthy meals too!
Another option is to find recipes for healthier versions of your favorite comfort foods. There is always a way to make something a bit more nutritious, lower carb, less salt, etc.
Apparently, pumpkin is a great healthy option, and now is the perfect time to try something new!
Track your activity
You may think you’re getting all your steps in but I bet you aren’t! Once you start tracking your activity it is super eye-opening.
It can be so easy to get stuck in that couch potato mode especially when fall brings out the cozy clothes. You might not be as motivated to keep that “summer bod.” However, it’s important to remember that exercise is not just about how you look. It’s about how you feel!
You can start tracking your steps with a fitness watch like the Garmin (I use this one). Or you could put pen to paper and use a planner (like this Clever Fox one) to track your workouts and general activity.
Do short workouts while watching TV
While you are rewatching a favorite TV show or binge-watching something new, get in a short workout! You could do an ab workout or challenge yourself to some cardio. You don’t need to pick between a workout and watching TV this fall!
Stay hydrated
This is a pretty basic piece of advice that you should really follow during any time of year but it’s important to stay hydrated during the fall when cold and flu season kicks off.
Take care of yourself by drinking lots of water! According to a study done about water consumption, only around 22% of adults actually drink enough water! Let’s bump that number up a bit, shall we?
Maintain a healthy sleep schedule
When the weather changes it can really mess with your sleeping habits. Since it gets darker earlier you may find yourself wanting to crawl into bed earlier too. Or you might find it extra hard to wake up in the morning so you start sleeping longer.
Whatever sleeping schedule works for you, try to stick with it. Not only does having a consistent sleep schedule help you stay healthy, but it will also just make your life a lot easier!
Get lots of Vitamin D
Getting Vitamin D naturally can be difficult during the fall. Generally speaking, the sunshine is still out for a while but when the days get darker it’s hard to soak up the sun.
For those of us who struggle with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) getting enough Vitamin D is crucial. So, if you can’t get outside and use the sunshine there are other ways to get it.
Of course, you can take Vitamin D supplements (talk to your dr about that).
You can also buy yourself a super cool lamp (happy lamps) that you can sit in front of each day to soak up some artificial outdoor light that is thought to trigger your brain to release chemicals that make you feel happier!
Go outside and get fresh air
It’s important to get some fresh air even if the weather is cold and dreary. You really will feel better mentally and physically if you step outside even for just a few minutes. I know I start to feel really cooped up and mentally drained, like a zombie, when I don’t get fresh air.
It’s also good to just open your windows sometimes. Air can become a bit stagnant and especially with all the extra germs going around, getting airflow in your home a couple of times a day is a good idea.
Wash your hands
I don’t think I need to explain much about this one. Over the past few years, it has been drilled into our minds to wash our hands so, just keep that up!
It’s not a secret that washing your hands helps you stay healthy. Fall typically brings some colds and flus so just remember to wash your hands often! I recently picked up some new soaps for Bath and Body Works and they smell soooo good!
Final thoughts
While it may not always be the easiest to stay active and healthy during the fall and winter months, it’s obviously super important to try. Going for walks, getting some fresh air, and eating healthier meals is a great place to start and are easy to do!
As I mentioned, it’s easy to fall into a couch potato routine (I’ve done it!) but it really doesn’t help you in the long run. Our bodies need movement, nutritious food, enough water, and some Vitamin D! So make sure you are taking care of yourself!
How do you stay active and healthy during the fall season?