I don't know about you ... but I love fall.
We have football, hoodie weather ... and some of the best holidays all packed into just a couple months. And of course, all the quality time you get to spend with family & friends.
I also know how hard it can be to make your health and fitness a priority during this time of year. Not only finding the time to exercise in between all the events that pop up ... but navigating these events that almost always involve eating & drinking some things that aren't the best for you.
Now, I'm by no means telling you to avoid these events and everything that fall brings with it (I'm certainly not going to do that!).
But I am going to share with you some tips that I use myself to stay on track during this time of year. These tips will help you continue to make progress with your fitness goals ... and allow you to enjoy your fall season as well.
Tip #1 - When it comes to your diet ... focus on protein and fiber.
You're going to be around a lot of different foods these next couple months ... many of them are not ideal for your fitness success. Like I said above, I'm not telling you to avoid all the good food. That's a big part of what makes this time of year so great ... but placing a focus on your protein and fiber intake will help you tremendously.
Both protein & fiber help control your appetite and balance blood sugar levels ... which means less cravings. And of course, if you're not eating enough protein throughout the day ... you'll struggle to build muscle and/or burn fat.
Try your best to shoot for roughly a palm size of protein or 25 grams of protein each time you eat a meal ... and try to get some fruits & veggies on your plate as well to add some fiber.
Tip #2 - Drink Water
It's no secret that water plays one of the biggest roles in your fitness success ... but it's easy to forget how important it actually is. You'll notice that no matter what type of diet you're following or what type of fitness goals you have ... proper hydration is a must.
One of the biggest things water can help with, just like protein and fiber, is controlling your appetite. When you're properly hydrated, you'll be much less likely to overeat.
I know for me, sometimes I think I'm hungry when I'm actually thirsty!
When you drink enough water, you'll also have a much easier time digesting your food (especially food that's a little off-plan) ... leading to less bloat and discomfort after your meals.
This is barley scratching the surface when it comes to all the benefits of proper hydration ... so make sure you're shooting for 100-120oz of water per day!
Tip #3 - Stay Active
I know for me ... I like to lift weights because of all the benefits resistance training provides. I know I'm not the only one who's strapped for time during the fall season ... which is why I like to use some tips and tricks to shorten my workouts, but still keep them effective.
If you're not someone who goes to the gym or lifts weights ... that's ok! There's many ways to stay active including riding a bike, swimming, yoga, pilates ... and even something as simple as walking.
As long as you're making an effort to move your body, especially on those fall days where you know you'll be eating a little extra food ... you'll continue to make great progress.
Tip #4 - Get Quality Sleep
We all know sleep is extremely important, but if you're anything like me ... you need to be a lot better about focusing on quality sleep.
Building muscle, losing fat, improving energy levels, recovering from workouts, lowering stress, improving digestion, proper hormone production ... the list goes on when it comes to what quality sleep provides.
When you lack quality sleep ... you'll have poor appetite control & more stress (which can lead to weight gain), lower energy levels, poor mood ... and you just won't feel very good overall.
With this time of year being so busy, dealing with friends & family, and everything else in between ... sleep can be hard to come by. So make sure you're doing your absolute best to shoot for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
Tip #5 - Register for our $10,000 Fall Operation Transformation Challenge
There's still time to sign-up for our $10,000 8-Week Operation Transformation Challenge!
You'll get tons of tips, just like we shared in this article, to help you navigate fitness & your everyday life.
We'll also help you with your diet, exercise program, and you'll have 24/7 access to our Sports Nutrition Specialists & Personal Trainers to help guide you.
And if you make the best transformation during the 8 weeks ... you'll take home a GRAND PRIZE of $10,000!
Signing up is quick, easy ... and 100% FREE!
We promise that Operation Transformation is exactly what you need to make sure you go into the new year looking & feeling your best!
You can click here to get more details.
*This article was written by Andrew Lynn, who has a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. He is also a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist.
