Well, it’s happening again. Summer is coming to an end. No more sunny days on the beach, late night swims in the warm water, drinks on the patio, or BBQ suppers. Now, you may be thinking that this sounds dreadful, and the only thing to look forward to with fall quickly approaching is pumpkin spice season, but you would be mistaken.
Here at Kaizen Naturals, one of our favourite parts of back to school season is getting back on the healthy train! We know how hard it can be to maintain a fitness routine in the summer when all you want to do is lounge in the sun, sipping mojitos, and munching on chips. The last thing you want to do on a boiling hot summer day is make yourself even hotter by working out. We get it.
But now’s your chance to put all of that behind you, embrace the cooling temperatures and get back to your routine. And we are here to help!
We’ve put together a list of our top 4 healthy back to school habits, to help you put summer vacation behind you and get back on track.
Eat Right
Obvious? Yes, we know. But it is one of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and there are a few simple ways that you can ensure you are eating the right foods, even when you feel like ordering a pizza to soothe your end of summer sadness.
Pre-make everything. Yes, everything. Breakfast. Lunch. Snacks. Dinner. Dessert (healthy version). Everything. This may seem like an impossible task, but it is quite easy if you are able to dedicate one day or one afternoon to preparing your food for the entire week.
Write up a quick meal plan and grocery list. Get the supplies you need. And cook away.
Thinking that you will never be able to find the time between work, entertaining your kids, and trying to maintain an exercise routine? Encourage your kids to help you. Make cooking into a fun family activity. Give your kids simple tasks like peeling or mixing. This way you get to spend quality time together, your kids feel like they are making a contribution to their meals, and you have less work to do.
Need some food inspo? Click here to find healthy recipe after healthy recipe.
Stay Active
Another seemingly simple, but easy to skip step in mastering your back to school routine, exercise.
We aren’t saying that you have to join a gym and lift weights 6 days a week, but it is important to move your body Every. Single. Day.
Take your dog for an extra long walk, or better yet a run. Play catch or kick a ball around with your kids. Get up bright and early for a yoga class. Or join a gym and get those workouts in!
Find an activity that you and your family enjoy and make it a part of your weekly plan. Schedule it in your day planner, let your kids know that it will be happening regularly; that way you will be less likely to skip it.
Whatever your workout of choice, make sure you, and your family, are staying active.
Taking care of your family can be tiring, we know, but you need to take care of yourself and your body as well.
Reduce Screen Time
As tempting as it may be to come home after work and veg out in front of the TV, put this urge to rest. It will benefit both you and your kids. The less time you spend in front of the screen, the more time you have for activities with your family.
Are you a nighttime TV watcher or do you scroll through Instagram before going to sleep? Switch up this routine and read a book instead and encourage your kids to do the same.
Let’s be real. Your kids are growing up in the age of technology and its not practical to think they that could cut out screen time altogether. But encourage them to reduce their screen time in ways that resonate with them. Find activities that they enjoy doing where cell phones are not necessary, encourage them to finish their homework before being allowed TV or cell phone use, or limit tv consumption to 2-3 days a week.
Not only will the reduced screen time allow you and your family more face-face time, it may also help to reduce anxiety and stress and improve sleep, allowing for more focussed, intentional, and active days.
Get Enough Sleep
Last, but certainly not least, an important habit for better back to school health is making sure to get enough sleep. With the days getting shorter and shorter, this should be easy right? Not always.
With a million and one things to do, from time to time, we all sacrifice sleep in order to cross even just one more thing off our list, but its important to make your sleep a priority.
Getting enough rest each night will help you to wake up feeling refreshed and productive to ensure that you are functioning optimally both at work and at home with your family.
Not a good enough reason yet? Don’t worry, we’ve got more. Getting enough sleep can also help to keep your diet and exercise routine on track. We’ve all been there, the day after a long sleepless night where you feel like you could eat everything in sight and the last thing you want to do is head to the gym for a workout. Sleeping the appropriate amount every night can help to curb cravings and provide you with more energy, which you can use to get your butt to the gym.
There you have it, four healthy back to school habits. Try them out and let us know how good you and your family feel.