10 ways to make it a sensational September
1) Follow the workout calendar! September is a great chance to amp up your fitness goals before the holiday season officially hits. Plan for a fall race, create a new class schedule, team up with a buddy, or do something to spice up your current routine.
2) Download or pick up a new book. Sometimes fluffy is better 😉 Right now I’m reading The Cuckoo’s Calling and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? Enjoying them both! You could also plan a little book club with your friends. We have one that we do every month, and while reading the book is optional, it makes for an awesome girl’s night.
3) Give your moisturizer a double-take. As we head into the chilly and dry fall and winter months, make sure that you’re using an awesome moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. Coconut oil is a fantastic option, and I’m also a huge fan of almond oil. My favorite nighttime moisturizer is Korres Wild Rose. Also, even though the sun may not be around for as long each day, it’s still super important to wear SPF and hydrate by drinking H20. You need at LEAST 96 ounces each day! Drink up, buttercup.
4) Have your own charity race or fitness event. Fellow ZIN members, now is the perfect time to plan a Party in Pink Zumbathon! You can also plan your own charity fitness event. Gather up some friends, pick something you all love (a yoga class, running route, etc) and plan a day for your charity event. Meet for a friend fitness date and each donate to a specific cause before attending. For example, if you’re running your own 5k route with your friends, each donate $30 (the same cost as a race fee) to an organization of your choice before heading out on your run. You can even make some shirts! You’d be surprised how quickly little acts of giving can add up.
5) Freshen your fall ‘do. I always love to change something about my hair for the colder season -usually I go a shade or two darker- but this year, I finally bit the bullet and chopped off 8 inches. It feels so light and free! I’m convinced I’ll be able to run faster and Zumba even crazier 😉
6) Make something pumpkin! We’re thisclose to official “pumpkin season” but I go by the Starbucks calendar. Pumpkin spice lattes start THIS WEEK so I’m using it as an excuse to pumpkin-ify everrryyyything. Join the pumpkin party.
7) Think of at least one way you can be more effective with your workouts and gym time. Find yourself racing from one area of the gym to another? Plan your route so the equipment is close together. Wasting time in between sets? Circuit style is the way to go; you don’t stop moving and you’ll burn more calories. Have a hard time getting ready and making it out the door? Set out all of your clothes the night before, or pack a gym bag (including a healthy post-workout snack) to take to work.
8) Get more zzzz’s. Something about the fall season makes me feel more snoozy in general (blanket, movie, cocoa, goodnight), but it’s also tempting for me to stay up late to get things done. I feel so much better when I get at least 8 hours, so I’ve made sleep my #1 “me” priority. I feel more energized to get things done when I’m awake if I’ve slept well, and enough, the night before.
(You never have to tell Bell twice… lady loves to snooze)
9) Go to a football game! Or even just tailgate 😉 Football season is here, and while I’m more of a basketball fan, I love wearing my team gear and tailgating with friends. When I work on Saturdays, one of the Pilot’s friends and his little girl (Livi’s age) will come over and they’ll watch football together. It’s pretty adorable 🙂
10) Shameless self plug: pick up a copy of Soli Beat (if you’d like) 🙂 There’s a week and a half left to get it at the pre-order price of $20. Sasha and I spent quite a few months getting everything together and we hope you love it! I’ll have a fun blooper video up this week, too.
Here’s to a very happy, healthy and sensational September!
What are you doing to seize it??
xoxo
Gina
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Haha — a book club where you don’t have to read the book and just get to show up and drink wine? Amazing. 🙂
My goal this month is to drink more water daily — here goes!
I love your haircut !
I just bought my first pumpkin this season!! I can not wait to put pumpkin in everything 🙂
My water intake is pretty good, but I need uppen my sleeping hours. And I think I need to drink a little more wine in September, 🙂
I need to commit to reading some of the books that are piling up on my bedside and stop buying more! Major book nerd alert!
Cute haircut! I love it! Now if I could get mine to curl like that, haha. Your ideas are perfect for fall.. I love the snoozing on a couch under blankets, and pumpkin everything! lol
Love these idea! Your haircut is so cute! I’m definitely most excited about pumpkin season, and I’m definitely going to be making lots of pumpkin based foods! Yum!
Did you donate your hair? I’ve done locks of love 3 times already and I’m getting ready to hack it off again. It might be my last time donating it since I’m contemplating highlights again. It kind of males me sad that I’ve spent the last 2 years growing it out and they can only take half of it (its currently highlighted. My hair looks ombré since I haven’t highlighted it in almost 2 years)
Loving these tips! And I agree with everyone else–your hair looks fabulous!
Oh my goodness pumpkin everything!! I was actually looking up a bunch of pumpkin muffin recipes last night. So giddy.
I hope you September is sensational, Gina!
Your haircut is really cute. I love fall and I am so excited about pumpkin season. YAY!! I need to really work on my water intake. I tend to drink more water at work than when at home. I need to find a way to keep up on it at home too. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Labor day. 🙂
Gina! Love your haircut!!! Looks sooo good!! I cut mine that length a month or so ago and I’m loooving it!! So excited to wear scarves and chunky sweaters with it this length 🙂 I like your idea of a book club, haha!!
football CHECK
pumpkin CHECK – drank a pumpkin beer (that counts right!)
more sleep – this needs to happen
Great list
I love September, it’s my birthday month! I have a hair appointment Tuesday to get about six inches taken off my hair now that the wedding is over. Its gotten ridiculously long.
September is going to be important for me to remember to keep pushing forward in my career and the goals that I’ve set for myself. I keep finding myself in a funk and feeling unmotivated but that won’t actually get me anywhere so it’s time to get it together and make things happen!
Ah! You have made me so excited for fall now! Bring on the pumpkin, baby!!!
This fall I am doing cross country for the first time. I love every second of it!
To add to your lay out your gym clothes the night before, I have found that it really helps actually going to bed IN my workout clothes. That way I’m ready the moment I wake up!
Love the new haircut! I’ve been thinking about cutting mine but it just took so long to get to this point. My hair grows slow so I’m not sure I can take the leap to cut it just yet. I have a hair apt. tomorrow so we’ll see!
Great list love this!!!
LOVE your new do! I so need to shape things up with my hair thinking of adding brown to it again, we will see though! Thanks for sharing fun ways to live it up this month! Love + shine CourtStar
Love the haircut! You look fantastic!
I’ve been thinking the same . . .time for a little change now that fall is almost upon us. You’ve inspired me to get off my butt and finally make an appointment!
No appointment, but I had my hubby cut it last night. Loooove my hair now, thank you for the inspiration!
These monthly posts are some of my favourites Gina! Your haircut looks fantastic! This month I’ll be making my return to teaching spin after a 10 month hiatus, and when I’m not doing that, finding ways to pumpkin-ify every meal of the day. Tis the season after all!
Great list! I love the haircut too. I saw a code online that lets you get Pumpkin Spice lattes a day early today so I may have to go get one!
Super cute hair! I bet you’ll love it! I chopped mine off several months ago and just love it, especially being a mama! 🙂
Ahhhh so excited for pumpkin overload to start 🙂
I’ve been thinking about cutting my super long hair but don’t know if I can bite the bullet and do it. I think I might get some new highlights to change it up
Love these lists! Your hair looks great 🙂
I’m excited for apples, gingerbread, and pumpkin, but I also don’t want to wish away the fantastic watermelon and peaches that are still around!!
Love your list!
I’m seizing September by planning lots of dates and quality time with my husband. Our wedding anniversary is in two weeks and our baby is due in November so we are trying to make the most of our last child-free weeks. We started off with a movie date last night!
Your hair looks so good!
Great tips Gina! I’m looking forward to trying your DVD!
Great tips! Between you and Guiliana Rancic, I’m tempted to go for a long bob but am holding off a little longer! I’ve been trying to grow my hair out but I always get so antsy for a cut once it hits below my collarbones! My husband and I welcomed our first baby 2 weeks ago so sleep is definitely on the forefront of my list!
Well let me see… this September I will be making a point to get more sleep, running a 5k with a team, and trying to drink more water. SO far so good!
I also have a massive stash of pumpkin recipes I am psyched to try out. Last year I was a bit lazier with cooking, but hopefully this year I will tackle those
Just cut 4 inches off my hair…it’s now a swingy bob…love it.
2 of my boys play high school football and the season starts this week. I cannot wait to go to all their games!!
I love your hair cut! You look wonderful!
I like your haircut!
Best things about fall – sweater weather, pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin ale!
I LOVE your haircut!! I’m a huge fan of long bobs. You look beautiful!
I always like to dye my hair darker in the fall. One year I went dark, dark purple, one of those purple’s that looks almost black but in the right light it has something extra 🙂 I was living in Greece at the time, right around the corner from the Korres “headquarters”/main store actually 🙂 I was told that hair color made me look more Greek (I’m Romanian so I don’t think it was much of a stretch).
I love these lists! My goal for September is to get back into working out–life got a little crazy since I got married two weeks ago, so I am looking forward to the September workout calendar. Oh and your haircut is really cute! 🙂
I love the cut! September is going to be a fresh start for me. I’ve kind of been in a funk since quitting the job that made me unhappy to find one that I like, and I need to remind myself that I chose this for myself, and I’ll find something soon!
This september I am going to lift heavy 2-3 times per week and read at least 1 entire novel! (after I finish my current one). Snuggling up to the cooler temps just screams reading with tea to me.
I love September!! Temperatures cool down, football season starts and fall recipes sound delicious! I am going to really focus on my workouts this month!! I am getting married next summer and want to be toned and ready 🙂
I just started reading the Cuckoos Calling! Also my friends and I just started a book club “Under the Covers” with our first meeting this month. Happy September, everyone!
Love the new do. Been contemplating a serious cut too . . . . i can no longer keep trying to look like a co-ed!
I love these ideas! Especially the charity run with friends! I have been wanting to do a 5K in the community where I work to raise awareness on living a healthy lifestyle.
🙂
Love the idea to create your own charity fitness event!! Some food for thought 🙂
PS- cute cut! I chopped several inches off a few months ago and felt like a new woman! haha
I run sprints at least 2x/week, but usually by myself. I found myself slacking as of late (just as in I don’t push myself as hard as I do when I’m running with someone), so I just started running sprints with one of my guy friends who is wayyy faster, but my endurance is better so it’s a good balance. Our goal is to add a sprint a week for the next 6 weeks (we did 10 hills yesterday) then switch things up!
PS can you remind me of the program you use for the recipes you post?
Great ideas for September!
http://lululiveshealthy.wordpress.com/
Great list! I have a question about hydration. I drink lots of green tea throughout the day. Does this count toward my 96oz, or do I need 96oz of water in addition to the tea?
Thanks for your post!
tea counts! 🙂
This is the first year that I won’t be able to see my Mom over Thanksgiving since she is living abroad, so we won’t be able to do our annual pumpkin pie together…I’m going to have to brave it on my own! Here’s hoping it works out 😉
it will! 🙂
Can’t wait until you start sharing your pumpkin-ified recipes! I ate about 5000 pumpkin breakfast cookies last winter 😉