Take advantage of the season with these 6 healthy habits for fall! From nutritious recipes to outdoor activities, these ideas will help you stay well during the fall months.
Hello October, my favorite month of all! With anniversaries and birthdays, October is always full of fun celebrations at the KERF house.
October is also the beginning of the fourth and final quarter of the year and the beginning of the Christmas season. It’s often a time when our wellness habits and intentions are overlooked and put on the back burner, and it’s known for being the season of delicious things, from Halloween candy (or birthday cake for us) to Thanksgiving charcuterie boards, Christmas and New Year’s cookies. Eve champagne toast.
Fall is my favorite season for many reasons.
More than the New Year and more than spring cleaning, the fall season is my time to reset, revitalize, and recommit to my healthiest routines.
I’m sure this feeling goes back to the back-to-school feelings I experienced as a child. I like to get back to the routine.
And incorporating some healthy fall habits cheers me up for the long, dark months ahead. I think now is the ideal time to adopt healthy habits that will keep you energized and well all season long. As we transition from the lazy days of summer to the busier routines of fall, incorporating these six healthy habits into your lifestyle can help you make the most of this beautiful season.
6 healthy habits for fall
Here are six ways I’m revitalizing my fall routine:
Set a morning alarm.
During the summer I tend to sleep more. The pace of life is slower, there are no classes and more vacations to reset my biological clock. But with a school bus and drop-off schedules to keep when fall hits, we have to have a stricter schedule.
Both boys usually get up before 7, but sometimes Birch sleeps until 7:30. Those mornings are pretty hectic to get to school on time.
In an effort to get organized before the kids get up, I’m setting myself a schedule: early bedtime at 9:30 (usually reading), alarm at 6:26am. I usually spend some time doing my morning routine on my computer, then getting ready for the day with my skincare routine and drinking coffee along the way.
Enjoying NA happy hours.
Last year, I really focused on saving alcohol for weekends and special occasions only. Luckily, I’ve found a lot of really great NA (non-alcoholic) drinks that are just as enjoyable (I have a whole blog post on the best NA beers and wines). I did pretty well following this routine over the summer, and this is my reminder that pumpkin beer and red wine don’t help you sleep well.
I plan to limit my alcohol consumption to weeknights and special events during the week (if that happens!). Happy hour = happy body.
Switching my skin care to drier air.
When we go from cold weather to hot, humid weather in the summer, I have to make adjustments. And the same goes as we enter the colder months of fall and winter, making adjustments for the colder, drier weather! If you’re like me and your beauty routine needs something different when the seasons start to change, here are some tips for changing skin in the fall.
What’s wrong with my skin and makeup:
- More dryness
- More dullness
- The base sits in the folds.
- The skin feels tight in the afternoon.
How do I change it:
Enjoying hot tea with honey.
Hot tea season is back! In the colder months, Thomas and I have tea almost every night! I love Sleepytime tea with a little honey and it replaces our summer “ice cream on the couch” habit (haha, nice swap!). Much of my sugar cravings arise after meals because I need a palate cleanser, and tea with a little honey satisfies both. If you need more reasons to drink more tea, check out this post.
Recovering the preparation day.
Much of my summer is spent improvising meals and eating by the pool. Back-to-school season means fall sports and school schedules, so we’re getting smart with our meals. While we love using meal kits for dinners, breakfasts, lunches, and snacks could use a little TLC. I’m trying to prepare a few things for the weekend: think granola, energy bars, muffins, or baked oatmeal.
Preparing my lunches always helps a lot too. With the colder weather comes cravings for roasted vegetables, so I’m hoping to whip up a big skillet (including sweet potato fries for the kids). Having roasted vegetables on hand helps to quickly prepare slow-cooked lunches and dinners.
Get fresh, cool air for 30 minutes every day.
Ironically, in the summer I don’t walk as much because it’s so hot and humid. I don’t want to arrive in wet, stinky clothes. During perfect 70 degree days with twinkling sun appearing through the leaves at this perfect time of year, there is absolutely no excuse not to walk instead of drive, play outside in the yard, and spend more time outdoors. . Plus, winter is coming, so enjoy it before it’s gone!
I’m glad to be back within walking distance of Birch School (we were an extra 10 minutes at the rental), and I’ve added back the afternoon pick-up walk now that it’s not 100 degrees outside. 3 pm. Walks are so life-giving to me! I love listening to a podcast on my way or back and chatting with Birch about his day.
I’m also very excited to get our basement gym back. Oh how I missed my favorite Peloton instructors!
Bonus Habit: Wear “real” clothes!
Now that I have a beautiful, extremely organized new closet, I feel inspired to wear “real clothes” at least a couple of times a week. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t feel guilty about wearing workout clothes most days, but I always feel great when I put on a cute sweater and put on makeup.
This is my wish list of some pieces I would like to add to my wardrobe: these leather ankle boots // these jeans // this coat // this pajama set
What healthy fall habits are you adding or subtracting this month?
You can also enjoy:
