What a year it has been! But, never too late to pick back up again, whether here on the blog or in your fitness journey. Let’s hang out together for a bit and take a look at some workouts, easy fall recipes, and other quick tips to keep you fired up all fall.
- A quick autumnal check-in:
- What’s working for me in my fitness journey right now?
- What isn’t working, and how can I cut it loose or change it?
- What have I accomplished in the last month (or week, or year), and how should I celebrate it?!
- Turkey Trot Training tips (totally optional, totally free) start NEXT WEEK, so if you’re interested and reading this sometime in September or October of 2021, hit me up so I can include you on the distribution list. As with last year, I have two tracks included in each email: beginner (not comfortable running a mile nonstop today) and improver (ready to work on running smarter, not harder).
- Free mental health improvements right here in this article, whether you think you need them or not: “Stumbling Into the Next Stage of Your Pandemic Life” (literally, there are some amazing, real-life tiny changes and epiphanies in here for you if you just haven’t been feeling like yourself). (Also relevant for my local peeps: being burnt out in Houston…I have a lot more to say in the next few weeks here about burnout, but this article has some real talk.)
- While we’re on the topic of stress… 20 min yoga for stress recovery, anyone? (Bonus if you need to hear this in order to take care of yourself – lowering your stress makes your body more willing to drop fat…but being relaxed is also cool for its own sake, you know?)
- Why it is officially NOT JUST CALORIES IN/CALORIES OUT, succinctly put, so stop thinking you can ever outrun your low-quality carbs.
- Quick and easy cardio to boost your mood….or longer cardio to see what you’re made of? I’m trying that long one tomorrow morning!
Need some meal and snack ideas for your week ahead?
- Pumpkin pie overnight oats: stir together rolled oats, chia seeds, pumpkin puree, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, milk or “milk” of your choice, and yogurt of your choice, and let sit for 30 min to 5 days. I like to make a big batch to be ready for my earliest mornings, so I make 4 of my servings at a time with 1 C oats, 1/3 cup chia seeds, about half a can of pumpkin puree, a teaspoon of spices (I mix cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger), 1/2 cup of “milk” and 3/4 cup of coconut yogurt…but your serving size might vary!
- Creamy pumpkin sauce OR pudding: blend together 12 oz silken tofu, the other half of your can of pumpkin, and EITHER 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 2-3 T EVOO, 1 teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder, and a drizzle of water if needed to thin OR 1/4 cup milk or “milk”, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, a pinch of salt, and spices like cinnamon and ginger to taste. Enjoy the pudding as-is, or try the sauce over noodles or veggies
- Cauliflower rice bowl: stir fry frozen cauliflower rice with edamame and diced peppers (I use a 1:1 mix of edamame and cauliflower, plus a big handful of peppers…it’s not science!) in a neutral oil with a pinch of salt, then top with your choice of sauce and proteins. This base can totally be made ahead of time. I like to top with the pumpkin sauce above, or with coconut aminos and a dash of hot sauce, along with some tofu (baked, broiled, raw, pan-fried…do you!).
No specific dumbbell workout this week, but I challenge you to pick 3 exercises (like lunges, tricep extensions, and rows) and do each one for 1 min…then take a break for 1 min, and repeat 1-2 more times. If you’re having a hard time coming up with a home workout, let me know! (Especially if you already train with me – I have videos just for you!)
A note on picking back up again…it’s not the first time I’ve had to do it on the blog, and it’s definitely a part of anyone’s fitness journey. We are all human, and “life” gets in the way sometimes! When you’re picking back up, remember that you can always:
- change directions
- wander with no direction for a while
- stop and start again
- do just a little bit, rather than biting off too much and getting discouraged
- ask for help
- accept help
- make mistakes but still carry on
and that taking breaks and moving on in new directions are both healthy parts of life. As much as it can be frustrating or painful to start again, it is an inescapable part of life, so be patient with yourself for being human, especially when the world is off-axis as it has been for over a year and a half now. (But, do start again as soon as you think you might be ready! Especially when it comes to your health – you will never regret taking care of yourself.)
