Fall is officially here! This is my absolute favorite season--beautiful, magical, fall. I love the changing leaves, the brisk night air, and the approach of the holidays. There’s just so much to look forward to…like the pumpkin pie concrete at Ted Drewes (YOU DID NOT HEAR THAT FROM ME).

For me, the change of seasons brings a renewed energy that inspires me to make changes. This is a perfect time to engage or re-engage in your healthy habits so that you're in tip top shape for the fall and winter months.

Yep, you really are what you eat. So, do you want to be a walking cheeseburger? Or perhaps transition into a luscious garden of fruits and vegetables?

So, what would you like to focus on? Perhaps you would like to create healthier meals for yourself and family, or maybe you want to hit the gym on a more consistent basis.

To help inspire you to set a goal, I have three tips to help you spring into fall.

1) Fridge/Pantry/Drawer at Work inspection: Is your pantry the picture of whole foods health? Or, is your desk drawer bursting with Butterfingers? Is your favorite food pineapple of Pop Tarts? Uh-huh, that's what I thought. It's time to purge your pantry. Out with the junk and in with natural, healthy, green foods (in this context ‘green’ means earth-friendly and body-nurturing foods). There’s more on the pantry makeover in the article below.

2) Exercise your right to Exercise!: You've got to move it, move it! Schedule your exercise. Please don't let Fall be the reason you slowly stop working out and gain your winter 15 lbs. You'll be mad when spring comes around, and you'll have to work out like an Olympic sprinter to get the weight off for summer. If you don't have a lot of time - try to move 20 minutes a day. Remember, everything counts - stairs, cleaning the house, walking, dancing, etc.

3) Manage your Stress: BREATHE. I know we all breathe, but do you really breathe? Try starting your day with 3-5 minutes of deep breathing. Or meditating. Before I start working for the day I make a cup of hot tea and just tune into my breath and allow myself to just be, appreciate the moment, the day, my health, and my life. This will help put you in a balanced frame of mind to handle even your busiest of days.

Embrace the change of season as you would the springtime--fall is here to stay, so why not be on top of your game and embrace healthy habits now?

Now that we have that covered, read the quick and helpful article about how to go about your pantry makeover!

Sincerely,

Melissa Fox
Founder, St. Louis Health Coaching