Pitfalls of Fall?
mlinton_mesapark
Posts: 517 Member
Hi LCHF folks!
We're in the dog days of summer here in the 100-degree-for-a-month-or-more Austin area. This time of year, my thoughts always turn longingly toward fall. I've heard some folks say it's easier not to eat when it's hot outside. If that's true, I'd be big as a house if I lived further north.
In the spirit of thinking ahead, what challenges do you expect to find once the mercury dips? (Here, that might not happen for a few months--we've had many warm Halloweens--but I want to mentally prepare.)
I know I have a tendency to get lethargic in the colder months, and may need to make an extra effort to get to the gym. I also go into "hibernation mode" and tend to not want to do much... and eating mindlessly seems to go hand in hand with this.
On the upside, the weather gets bearable again, so I'm looking forward to walking and cycling, maybe even jogging or actually running, outdoors. Guess I'd better get some good rain gear if I plan to do this a lot, as we usually have some sort of rainy season in between our two seasons, "Hot" and "Other".
I can say that I'm genuinely enjoying this summer more than I've enjoyed a summer in a long time, in no small part because I don't feel as self-conscious in shorts.
Cheers!
Mary
We're in the dog days of summer here in the 100-degree-for-a-month-or-more Austin area. This time of year, my thoughts always turn longingly toward fall. I've heard some folks say it's easier not to eat when it's hot outside. If that's true, I'd be big as a house if I lived further north.
In the spirit of thinking ahead, what challenges do you expect to find once the mercury dips? (Here, that might not happen for a few months--we've had many warm Halloweens--but I want to mentally prepare.)
I know I have a tendency to get lethargic in the colder months, and may need to make an extra effort to get to the gym. I also go into "hibernation mode" and tend to not want to do much... and eating mindlessly seems to go hand in hand with this.
On the upside, the weather gets bearable again, so I'm looking forward to walking and cycling, maybe even jogging or actually running, outdoors. Guess I'd better get some good rain gear if I plan to do this a lot, as we usually have some sort of rainy season in between our two seasons, "Hot" and "Other".
I can say that I'm genuinely enjoying this summer more than I've enjoyed a summer in a long time, in no small part because I don't feel as self-conscious in shorts.
Cheers!
Mary
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It is the end of winter here, and I can't say that I noticed any changes in activity - or rather, I have, my activity levels have gone up. I have been eating more but that is more of the cyclical mental thing, I don't think I have ever tended to eat more due to being cold.
We don't get cold winters though where I live, it's 7am and 51 degrees F.0 -
Summer has actually been super hard for me. It's all those berries and melons and get togethers. I'm actually looking forward to the colder temps- I seem to just plan better when I have soups simmering and roasts roasting.0
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Well..... I live in Florida, which aside from the humidity is probably similar. It goes from scorching egg frying sidewalk melting hot one week to oh look the egg is only partly cooked again the next sometime in November? Maybe? Couple that with the random thunderstorm that pops up every afternoon.... I never know what to expect down here.
Followed by menopausal mother nature who goes through hot and cold flashes all winter. Seriously..... 30-40 degrees in the morning.... 60-70 in the afternoon. Winter wardrobe is hard to plan LOL.
Guess I'm not the best person to comment on this. I tend to be more active in the Fall/Winter/Spring as that's the only time it's bearable outside, and I prefer to exercise outdoors. I am looking forward to riding my bike to work again and my afternoon walks/rides. I say every day, "I wish it was Fall."
This July was our hottest on record too.... So yes, I am ready for cooler weather. I for one loved the polar vortex the year before. It felt like winter for once! We actually had ice that lasted beyond sunrise!
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I'm curious to see how things go once it gets cold. I live just outside buffalo so if we have a winter anywhere near as bad as last winter its going to be a challenge. Fall is wonderful but 40 degree days and football spark my desire for rich home cooked meals, home made bread, and apple crisp with sponge candy ice cream. That with being stuck in the house once the temp really takes a dive and winters that go from end of October till April, make staying active a real challenge.
I'm trying to build a solid foundation of indoor exercise habits now and once it gets closer to fall I'm going to have to look into creative ways to satisfy my comfort food desire both low cal and low carb. I should no longer be eating at a deficit by that point so that'll help too.0 -
Football. OMG, so so ready for football to come back.0
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Well here in the frozen north (Canada) I do find that my activity level dips a lot in the winter for a number of reasons including exercise induced asthma that is triggered by cold. Also, the fact that the days are very short means I'm arriving at work as the sun is coming up and leaving in the dark. Its very hard to get motivated to do anything besides snuggle beneath blankets and drink tea.
I get a lot of knitting done!
Fall is by far my favourite time of year - I love fall walks in jeans and a warm sweater...0 -
fall makes me hungry. it has for as long as i can remember. Cold air? my body thinks it needs to be fat to hibernate? i am determined to fight back this year. And fall is my favorite season!!!! so it's general fall-dislike LOL.0
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I started keto during the winter and it was so much easier! Salame and cheese, or soups, hot tea and coffee, roasts, crockpot dishes. Of course that was in January, after the holidays. So this year I have to find alternate low carb dishes to make with those holiday dinners. But that said, berries, melons, fruit in general isn't in season. I do expect it to be harder in that I'll have less time to cook. School starts, the ranch explodes with activity and when it's dark out for longer more things seem to need attention.
I'm already switching into fall mode though. I think the biggest difficulty for me this year is going to be transition fall clothes. Everything I have is from either 10 pounds lighter or 20 pounds heavier.0 -
It is the end of winter here, and I can't say that I noticed any changes in activity - or rather, I have, my activity levels have gone up. I have been eating more but that is more of the cyclical mental thing, I don't think I have ever tended to eat more due to being cold.
We don't get cold winters though where I live, it's 7am and 51 degrees F.
Ah, I forget that the Southern Hemisphere is in the opposite season, even though I spent 6 months in Chile (and therefore, three consecutive fall/winters... which I loved!)
I can relate to the cyclical mental thing.chaoticdreams wrote: »
Followed by menopausal mother nature who goes through hot and cold flashes all winter. Seriously..... 30-40 degrees in the morning.... 60-70 in the afternoon. Winter wardrobe is hard to plan LOL.
Love the part about menopausal mother nature! Hilarious, and true for this part of the U.S., too.chaoticdreams wrote: »
This July was our hottest on record too.... So yes, I am ready for cooler weather. I for one loved the polar vortex the year before. It felt like winter for once! We actually had ice that lasted beyond sunrise!
We were spoiled until July, when rain and cooler temps gave way to humidity and heat. Usually the summers are dry here, which helps cool things off at night. Not so this summer. It's been more like Houston or New Orleans. The heat just sticks to you.BetterBalancedMe2015 wrote: »Summer has actually been super hard for me. It's all those berries and melons and get togethers. I'm actually looking forward to the colder temps- I seem to just plan better when I have soups simmering and roasts roasting.
Ah, that's encouraging, and makes sense! The get-togethers get me, too.chaoticdreams wrote: »Football. OMG, so so ready for football to come back.
Yeah, my husband is chomping at the bit. I'm looking forward to football games, too. There's a particular kind of nostalgia wrapped up in football, at least for me. I grew up with three brothers and a dad who were (and are) big NFL fans.auntstephie321 wrote: »I'm curious to see how things go once it gets cold. I live just outside buffalo so if we have a winter anywhere near as bad as last winter its going to be a challenge. Fall is wonderful but 40 degree days and football spark my desire for rich home cooked meals, home made bread, and apple crisp with sponge candy ice cream. That with being stuck in the house once the temp really takes a dive and winters that go from end of October till April, make staying active a real challenge.
I'm trying to build a solid foundation of indoor exercise habits now and once it gets closer to fall I'm going to have to look into creative ways to satisfy my comfort food desire both low cal and low carb. I should no longer be eating at a deficit by that point so that'll help too.
Yeah, you guys have had a couple of seriously long back-to-back winters. I don't envy that! I try to remind myself during the winter that we have it really, really good. Just wish I could make those days longer.
Maybe I'll start a separate thread on low carb/low cal fall recipes. Seems like a lot of the soups, roasts, etc would freeze well in individual portions.sweetteadrinker2 wrote: »I started keto during the winter and it was so much easier! Salame and cheese, or soups, hot tea and coffee, roasts, crockpot dishes. Of course that was in January, after the holidays. So this year I have to find alternate low carb dishes to make with those holiday dinners. But that said, berries, melons, fruit in general isn't in season. I do expect it to be harder in that I'll have less time to cook. School starts, the ranch explodes with activity and when it's dark out for longer more things seem to need attention.
I'm already switching into fall mode though. I think the biggest difficulty for me this year is going to be transition fall clothes. Everything I have is from either 10 pounds lighter or 20 pounds heavier.
Thanks for the food recs! You're right, there are a lot of options. I'm half-dreading, half-looking forward to school starting again. Getting up that early again, and the homework, will suck. But I look forward to getting the routine back. My oldest is going into first grade. Her little sister won't start Kindergarten until next fall. Baby boy starts Kinder in... four years I think.
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I suspect that once my fresh garden produce is gone, I will be eating less carbs, so hopefully my cravings to eat more will be in check. That's my plan anyway so far. A nice bowl of bean-less meat chili with a bit of cheese on top would fill be up.... Kind of looking forward to it. Besides, I have a smaller parka that I want to fit into for winter to motivate me to be good
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I'm in AZ so I'm in the "excited for Fall" camp. I like soups and stew...cooler weather lends itself better to LC for me. Except the holidays with baked goods. Summer is tougher with fruit and barbecues...
I'm a gym girl for my lifting so year round my workouts are consistent, but in the Fall and winter I walk more and hike. Come on October...hurry up!0 -
I can get far more active in the blip on the map that passes for Fall here and in winter-time (Oklahoma, SW), rather than this killer heat and sun of the 9 month+ long summer we seem to have... I haven't noticed too many food changes, but I can eat things like chili, stew, and roast year round, as well as salads and all that mess, too.0
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We're in the middle of statewide 100-110 heat indices, with higher ones on the way. This kind of heat shuts me down, esp as my AC is lousy and struggles to keep the house under 90 (Oklahoma). We are getting ready to move to Vermont in the fall and I cannot wait! I love the fall air, it's invigorating. I also love snow and a little snow shoveling is a great workout! Just getting to the car sometimes is a workout, haha! I will be glad to wave goodbye to this state! I miss the fall the most.
Cider donuts. That may be hard to pass up. I did just find a donut recipe online. Ima try it. Anyone try these yet?
http://pinterest.com/pin/Az-2igAQQDYGjI1gJTkAAAA/
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I am really looking forward to beef stew and chili!0
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I may struggle a bit with Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
Well. No. I dunno. I don't think I will, but I just got a stress headache thinking about it.
I have a coupe recipes for keto pumpkin lattes, and keto pumpkin cake and bread loaves and what not. Not sure it's a good idea to even go there. For our anniversary in October, my husband and I do plan to make the pumpkin spice coffee recipe to take to-go to revisit the spot where we got married. I think I'll stick with that. If it feels like a trigger, I'll back off.
Adding Hollandaise, or goat cheese sauces, to my steaks will keep them "hearty" enough to survive winter cravings, I bet. My husband will be wanting chili and soup and such and that might be tougher.0 -
I'm looking forward to the fall months for chili and football. Does anyone think it would be bad to make a double meat batch of chili with 1/2 can of kidney beans? Beans are not a trigger for me, just thought the taste would be nice.0
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carimiller7391 wrote: »I'm looking forward to the fall months for chili and football. Does anyone think it would be bad to make a double meat batch of chili with 1/2 can of kidney beans? Beans are not a trigger for me, just thought the taste would be nice.
I usually don't put beans in mine, it's basically all meat and spices with beef broth. Occasionally I'll add half a can of rinsed beans, black or kidney. I don't eat as low carb as those who do keto so I could easily handle it. If they aren't a trigger for you and you have the room for it, then by all means add them.
And since now I won't be eating the crusty french bread with it, a few beans won't hurt.
I too can't wait, as soon as we start getting the cool fall days, my body instantly goes, Chili....Football!
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soups, stews (LCHF of course), oxtails0
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glossbones wrote: »I may struggle a bit with Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
Well. No. I dunno. I don't think I will, but I just got a stress headache thinking about it.
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Bahaha, I feel your pain! Chai tea and pumpkin smoothies help.
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carimiller7391 wrote: »I'm looking forward to the fall months for chili and football. Does anyone think it would be bad to make a double meat batch of chili with 1/2 can of kidney beans? Beans are not a trigger for me, just thought the taste would be nice.
I put beans in mine.
One they have a lot of fiber.
Two they are cheap and so am I.
Three they are slow carbs meaning digested lower in intestines and less impact on blood sugar (I've tested this for me).
Four, I can eat a small amount and stay in ketosis.
So yep. I put a small amount of beans in practically everything I make that is Mexican food related.
I use black beans and I use beans made from scratch not canned cause they are actual lower in carbs. Idk why. Also cheaper. Haha.
(I also use a small can of corn! Shhhh) ...but I make a big batch when I make it.0 -
glossbones wrote: »I may struggle a bit with Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
Ugh. I'd forgotten these. I never had them often, but they were a thanksgiving day treat
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mlinton_mesapark wrote: »In the spirit of thinking ahead, what challenges do you expect to find once the mercury dips? (Here, that might not happen for a few months--we've had many warm Halloweens--but I want to mentally prepare.)
There were also times growing up near Houston when I started out as a ballerina for Halloween and ended as a ski bum.
My problem is pumpkin everything. I love love love pumpkin spice.0 -
glossbones wrote: »I may struggle a bit with Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
Well. No. I dunno. I don't think I will, but I just got a stress headache thinking about it.
I have a coupe recipes for keto pumpkin lattes, and keto pumpkin cake and bread loaves and what not. Not sure it's a good idea to even go there. For our anniversary in October, my husband and I do plan to make the pumpkin spice coffee recipe to take to-go to revisit the spot where we got married. I think I'll stick with that. If it feels like a trigger, I'll back off.
Adding Hollandaise, or goat cheese sauces, to my steaks will keep them "hearty" enough to survive winter cravings, I bet. My husband will be wanting chili and soup and such and that might be tougher.
Yeah, I was just thinking for me it may be the foods I love that are associated with Fall/Winter, and this will be my first time going through October, November, and December, with all their lovely food associations, on LCHF. I will definitely need to look up the recipes for pumpkin goodies!0 -
Good ol' pumpkin pie... if anyone has any good LC recipes, I'd love to hear them!!!0
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I have no bean chilli
Some of those yummy treats have carbs and are just that way
I will just have to ride an extra 8-10 miles or so to burn those carbs out of my bloodstream so I stay in a keto friendly mode.
I see that as a fair trade for a good sized slice of pumpkin pie.
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Have to agree that I'm ready for fall. This Okie summer heat is just too much for me, and I've been stuck with running on the treadmill for months. Can't wait to get back out on the trails! Also, I'm ready to spend more time horseback riding. I've been missing it the last couple of months due to heat (and my husband's horse has a leg injury that just refuses to heal). Riding does wonders for my weight loss, since it keeps me food-free for hours at a time...0
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I am in Northeast Alberta Canada and we usually get WINTER! I will definitely have to work much harder to keep my basic activity level up, I prefer to hibernate anything below -15C. Oh and comfort foods.... no one in the family will get to enjoy homemade bread bowls for the chili's and stews. It just won't be happening0
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I live up north and I actually do better when it is not summer. It is easier to stick to a routine because in summer there is always something going on. I log more consistently and exercise more consistently at home in the winter.0
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OHHHH PUMPKIN FLAVORED EVERYTHING. Such a joy in the Fall. I am with ceciliaslater, the heat here in Texas is really making me look forward to Fall and Winter. I am much better with my eating and exercising in the Fall/Winter/Spring than in the Summer... The heat of the Summer makes me want to stay indoors, and not do anything else to initiate more sweating than is already going on naturally... lol...
Chilli is my go to fall food too!! Although, I do miss the cornbread!0 -
Another Albertan here. I'm not looking forward to the fall. It generally snows for the first time in September and doesn't stop until the end of April or May, and that is just annoying when I am loving my BBQ! Steaks, burgers, and sausages, oh my!
We're not as warm as you southerners.
It's been a really, unusually hot summer up here - temps are getting to 80F with some regularity! LOL We've had way more than our usual 4-7 day heat wave when we wished we had air conditioning. 0
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