5 New Healthy Habits To Try This Fall

And just like that, summer is almost over. I can’t believe the official start of autumn is just in 20 days (Eeek!).

That said, I wanted to share with you five new healthy habits to try this fall!

Note that you don’t have to do all of these habits. Just choose one you know you can stick with easily and begin with that habit. Baby steps is the secret to success.

Once you have that habit down, add on another one and continue to layer!

Here are important healthy habits I think everyone should try to do and get a bit more serious about this fall.

DRINK MORE WATER.

I’m not going to lie. I cannot drink plain water straight. For me, because I can taste the difference with various brands of water, I have to have lemon, fruit or mint in my water to drink it. My solution? I’ve switched sodas for carbonated water (with lemon) and I haven’t looked back. How long have I been doing this? Actually, I’ve been drinking carbonated water all my life, but I’ve been making it a part of my lifestyle for about five, going on six years.

I’ve done it so long that when I do take a sip or two of soda, it feels weird so I revert back to my carbonate water.

ONE IN, ONE OUT.

This one may sound silly, but the less you have, the more “free” you feel. You feel at peace with having less and on top of that, the less you have, the less clutter you have to clean up.

As you switch out your summer clothes and get ready for fall/winter, I highly recommend you purge everything in your closet. Sell/donate what you no longer wear. And next time you bring home something new, donate or sell something else. By using the “one in, one out” rule, you keep your closet edited and fresh! And hey, less laundry too!

SPEND MORE TIME OUTDOORS.

I know many people (me included) tend to not spend much time outside because it’s too hot. I try to, but the heat and humidity just drains me and mosquitoes are the main reason why I don’t go outdoors much during the summer.

That’s why autumn is my absolute favorite season of the year. When the weather cools down, I love to spend more time outdoors. Whether it’s a morning run, an evening walk, or playing tennis after work, feeling the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze makes my heart so happy! If you don’t take vitamin D, you might as well take nature’s version of it!

IMPROVE YOUR MOBILITY.

Your flexibility is important to your health. And if you need a reason why, let me tell you my story. On a winter day about ten years ago, I was walking to my car and slipped on some ice. Because of my flexibility, I didn’t pull a hamstring and was not injured. In that moment, I realized that my mobility I had been working on years prior (from dance) saved me from a possible serious injury. I can’t say that I have the flexibility I once had, but I’m working on getting it back, splits and all.

To me, taking time to stretch before working out is important for me to have a great sweat session. However, to have mobility in every day life is very helpful.

If you’re looking to improve your mobility this fall, you can do it while watching television at home. No need to go to the gym to get flexible. I highly recommend you follow Jen Esquer. She’s a great person to learn from whether you have injuries or not. Her how-to videos are very informative!

REST INTENTIONALLY.

This is something I’ve been practicing since spring. It’s hard for me to rest in general, but I’ve been learning to take a Sabbath day. This fall, I really want to “shut down” after a certain time each day and rest more in addition to taking a full day off of work and anything business related.

To do this, my plan is to go to bed 15 minutes earlier than usual and as each month goes by, increase it to 30 minutes until I reach my bedtime goal of 11pm (at the latest).

I hope these healthy habits gets you excited for the new season!

Your wellness journey doesn’t have to be big or drastic. What I’ve learned during my personal walk is to choose an option that’s easiest to me and do it little by little. That way, you have a sure fire way to create a habit and turn it into a lifestyle!

Let me know in the comments below which one(s) you’re going to try!

Image via Emma Lee