Healthy habits to start this fall
By: Dan Welden
Summer may have just ended, but the truth is another swimsuit season is always right around the corner. It’s never too early to start forming habits that will make getting your beach bod back in shape so much easier. Here are seven habits you should adopt this fall:
Go to Bed Earlier!
It’s that time of year when it gets dark earlier, evenings become cooler, and rooftop parties come to an end. Why not take advantage of these calm times and start turning in earlier? Your body will thank you.
Eat Breakfast!
Many of us will hit snooze until there’s only enough time to power-shower, grab a coffee, and cab it to work. Though this can sometimes feel energizing in a strange, unnatural way, skipping breakfast can have a major impact on your metabolism and your emotional well-being. You should ideally have four to five small, healthy meals a day—not skipping meals then binge-eating. There are several quick healthy options available, but if time is your enemy, get protein bars and take one on the go.
Take a Fitness Class!
Beach and pool parties are winding down. Why not transfer that energy and join a fitness class? There are hundreds of efficient fitness classes across the city, and they’re a great way to meet new people.
Stretch Every Morning!
People are not designed to sit all day, but office jobs force us to sit for hours on end. Most of us sit with extremely poor posture, slouched over the keyboard, plugging away at emails and dreaming of Friday night drinks with friends. Some of the effect this can have on the body includes tight hips, lower back pain, and tight hamstrings. You can help fix or prevent these problems by making it a habit to stretch every morning. This will also help you wake up and feel better throughout the day.
Hit the Gym!
Now that you’re not spending hours at a time bathing in tanning oil while worshiping the sun gods, invest that time with the muscle gods at the gym. There are gyms to suit all walks of life in this city, so get in the habit of going to the gym on a daily basis.
Make Weekly Goals!
Goal-setting is extremely important when it comes to health and fitness. Start setting small, easily obtainable weekly goals, and you’ll gradually be able to set bigger goals without feeling overwhelmed.
Give Up Soda!
Soda is bad for you! It doesn’t matter if it’s sugar-free and zero-calorie—that does not make it healthy. Break this habit and make a new one. Replace soda with water or a fresh-squeezed juice. Start slow if you’re a soda addict by replacing one a day, and progress from there until you’re soda-free.
Habits like these generally take time to develop, but you’ll soon wonder how you could ever stop. So take advantage of the end of summer by adopting habits that will get your body on point for every season.