5 fall activities for families

By Tyler, editor and reviewer

This week we say goodbye to summer and the freedom that comes from not having school to wake up for. From now until late spring we will be on an earlier schedule, packing lunches, and spending evenings doing homework and getting ready for the next day. There won’t be as much time for late evening walks once the sun starts setting earlier, and it's going to start getting too cold for shorts and t-shirts soon.

But, it’s not all bad because it’s also the week we officially say hello to fall. Oh fall, how we’ve missed you. As much as I enjoy spring and summer and all the adventures we go on during the warmer months, there is something really special about fall. Boots, falling leaves, scarves, sweaters, coffee, pumpkin everything, and crisp, cool nights are coming and I cannot wait. Another bonus? Being able to get outside and stay active without overheating. No more worrying about slathering on sunscreen numerous times for even tiny walks to the park, and no more staying in shade most of the day to avoid direct sun. Fall is the time when we can finally bring the kids outside and just a daily sunscreen does the trick.

Here are just a few ways we like to stay active on a beautiful fall day:

Pumpkin patches. Corn mazes, hay rides, and picking out pumpkins in the field are great opportunities to get in some extra exercise. Bundle up and make a day of the patch, or you can find night mazes and other evening activities so you can fit in exercise after work.
Nature walks. Exploring a local park and hunting leaves is one of our favorite activities. With those leaves we can do art projects or just admire the beautiful colors of fall.
Long bike rides. If you’re not avoiding the midday sun or the afternoon heat, you can fit in lots more outdoor fun, which means you can get out as a family and ride all day long.
Sports for the kids = exercise for you. If you find yourself sitting on a field or court watching your kids play their sport of choice, you can jump in and show them how it's done, or get some exercise yourself and do laps while you wait.
Get out on the water. While most people think of summertime heat for their water time, we really love extending it into fall when it's a bit cooler and you can spend all afternoon in a rowboat without the fear of overheating. With many lakes staying warm well into fall, the kids can still swim and play in the water, which they love.  All in all it’s quite easy to stay active when you realize every little bit of movement really adds up. And even easier when you consider every time you get out and do something as a family, it's a win for everyone.

I’m finding I have more energy for all of our fall adventures now that I’m a couple weeks in on the Jenny Craig program. I’ve been enjoying the pre-designed menus and have liked nearly all of the entrees I’ve tried {although with 100 entrees, desserts and snacks to choose from, I haven’t tried them all yet}. I’m following the standard plan with only a few deviations here and there, and I love knowing that my menu was developed by dietitians, nutritionists, and food technologists. No counting, tracking or worrying. But, my favorite thing so far is getting the one-on-one personal support from my consultant. I’ve learned a lot about the ways I was sabotaging my diet before, I’ve learned eating smaller, more frequent meals is better, and I’ve learned that I actually really enjoy not being stuffed after a big meal.

As a family, we've gotten into a good rhythm during the week, planning ahead for my lunches and snacks on the program while I'm away at work. We have our evening ritual of grabbing the next day’s food out of the deep freeze, placing the meals where they can easily be grabbed from the freezer in the kitchen, and then prepping foods for the meals I will eat at work – which has me covering up to 30 towns on any given day. This is just a glimpse into a typical day on Jenny Craig that I will take in my lunchbox. Anything frozen will be eaten once I find a microwave in a lunchroom along my route. But, even though weekdays take a little planning, weekends with our up in the air schedules are a little trickier. It’s those days that I’m thankful for on-the-go options that don’t require microwaves or refrigerators, like this chicken salad kit {which was photographed by my wife as I maneuvered through traffic}. Other days, we plan ahead and eat the foods that required heating before we leave for the day, take snacks and fruit with us, and then we return in time to enjoy a Jenny Craig dinner at home. It was strange to get used to at first, but even by the second weekend we had figured out a plan to avoid the urge to eat out and it’s been going well. Of course, if we do end up eating out, we’re making good choices and sharing meals whenever possible so we can stay to the plan as close as possible.

Here is my two week progress:
Starting weight:         too much
Week 1:                    - 3.80
Week 2:                    - 4.80
Total                          – 7.60*

Have you been holding out joining because of your on-the-go lifestyle? If I can do it with my mobile office, I firmly believe just about anyone can. It’s not always easy finding a place to heat up my foods and eat, but it’s actually more enjoyable than trying to find healthier choices at drive-thrus. And, I'm loving all the new foods introduced for fall, including the following: Loaded Baked Potato, Italian Style Pasta Bake, Classic Waffles, Chocolate Peppermint Cake {seasonal}, Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich {my favorite so far}, Pumpkin Loaf {seasonal}, Pumpkin Spice Cakes {seasonal}, Homestyle Beef Pot Roast, Classic Lasagna with Meat Sauce, Turkey & Wild Rice, Apple Crisp, Chocolate Lava Cake and the Strawberry Yogurt Anytime Bar.

Ready to join? Join today and get $50 off Jenny Craig’s Best Program + $50 in food savings. With 600 company-owned and franchised centers in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico, there just might be an office near you. There are two plans to choose from: All Access or As You Go. Food costs vary but typically range between $15 – $23 per day, plus the cost of shipping.

Already a member? If you spread the word about your Jenny Craig experience with your friends, you could get $25 off of food for each referral using their Pay It Forward program.* This referral program will run from August 22nd through October 30th.

Disclaimers: *Results not typical. Members following our program can expect to lose, on average 1-2 lbs per week. I received promotional consideration. I was provided a free trial Jenny Craig program and meals. However, the opinions expressed are entirely my own. *$50 food discount to be used in $10 increments with minimum weekly food purchase of $90 US/$95 CAN. Discounts valid at participating centers and at Jenny Craig Anywhere for new members enrolling in the Jenny Craig All Access program, other restrictions may apply, details available at participating centers. Additional costs include monthly membership fee, cost of food, and cost of shipping if applicable. Not Valid to purchase food at jennycraig.com. No cash value. Offer ends 10/30/2015.