Fall in Love with Fitness

     I love the season of fall so much! All the colors, the cooler weather, the seasonal food, cozy days... I could go on and on! To me, the first sign of fall is when the leaves start to change into the brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges! I think Fall is such a beautiful time of year, and it gets me in the mood of all sorts of things!

 

   One of the things Fall gets me in the mood for is working-out outside! Here, the cooler weather makes for such nice workouts, that I look forward to them more and more! Lately, my go-to workout has been running, which I used to dis-like with a passion! Now I love to run, and am falling deeper in love with every time I run! We have a treadmill in our garage, so when the weather is cool, I open up the garage doors and workout in the cooler air!

 

     With every new season comes change, and a chance to start something new! When ever the season, month, or year changes, I always get motivated to start new, start fresh, or make new goals to strive after! Fall is a great time to start new health and fitness goals because it's a great time to get outside, get active, and become healthier!

 

     But, how do you get started? How do you start down the road to a healthier life? My advice is, start small and work your way up. 'Rome wasn't built in a day' after all! Making small changes, instead of big ones, helps you get used to them and become more comfortable with them.( For example) Going from a fast-food diet to a healthier, homemade meals diet over night can be a big change, but starting slow with...maybe one meal a week homemade, and working your way up from there is so much easier and will help you stick to it!

Food First!
     I personally think that, if you are starting out fresh in a healthy lifestyle, that diet is the first thing you should change. It can be the hardest part for some, and the easiest part for others, but nevertheless, I do think its the most important part of a healthy life! How can you expect your body to be able to start being more active if it doesn't have good, healthy fuel(food) to keep it going?! Here are a few things you can do to start eating healthier!

1. More Water! Try and drink lots of water everyday! Not only does this keep you hydrated, it also helps you feel full longer, helping you not over eat!

2. Less Meat, More Veggies! If you read my Portion Control   , blog post, you'll know that only 1/4 of your plate should be meat, another 1/4 should be grains, and the rest should be piled high with veggies! Practice this the next time you eat a meal, and you'll be amazed that you can still be stratified, even with less meat!

3. Eat at Home! I know this isn't so easy for everyone, but eating at home is a great way to insure that the food you are eating is healthy! Making your own meals lets you know just what goes into your meals!( By the Way, I am not talking about premade store bought meals!).

There are lots more tips and trick to getting your diet on a healthier track! If you would like more, check out Clean Eating  , and Healthy Habits.

Get Moving!
     Second to your diet, exercise is also very important to having a healthy body. Most people are far to sedentary, which is why we have so many people with health problems( which is another topic all together!). Getting up and moving, even for a short time  every day or so, will keep you fit, healthy, and happy! Here are a few ways to add exercise into your daily life!

1. Walk! Its really that simple, just walk! Walk to work or school( if you can), take the stairs, park a little further from the store than normal, or just take a walk! Walking is such a relaxing exercise, you won't even know you are getting a workout in!

2. Short but Effective! Doing short, yet effective workouts every morning or night( I like to do them before my shower at night!) is a great habit to get into! They can be little things like: 50 Jumping Jacks, 50 Squats, 20 Sit-Ups, or 10 Push-Ups, 30 Lunges, 40 Jog-in-Place( to give you a few examples). Like I said, start small and work your way up!

3. Workout Buddy! Having a workout budding is a great way to keep yourself on track! Find a friend, or make a new one, and set goals with each other. If you work or go to school together, walk together during lunch, or something like that! Pick a day of the week to meet and go on a jog/run. Have fun and you won't dread those workouts!

My blog is full of workout tips, workouts, and more, so check them out!

 

I hope you enjoyed this post and that it helps you start fresh this fall, with a healthier lifestyle! Remember, Fall isn't just about the treats, pumpkin spice lattes, and sitting on the couch, but it is a great time to get up and get active and healthy!

Please share this post and my blog with your friends and family to share the love of healthy living! Follow the blog via email, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, and on Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett.

I post every Friday, so stay tuned!

Keep healthy and Safe!
H. Banana