Food Life: Shifting From Summer to Fall

It’s time to take stock.

For me, September means we’re turning the corner. There is an opportunity for habit changes. What exactly does that mean? It means that I take a look at what’s happening for me, daily, and evaluate if I want to change anything from now until the end of the year. And there is always a diet component (because I look at life’s many dimensions through a food lens.)

Food Changes, Planning & Prepping

I feel like the pace of life is quickening. Summer to fall oftentimes means more scheduled obligations and work or projects to be done.

So, last weekend I prepped some food for lunches and breakfasts (still working on dinners). I made a frittata and some chicken breasts—that’s it—that will get me started with easy breakfasts and salads with chicken for lunch. I know I need more in the planning department and will work on planning, shopping and prepping food as September unfolds. My goal is to have a loose plan for the week and to prep for the next 2-3 days. For me, food life should be easy to pull together, not stressful, and certainly not dependent on takeout (Yikes!). A bit of planning and prepping helps ensure low stress about food, weight staying stable and enjoying good digestion and energy levels.

Craving Heartier Foods for Fall

In Denver, it’s still summer-y, but soon, as the temperature drops, we’ll be moving from salads to soups and stews. From fresh crunch to a heartier, softer approach to vegetables. It’s still important to eat as many delicious colors for our health, but veggies tend to be more preset in the summer.

So, be mindful of the number of veggies in your day. You should be shooting for 6-ish or more servings per day. One easy way to watch this is to count colors (kids especially like this). Another is to count serving sizes. Either way, pay attention. Fruits and vegetables are immune system fighters and where we get the important fiber, vitamins and minerals we need. Count them!

Clean-Eating Reset

Over the next several weeks, I’ll do a week-long (maybe 2 week-long) clean-eating reset. I tend to crave a reset as the seasons change from winter to spring and from summer to fall. It’s really just mindful eating of whole clean food, but it gets all of the cobwebs (sugar and mindless snacking) out. If this speaks to you, check out this reset menu and recipes. It should help with great energy for the week, loss of sugar cravings, after-dinner snacking and mindless eating overall. Join me! It does help you feel better, whatever that means to you. (Note: If you’re having any weird digestive issues, or other issues, please reach out before starting a reset.)

With summer waning and fall coming, think about your food life. It’s good to take stock on what is going well and what should shift. No time like the present! Enjoy.

Robin