10 Easy Tips for a Healthier Autumn

In this article:

• The start of autumn is a good time to plan for healthier choices.
• Eating well, getting active, staying on top of vaccines and other medical choices, and getting enough sleep are ways you can be healthier this autumn.
• Here are several tips for making healthy choices while enjoying seasonal pleasures like spiced pumpkin flavors and hay rides.
• Lark can support your goals and help you stay motivated as you make progress towards your health and weight loss goals with or without GLP-1s as you log food, get tips for eating healthier, and make small changes that can turn into healthy habits.
  

1. Eat from fall’s bounty

Seasonal fall produce can be bountiful and delicious. It can add fiber, antioxidants, and crucial vitamins and minerals to your diet while keeping calories low and taste high. Here are some fruits and vegetables that shine in autumn.

• Apples and pears
• Grapes
• Beets
• Onions and leeks
• Kale and chard
• Brussels sprouts and cauliflower
• Winter squash like kabocha, butternut, and acorn
• Parsnips
• Turnips and rutabagas
• Fennel
• Carrots
  

You can benefit most from preparing them in healthy ways. Limit butter, cream, and sugar. Instead, opt for plain fresh fruit, salads with vinaigrette dressing, and vegetables cooked plain or with a drizzle of olive oil.

You can also add fall produce to make recipes healthier and more satisfying. Here are a few examples.

• Stew cabbage with diced apples for a naturally sweet side dish
• Add pureed butternut squash to mac and cheese and reduce butter and cream to get a creamier, lower-calorie option
• Puree cooked turnips and sweet potatoes with low-sodium broth as a more nutritious alternative to mashed potatoes with butter or cream
• Add leeks, kale, or Swiss chard to egg muffin cups or scrambled eggs
• Stir pumpkin into oatmeal or cheesecake to add beta-carotene and flavor.
  

2. Make alternative recipes

Restaurants, coffee shops, and food manufacturers offer products with delicious flavors of fall. They may sound healthy with ingredients or flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon, and apple, but they’re often high in calories and low in nutrients.

Look for options lower in calories, sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. You can also try making your own versions.

Here are some examples of swaps you can make.

• Make pumpkin spice latte with unsweetened almond milk and less sugar
• Use our high-protein version of pumpkin spice oatmeal instead of sugar-laden instant versions
• Make shaved Brussels sprouts with sun-dried tomatoes instead of bacon
• Try a butternut squash bowl with kale instead of creamed kale or pureed squash with butter and sugar

3. Establish a schedule

If you don’t already have a consistent and defined schedule, it’s a good time to create and follow one if fall is a busy season for you. It’s also good to establish patterns and priorities before the holidays start, so that you can maintain your schedule throughout.

Rather than limiting you, schedules give you more possibilities by helping you prioritize your time. It helps you put your time, effort, and energy into the things that are most important to you. It also helps you remember what you intended to accomplish when the time comes.

Your schedule may include time for things like:

• Exercise
• Grocery shopping and food preparation
• Spending time with friends and family
• Responsibilities like work, caregiving, and errands
• Relaxation
• Sleep

Creating a schedule can also help you see where you’re spending your time. Just like you may notice “sneaky” foods when you start logging meals, you may notice that time-wasting activities “sneak” in when you start noting your schedule.

4. Exercise

Autumn is a great time to start a regular exercise routine if you don’t have one already. If you do, it can be time to kick it up a notch. Brutal summer heat is over, though there may still be an occasional heat wave. Fall weather can be pleasant, chilly, or cold, and it can feel energizing to get out for a walk, jog, hike, or bike ride (as long as conditions are safe). It’s a good time of year to establish an exercise routine or solidify your existing one. Here are some reasons.

• Exercise boosts brain power, allowing you to focus and get more done when work, school, and other obligations pick up.
• Exercise can reduce stress and improve mood. That may be especially important when nights are longer, days are shorter, and some people experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
• Establishing a habit now can help you maintain that habit during the holiday season, helping you manage your weight and reduce stress.

5. Socialize

Having better friendships is linked to greater happiness. It may be tempting to stay inside and hunker down as days get shorter and colder, but you may find that making an effort to socialize improves your mood and gives you more energy.

Some ways to connect with friends are to go out for coffee or a healthy meal, take a walk together, or go to a mall or museum. You might also cook together, craft, or engage in volunteer work. If you need to meet people, try searching for groups of people with similar passions to you like art, languages, reading, physical activities, or other interests that you have.

6. Embrace comfort food

In the fall, comfort food can be especially important. Filling, satisfying, and familiar dishes can serve as comfort food, and they can be healthy too! Listen to your body so you can find out what it really wants. Then come up with a nutritious way to satisfy that desire. Here are several ideas if you’re craving chocolate, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, or ice cream. And, try these healthy swaps for more common comfort foods.

7. Healthify your home

Make your home a healthy environment by making it comfortable and welcoming. You should feel happy and safe in your home. It’s also a good idea to tidy it up, so you feel free and not cramped in it. You might want to use space to stretch or exercise.

A tidy kitchen can also affect health. It’s easier to cook, pack up leftovers, and feel motivated when your surroundings are neat and organized. A few minutes of cleaning now can make for a healthier autumn as you pursue your goals.

8. Support immunity

Early fall marks the start of flu season. The CDC recommends that nearly all Americans get a flu vaccination and a COVID-19 vaccination this fall. Ask your healthcare provider where and when you can get yours. By the way, it’s also a good time to get updated on anything else you may be due for, whether it’s a wellness check, blood work, or a blood pressure measurement.

Along with vaccinations, you can lower your risk of infections with healthy everyday choices. Here are examples.

• Wash your hands often and properly
• Stay physically active
• Get adequate sleep
• Stay hydrated
• Choose nutrient-dense foods more often than high-calorie foods like fried foods, sugar-sweetened foods, refined baked goods, fast food, and fatty meats. Nutrient-rich foods include vegetables, fruit, fish, nuts, whole grains, and reduced-fat dairy products.

Ask your healthcare provider what else you can do to protect yourself.

9. Be prepared

You or someone close to you is nearly sure to get sick this winter. Whether it’s flu, COVID-19, pneumonia, or just a cold, are you prepared? Consider whether you have all of the medications you tend to take during the flu season and make sure you have access to them. Know where to find the number of your healthcare provider. You may also want to think about what kind of help you may need if you’re low on energy or homebound and figure out who can help if you need it.

10. Visit a farm

Farms offer all kinds of fun and healthy activities for all ages. You may be able to pick apples, see cows and pigs on a tour, choose a Halloween pumpkin right from the field, or go on a hayride. Check listings and directories to see if you can find farms or fairs in your local area. If not, there’s still a good chance you can find an urban pumpkin patch nearby, often with a petting zoo, a hay maze, or other attractions.

How Lark Can Help

This fall, work towards your weight and health goals by making small changes. Lark can help you make positive choices on a daily basis. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, coaching, and tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications.

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!

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