Living Well: Re-think Wellness for Fall

Celebrate the season in a healthy way! There are lots of fun and creative ways to enjoy fall that support wellness too, from apple picking to roasting seeds. Below are 9 ways you can rethink wellness this fall – pick one (or make up one of your own) and go do it!

9 ways you can rethink wellness this fall

1. Take a walk on a nature trail and check out the vibrant fall colors.
2. Rake up a pile of leaves, strictly for jumping into.
3. Go apple picking, then whip up a healthy treat with those freshly picked apples.
4. Go for a hayride in the brisk fall air.
5. Roast pumpkin or squash seeds for a delicious snack full of nutrients.
6. Cheer on your favorite sports team with friends and family – outdoors, if possible.
7. Volunteer! Collect food or winter gear, prepare meals, visit a care facility, etc.
8. Do a Turkey Trot, Jingle Bell Walk or other seasonal outdoor event.
9. Don’t just watch those parades on TV…go see a local one, live!

Holiday Strategies: Eat More to Eat Less?

Occasionally indulging in your favorite treats during the holidays isn’t a bad thing. But when food is the star of nearly every holiday event, repeated overindulging can happen way too easily.

You don’t need to stop eating these foods altogether; the secret is to curb your appetite first with a healthy and nutritious snack. This makes it much easier to enjoy those holiday treats without eating more of them than you want to.

Try eating low-calorie, high-fiber snacks before holiday events to help keep things in balance. Add a little protein to help you feel full longer. Here are some options:

• High protein yogurt with berries
• Veggies with hummus
• An apple with nut butter
• Cottage cheese with fruit
• Broth-based soup
• Light popcorn
• Hard boiled eggs, or sliced lean meat
• A handful of almonds or walnuts
• Oatmeal or whole grain cereal

Pick one or two of these that appeal to you, and plan to keep plenty of them in stock over the next couple of months. That will make it a breeze to reach for that healthy snack when you need one.

Here’s to Living Well!