The summer months are over now, so it’s time to put away our swimsuits and take out our coats and scarves and prepare for fall. While the weather is not as cold just yet, sharp winds and rainy days are just around the corner and our bodies will need time to readjust.
If you want to make this transition easier on yourself, you should prepare your body and mind for the fall season to come.
Here are a few tips to help you greet the new season with ease.
Keep your skincare routine going
Your summer skincare staple was probably a high SPF sunscreen, but the coming of fall does not mean that you can skip this step in your daily routine. While the sun may not be as strong in the fall, the harmful UV rays are still there (this applies to winter as well), so make sure you keep protecting your skin.
In addition, colder weather and wind can wreak havoc on your skin as well and dry it out, so make sure you adapt your choice of moisturizer to these circumstances. A face mask or two can be a good idea too.
An adequate pace
Since the summer months are characterized by a break of your usual routine and plenty of active days, it can be a shock to go back to the usual 9-to-5. Many people dislike fall purely because of this transition, but adjusting the pace of your lifestyle can help you with this.
First of all, allow yourself to rest properly and gather energy for the upcoming influx of work and tasks. Our energy levels tend to drop due to less daylight, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Changing up your workout routine to better fit this pace can be a good idea too.
While the ending of summer and the coming of bulky layers of clothing does not mean that you can throw your fitness goals out the window, swapping some of your cardio for more relaxing workouts, such as yoga, pilates or PIYO, is a mindful way of preparing for the slower seasons while keeping your body in check.
Make sure you get all your vitamins
As winter draws closer and a lot of fruits and vegetables go out of season, it’s only natural that our vitamin intake might take a drop. However, it’s exactly in these colder months that we need these vitamins the most, so it’s essential that you pay special attention to your diet.
For instance, you are especially going to need plenty of vitamin C to ward off getting a cold, so introduce citrus fruits to your daily diet. In addition, as days get shorter, you might not get as much vitamin D as you need, so ask your doctor about supplementing.
However, just because some fruits and vegetables are not as easily available, it doesn’t mean that there are no alternatives. You can, for instance, look up recipes that incorporate fall vegetables. There are even edible plants that are sown in the colder months, so all you need is a little bit of effort and you can have a healthy diet all year round.
A clean home equals a clean mind
Spring is not the only season when you need to do a thorough cleaning of your entire home. Getting rid of clutter can feel like decluttering your mind at the same time, and if your home became somewhat of a mess during summer, putting everything back in order, cleaning the floors and curtains, airing out your bedding and reorganizing your wardrobe for the upcoming season will feel like organizing your mind at the same time.
This kind of fresh start will make you feel calmer, and bringing out those cozy blankets and fall decorations will put you in the right mood to be excited about the fall holidays that are just around the corner.
Immerse yourself in the fall colors
Every season is beautiful in its own way, but the colorful changes that fall brings to nature are arguably one of the most beautiful ones every year. And since this period is rather short, you should make the most of it.
Spending time in nature is proven to be very beneficial for both our physical and mental health, so take frequent walks to boost your wellbeing and to relax your mind. This is another way of staying active when all we want to do is stay inside all day with a cup of tea and a good book.
A lot of people see fall as the beginning of the end of something. While it is true that the coming of September signals that the end of the year is drawing nearer and you might feel like you are running out of time, that is not true.
This is why we need to welcome each season positively, which you can do by preparing your body and mind for it.
Identity Magazine is all about guiding women to discover their powers of Self-Acceptance, Appreciation, and Personal Achievement.
We ask that every contributor and expert answer the Identity questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the current article they have written. In that way, and as a team, we hope to encourage and motivate each other, thus inspiring you to Get All A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? Additionally, what are you still working on accepting? Now, we’re not talking about resignation, rather stepping into, embraced, and owned.
I accepted diversity in the world and the beauty of telling your honest opinion on things.
Appreciation is everything. What have you learned to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? On the other hand OR in contrast, are there elements of who you are that you’re still working on appreciating?
I appreciate my ability to connect with people, to share their stories.
Share with us one of your most rewarding achievements in life? Tell us not only what makes YOU most proud but also share the goals and dreams that you still have.
My biggest achievements are my 4 friendships for life ( Jen, Nico, Teo, Andrea – love you)!
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