Fall is officially here!
After slow summer days filled with beach naps and poolside lounging (plus plenty of rosé and barbecue food), everyone’s suddenly itching to get going. Time to meal prep like a boss, get your gym schedule back on track, and make major moves to further your career goals.
RELATED: Keri’s 5 Tips to Get (and Stay) Motivated
The problem is that right when you’re supposed to be initiating this plan to become the best version of yourself, everything around you is going into hyperdrive, making it even harder to get it all done without going insane. Oh, you wanted to run every morning at 6:00 a.m.? The kids also need to be out the door (with healthy lunches packed) by 7:00 a.m. And forget your plan to meditate—your boss just scheduled a two-hour “fall initiatives” meeting that starts at 8:00 a.m.
It’s okay, take a deep breath. We rounded up all of our Nutritious Life content that makes working towards healthy goals easier—to help you survive (and thrive) this fall. From dinners that are so easy they don’t even require a recipe to back-to-school mom hacks, we’ve got you covered.
First Up: Get Your Sleep in Order
When things get busy, getting enough sleep is the first thing that goes out the window. Make sleep a priority, because you won’t be able to manage any of the other stuff without it.
After a summer of wacky bedtimes and sleeping in, these expert tips can help you establish a regular sleep schedule for yourself and your kids. Also helpful:
- Essentials You Can Keep Next to Your Bed for Better Sleep
- 3 Ways to Refresh Your Bedding for Better Sleep
Clean Up Your Diet and Eat Well
If you overdid it all summer with margs and burgers, you may feel like you need a reset. We’re not big fans of juice cleanses, but these resources can help you detox the healthy way, by eating nutritious foods (and eliminating others).
Once you’re feeling refreshed and ready to commit to everyday healthy eating habits, you’re going to have to deal with the inevitable making-time-to-make-breakfast issue. For that, try:
- 10 Healthy Breakfasts You Can Make in 10 Minutes or Less
- 12 Easy Smoothie Recipes
- How to Make Overnight Oats (so Your Breakfast Is Waiting for You in the Morning)
For healthy lunches you can bring to work, consider brushing up on your meal prep skills.
Then, there’s the after-work and/or after-school rush to get a healthy dinner on the table. We have soooo many solutions for that:
- 7 Delicious, Healthy Dinners That Don’t Even Require a Recipe
- Delicious, Healthy Dinners Made With 7 Ingredients or Less
- 15 One-Pan Meals (for Easy Clean Up!)
- 7 Delicious, Easy Dinners for Fall and Winter
Manage the Back-to-School Situation
If you’re a parent, there’s also the challenge of feeding your kids and getting them on track for a healthy, productive school year.
Start by reviewing these back-to-school survival tips from wellness expert moms. Then, stock up on these lunchbox essentials that make it easy to pack healthy meals (you can get a cool container for your own salads, too!).
For meals, try:
Rev Up Your Workout Routine
If you’ve forgotten what it means to sweat often, don’t set unattainable goals like getting to spin class 6 days a week. When things are busy, you need short, sweet, effective workouts that you can do anywhere, anytime. Like:
- 5 Smart Core Workouts You Can Do in 15 Minutes or Less
- 5 No-Equipment HIIT Workouts You Can Do in 30 Minutes or Less
- 5 Short Yoga Routines to Build Strength and Reduce Stress
Fire Up Your Career
Okay, #goals. If you set some work goals in January, now’s a good time to check in on your progress or set new ones, altogether. These expert tips can help you keep your goals realistic.
If it’s time to ask your boss for a raise, brush on your negotiation skills. If you’re a freelancer or business owner who needs to increase productivity, spend some time getting rid of things in your workflow that cause decision fatigue.
And, well, if now’s the time to finally launch that health and wellness career you’ve always dreamed of, we’re obviously going to recommend joining our Become a Nutrition Coach Program!
….and Stress Less. Seriously!
Finally, none of this is going to matter or make a difference if you’re running around like a (free-range) chicken with its head cut off. It may seem impossible to fit in opportunities to manage your stress amid the frenzy of fall, but that just means it’s more important than ever. Here are some ways to keep stress in check that don’t require going on a week-long Zen retreat or even committing to a 90-minute yoga session:
- 3 Tips to Embrace the Power of Saying “No” (AKA You Don’t Have to Do Everything)
- Short-and-Sweet At-Home Yoga Routines for Relaxation
- 5 Creative Practices You Can Use to Manage Stress
- 3 Simple Strategies for Turning Stress Into Opportunity
Happy fall!
