FIT Fridays: Another step forward

Hello FIT Friday Friends,

How are you this week? Southern friends, has the soggy weather dampened your spirit? your energy? Has it sent you scurrying to the pantry for snacks? Yep. Wet weather can do all those things. I've certainly battled a lack of energy -- like a sun-loving annual, I wilt in too much darkness.

This rain signals fall's entrance. The weather, preparing the land, trees, bushes and flowers for another season of cold hibernation. (Thankfully, we southerners don't hibernate too long!) As fall drops in (get it? rain drops?), it's time to make a plan. What's the next step on your road to good health?

Spirit: My quiet time with God tends to suffer in the fall. The dark mornings just don't spur me out of bed to spend time with the One who made me. I'll trick myself into thinking that's okay -- God knows I don't function well without sunshine. After all, He made me. What a lie! When the sun's not shining, I need the Son more than ever! Like so many women I know, when the darkness sets in, so do bad moods and lack of energy. Press ahead, just one step forward. Commit to waking up each morning for some time with God.

Consider these verses:

• Daniel 2:21
• Matthew 4:4
• Genesis 8:22
• Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

Diet: As my quiet time dwindles each fall, so does my commitment to healthy eating. With so many harvest soup recipes, fall may be the easiest time to eat healthy. Other foods are abundant as well such as apples. Try different varieties to discover your favorite. 

One of my favorite soup recipes is:

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Set oven to 425. Toss the above ingredients together. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, stirring at 15 minutes so the vegetables roast evenly.

While roasting the vegetables, prepare the rest of the soup.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 stalk of celery diced

1 sweet onion diced

1 quart of vegetable broth (you can use chicken or beef broth instead)

pinch of salt

ground black pepper to taste

Drizzle the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the celery and onion; cook and stir until the onion turns translucent, but not browned. Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer, uncovered. Add the roasted vegetables from the oven and continue simmering for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the soup becomes too thick, you can add vegetable broth.

Feel free to substitute other vegetables: parsnips, turnips and celery root would work well.

Crock pot method: Instead of roasting the veggies and cooking stovetop, you can put the chopped vegetables in the crockpot. Take the time to cook the onion and celery and then pour over top with the rest of the ingredients. Simmer all day on low. Roasting adds depth of flavor, but this method is great for during the week.

Exercise: This may be my biggest downfall. I slow down so much in the fall. No matter what I want to do, I just have no energy. This is our opportunity for mind over matter... really, for prayer over mind over matter :). God designed us to use our bodies. He rewards our efforts. When we exercise our energy level increases. Exercise is a great antidote to seasonal affect disorder (SAD). Will it eliminate it? Maybe not, but exercise will increase the endorphins, leading to a sunnier outlook regardless of what the skies tell us! Let's keep moving ladies!

It's time to ramp up the intensity to fight the doldrums that come with gray skies and raindrops. This is the best time ever to bump up the number on that bike. Increase the reps. Move it - faster! Whatever you do, this is not the time to slow down, but to increase your momentum. Let the energy of exercise carry you through the dark days.

Next week, I'll be focusing on the exercise component more specifically. If you have exercise questions, comments or suggestions please share them here. Let's move into the new season together, committed to finishing the year strong and changing our lives for the good, forever.

With love in Christ,

Karen

If you don't know what FIT Fridays is all about, check out where we began. If you're a long-time friend of FIT Fridays, please read over old posts now and then. It never hurts to be reminded of the basics! Please, share FIT Fridays with your friends who are dedicated to healthier lives, spiritually and physically. I hope to hear from you!