October is a tricky time for our diet and fitness routine. Sandwiched between the return to a fall schedule that often helps us recommit to our health goals and a more lax holiday season, it can sometimes feel like No Man’s Land. Do we go all in on our health goals or start easing up and let ourselves slide slowly into holiday mode?
How about a little of both? That’s what we’re doing this month: Focusing on ways to make your health routine feel like a treat and not a chore with workouts, foods and habits that feel good and leave you energized and motivated to tackle your goals. On the workout front, we have a 31-Day Low-Impact Cardio & Core Challenge designed to boost your mood, energy and metabolism, while being easy on the joints.
“Focusing on low-impact cardio and core strength for one month will leave you feeling good! I want your body to crave movement and exercise because you feel better afterward,” says TODAY Fitness Contributor Stephanie Mansour. A stronger, tighter core, better mobility and increased strength in the upper and lower body are all benefits you can expect to see in just 31 days. Plus, if weight-loss is a goal you may also feel like you can button your pants more easily, adds Mansour.
In addition to moving in ways that feel good, we’ll focus on managing emotional eating and adding mood and energy-boosting foods to our diet.
>>Download the 31-day calendar here
31-Day Low-Impact Cardio & Core Challenge
“People are starting to understand that they don’t have to do extreme or intense exercise in order to see physical results in their bodies,” says Mansour. Some people feel great after a run, but if you don’t, walking can be just as effective and leave you feeling more refreshed than forcing yourself to do an activity you don’t enjoy.
“Low-impact exercise puts less pressure on the joints in the body. Less bouncing and jumping can help the body relax and doing lower-impact exercises can help you focus more on form instead of on impact,” says Mansour. “You will still burn calories, speed up your metabolism, help reduce stress, and physically build muscle as well as increase your cardiovascular endurance and strength. Low-impact movement can also help to reduce joint pain, improve balance and coordination, and strengthen your bones and muscles.”
So, what counts as low-impact cardio? “I am a huge fan of walking. Going on a daily walk is a great way to include low-impact exercise into your routine, and reduce stress, too,” says Mansour. Turn your walk into relaxing “me time” by listening to a fun podcast from Al Roker or a motivational chat with one of our Start TODAY trainers. Other low-impact cardio includes, swimming, the elliptical or routines in the Start TODAY app, like:
5-Minute Find the Joy Cardio
Seated Chair-obics
Pilates Cardio
20-Minute Dance Cardio
Download the Start TODAY app to get a low-impact cardio routines like these delivered to your phone every day!
How to Eat to Improve Your Mental Health
What we eat affects our mental health, for better or worse. To keep on theme, make it your goal this month to fill your plate with foods that are proven to improve your mood and boost your energy. Start TODAY dietitian Natalie Rizzo shares some of her best tips for eating to feel good:
Incorporate Mood-Boosting Foods
“Believe it or not, what you eat can directly impact how you feel. Certain foods are packed with nutrients that support brain health, balance mood and reduce stress,” says Rizzo. “For example, turmeric and blueberries are packed with antioxidants that may reduce depression and anxiety. Walnuts have healthy omega-3 fats, which support brain health, and pumpkin seeds have magnesium that helps regulate the body’s stress response. Fermented foods supply probiotics that nurture gut health. Since the gut and brain communicate via the gut-brain axis, a healthy gut may help lift mood. Pair with prebiotic foods to feed those good bacteria.” To get a combination of these foods, like yogurt and walnuts, try the Pumpkin Overnight Oats recipe from the Start TODAY app.
Recognize Your Emotional Eating Patterns
“Emotional eating often shows up as cravings for comfort foods during stress, boredom or sadness,” says Rizzo. “The first step to banish emotional eating is awareness: Keep a simple ‘food and mood’ journal for a few days and note what’s happening when cravings strike. Are you actually hungry, or are you looking for a way to soothe emotions? Once you recognize the triggers, you can pause, take a few breaths, and choose whether food or another coping tool like a walk, journaling, or calling a friend is what you really need in that moment.” Rizzo delves more into emotional eating and tools to combat it in this podcast.
Focus On Balanced Meals and Snacks That Energize