What if you didn’t spend the next four months starting and stopping, only to feel like you need another reset in January? Fall brings a completely different rhythm. Kids are back in school, activities are in full swing, work may be getting busier, the holidays are getting closer, and suddenly the routine you had over the summer just doesn’t seem to work anymore. In this solo episode of PCOS Unfiltered: Nourish, Heal, Thrive, I’m sharing 10 Fall Health Hacks to Save Time, Reduce Stress & Feel Better—simple, practical ways to support your body without turning your health into one more thing on your already-full to-do list. We’re talking about reducing decision fatigue with default meals, choosing a few habits that keep you grounded, planning for afternoon hunger, making movement fit into a busy schedule, protecting white space on your calendar, and adjusting your routine as the season changes. And most importantly, this isn't a list of 10 more things you need to start doing. It's about asking yourself one question: What is the one thing that would make this season feel easier for me? Because taking care of your body and enjoying your life aren't opposites. Your routine doesn't need to be perfect, it needs to support the season you're actually in.
Listening is a great place to start, but lasting change happens when you begin putting these ideas into practice.
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This week, I don't want you to take all 10 hacks from this episode and turn them into another checklist.
Instead, ask yourself:
What is ONE thing that would make this season feel easier for me?
Maybe it's:
❤️ Creating a default dinner night so you don't have to decide what's for dinner every day
❤️ Choosing two or three anchor habits that help you feel grounded
❤️ Having three easy breakfasts ready for busy mornings
❤️ Planning ahead for that 3 p.m. hunger
❤️ Giving yourself permission to count 10 minutes of movement
Choose one and try it this week.
Then pay attention: How does your energy feel? Does your week feel a little easier? Are you less overwhelmed? What is your body telling you?
Lindsie Vizethann is a nurse turned health and nutrition coach, Body Wisdom Guide, two-time author, podcaster, and speaker who helps women understand the messages behind their symptoms and create sustainable changes that support their health and their lives.
Through her coaching, programs, and Healthy Ever After community, Lindsie helps women move away from all-or-nothing thinking and constantly starting over—and toward nourishing their bodies, supporting their nervous systems, building sustainable habits, and learning to trust their own Body Wisdom.
She is the host of PCOS Unfiltered: Nourish, Heal, Thrive and the author of Healthy for a Reason: 12 Practical Guidelines to Feel Like Yourself Again, Have the Energy to Show Up, Keep Up, and Enjoy Life with the People You Love and Healing Beyond the Diagnosis: Rewrite Your PCOS Story to Reclaim Your Health.
Want to work with Lindsie, join the Healthy Ever After community, explore her books, or connect with her on social media?
https://linktr.ee/lindsievizethann
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Your life isn't determined by your past, your diagnosis, or your circumstances. The stories you believe shape the choices you make—and every new choice is an opportunity to create a different future.
⚠️ Podcast Disclaimer
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine.
(0:00) What is the one thing that would make this season feel easier for you? (0:06) Your body doesn't need another perfect routine. It needs support. And the support you need (0:12) starting in September, you know, basically through the end of the year, is going to look (0:17) completely different from the support that you needed over the summer in June.Your routine (0:23) should support the season that you're in, not fight against it. So as we head into fall, (0:30) I hope that you give yourself permission to find a new rhythm, not a perfect one, (0:36) but just find what works for you, your rhythm, one that leaves room for nourishment, (0:43) movement, rest, connection, and just truly enjoying the season of your life. (0:51) Welcome back to PCOS Unfiltered, where we have real conversations about health, hormones, (0:57) nutrition, mindset, and the everyday habits that help you feel your best.I'm your host, (1:03) Lindsay, nurse turned health coach, two-time author, and body wisdom guide. By now, (1:10) summer is behind us. Maybe the kids are back in school, activities are in full swing, (1:14) and that fall schedule is probably starting to feel very real.Maybe you thought getting back (1:19) into a routine would make life easier, but instead you're juggling school, work, sports, (1:25) appointments, dinner, and everything else that somehow ends up on the calendar. So today I'm (1:30) sharing 10 fall health hacks to save time and feel better. They're just simple ways to find (1:36) your rhythm, protect your energy, and support your body without making health another thing (1:41) on your to-do list.And when you join my free Healthy Ever After community, you'll get my new (1:46) fall survival guide filled with simple meals, healthy habits, and stress-saving strategies to (1:53) help make this season a little easier. The link to join us is in the show notes. As always, (1:59) this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended (2:04) as medical advice.So please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to (2:09) your diet, exercise, or treatment plan. Now let's go ahead and dive in and talk about these 10 fall (2:16) health hacks to save you time and feel better. Hello everyone and welcome back to PCOS Unfiltered.(2:29) If you were here earlier this summer, you may remember that I did an episode (2:33) sharing 10 summer health hacks to save time and feel better. And you guys really responded (2:40) so well to that episode. I think it was very helpful and hit home for a lot of people.(2:47) And that was probably because summer changes our routines, but now we're getting (2:51) into fall and suddenly things are changing even more, right? So we're entering this transition, (2:59) kids are back in school, activities and sports are starting back up, your work schedules even might (3:04) feel different or busier, calendars just change, we're starting to get into holidays. And so we're (3:13) getting back into the routine that maybe is the bulk of our year, along with some other (3:18) things sprinkled in. But sometimes those routines can feel like we're just running from one thing (3:24) to another.So I thought, why not do a fall version of this? And that is because the routine that (3:34) worked for you in June is probably not going to work for you in September. And that doesn't mean (3:40) you failed. That's the message that I really want you to take away.It does not mean you failed. It (3:44) does not mean that you're off track. It just means that life changes and we have new seasons.Yes, (3:52) with the weather, we have seasons, but we have new seasons in life and that can be (3:57) in correlation with the weather too. And so maybe it's time to ask ourselves, what does my body (4:04) need from me in this season? And that's part of body wisdom. That's part of the work I do.And so (4:13) before I get into this, I also want you to stop what you're doing, if you can, and send me the (4:19) word body on Instagram. That's healthy underscore ever after 15. And I will send you the link to (4:28) join the community, the Healthy Ever After community, where you can learn more about what (4:33) I do.You'll get body wisdom tips, recipes every week, and you're also going to get the guide for (4:41) this fall season to help you save time and feel better. So today for this episode, I'm going to (4:51) give you 10 practical fall health hacks. Again, to save time, reduce stress, just support your (4:59) body and help you find a rhythm that works for you in real life and also in this season of your (5:05) life.And just like I said, in the summer episode, please don't listen to all 10 things and start (5:11) thinking, great, now I have 10 more things to do. That is not the point. You're going to choose one, (5:17) maybe two, but I would say start with one.Health should really support your life, (5:24) not just become your life and become one more thing that you have to check off of your to do list. (5:32) So let's get started. So hack number one, create a default week for dinner.So one of the biggest (5:41) questions that comes up, I know even for just it's just me and my husband, but every single day, (5:46) what's for dinner, right? How many times have you asked that question? Or maybe somebody in your, (5:51) in your house has asked that question. And maybe it's 536 o'clock and you haven't even (5:59) thought about that yet. There is something exhausting about having to make that decision (6:05) every single day.So this fall, instead of planning seven completely different dinners every week, (6:12) try creating what I like to call a default week. So it's not something rigid. It's not (6:18) more rules.We're actually doing the opposite and we're reducing that decision fatigue. So maybe (6:24) Monday is something in the slow cooker, Tuesday's tacos, Wednesday's a sheet pan meal, Thursday's (6:31) leftovers, Friday you go out or order something. Now you don't necessarily know exactly what you're (6:37) every Tuesday for the rest of your life.You just know that on Tuesday, it's some version of tacos. (6:44) It could be the actual taco. It could be a bowl.It could be a salad. You know, maybe you use (6:50) ground beef in it for tacos that week, and then maybe another week use chicken. So change it up, (6:58) but same basic framework, but just different variations.And suddenly you're not just starting (7:03) from zero every night or every Tuesday night. Your brain doesn't really need seven brand new (7:11) dinner ideas every single week. So just keep it simple.And healthy food doesn't have to be (7:18) exciting. It doesn't have to be Instagram worthy, right? You don't have to take fancy pictures of (7:24) it all the time, every night. It doesn't have to be pretty.You probably want it to taste good, (7:31) but it can be super simple when you're doing that. And sometimes that predictability is exactly (7:36) what we need in our lives. Hack number two, choose your fall anchors.So this one is probably one of (7:45) my favorites because it fits so much with what I teach around body wisdom with my clients. (7:53) And whenever we are entering a new season, I think we tend to go in two directions. We can either say, (7:59) okay, new routine.I'm getting up at 5 a.m. I'm working out five days this week, and I'm going (8:08) to meal prep every Sunday, and I'm drinking my water every day. And we try to change everything, right? (8:15) Or we just get so overwhelmed that we freeze and we do nothing. So instead, I want you to choose (8:23) two or three anchor habits.And these are habits that help you feel like yourself again. They help (8:30) you feel safe in your body and like you belong in your body. They keep you grounded even when (8:36) everything else is changing around you.The leaves are changing even, but you know, other things, (8:43) your schedule's changing, all that, right? But they are things that you can go back to to help (8:47) you feel grounded. So some examples. Maybe you drink a glass of water before drinking your coffee.(8:55) Maybe you eat some protein at breakfast or focus more on protein at breakfast than you have before. (9:02) Maybe it's taking five intentional breaths before you eat. Maybe it's a 10-minute walk.(9:09) Maybe it's putting your phone away when you're eating. Maybe it's putting your phone away 30 (9:15) minutes before bed. Getting outside.I mean, there's so, so many things. It's going to be different (9:22) for everybody. So ask yourself, what are two or three things that make the biggest difference in (9:30) how you feel? Do you need quiet time? I mean, there's just, sorry, I'm just throwing out ideas.(9:36) But I want you to really think about that. So those become your anchors, and you don't have to hold (9:42) on to your entire routine. Just hold on to those things that you feel support and ground you the (9:49) most.Hack number three is create three default breakfasts. So fall mornings can be chaotic, (9:58) especially the first part of fall when you're really getting back into the routine with school (10:02) and everything. The alarm goes off, somebody can't find their shoes, your husband left something (10:08) behind, somebody needed something at school, you're checking your email, you're starting to (10:14) start trying to do your normal work and get yourself ready, but suddenly everybody needs (10:22) everything all at once as well.And so suddenly breakfast becomes coffee or maybe nothing at all. (10:29) And then you're starving a few hours later. So I want you to think about three different (10:34) breakfasts that you don't have to think about.That's it, just three. So this could be eggs and (10:42) fruit. It could be egg muffins that you can prep in advance.And you can make, you know, (10:51) a dozen of them at once, and then you have some for yourself, you have some for the kids, (10:55) some for your husband, whatever it might be. It could be Greek yogurt with berries and nuts, (11:02) maybe a smoothie, leftover dinner even, if that sounds good. There's nothing wrong with (11:10) having leftovers for breakfast.So yeah, think about like kind of your top three (11:15) go-tos for breakfast and what would make that easiest for you. (11:21) The goal is to simply have options that you already know work for your body. Again, we're (11:29) removing decisions by doing this.Hack number four is to plan for the 3 p.m. hunger. So (11:37) if you do have little ones, then you probably know exactly what happens when you walk through the (11:42) door, or when they walk through the door after school, or maybe when you get home from work (11:49) and everybody's starving. And let's be honest, a lot of adults hit that same wall too.It's three, (11:56) four o'clock, lunch was hours ago, dinner still isn't maybe for another couple hours, (12:02) and suddenly you're standing in the pantry trying to figure out what you want to eat, (12:08) and just grabbing for whatever is easiest. So instead of treating that hunger like something (12:14) we shouldn't have, we need to plan for it because that's just part of our body, (12:19) that's part of our rhythm, and that hunger is communication. So your body isn't misbehaving (12:26) because you're hungry at 3 30.Maybe you need to evaluate what you had for lunch, (12:31) sure, but that's part of your body telling you something. So there are a few combinations that (12:40) you could do at this time to just kind of satisfy you and carry you for those couple hours before (12:45) dinner. So an apple or banana with a nut butter.So you don't want to just have an apple or just a (12:54) banana. The sugar, you're going to spike your sugar, drop your sugar, you're going to be even (12:59) hungrier by the time that gets through your system. So you want to balance it with some protein, (13:05) some fats.So apple and peanut butter, for example, is a good one. You could do the Greek (13:11) yogurt and berries as a little snack. I like cottage cheese and pineapple, that's my favorite.(13:17) You could do a little cheese and some fruit as well. Again, balancing the sugars with the fats (13:25) to keep your blood sugar steady. Vegetables and hummus, maybe a hard boiled egg with some fruit.(13:33) Something with protein plus, like I said, the fiber and the fats is a great place to start. (13:41) And if you are genuinely hungry at that time, because that might be also something you need (13:45) to ask yourself. Maybe you just didn't drink enough water.Did you have an emotional day (13:49) and you're not actually hungry? But if you are genuinely hungry, eat. There's (13:56) nothing wrong with that. We don't need to turn hunger into a battle at that time.(14:02) Hack number five, pick one night for your slow cooker. So I talked about the slow cooker in (14:08) the summer episode. And I love the slow cooker in the fall, especially, but you can use your (14:15) slow cooker anytime.But I feel like all the soups and the stews and the chilies, it really kind of (14:21) the slow cooker gets its spotlight during the fall and winter months. So look at your calendar. (14:28) What is your busiest evening? Is there soccer on a certain day of the week and dance on another (14:36) day a week? Or do you work late on another day a week? What is your busiest night? And make that (14:42) your slow cooker night.There is something really special about walking through the door after a (14:49) long day and realizing dinner is already done. So I've talked before about like a salsa chicken (14:56) that was included in my summer episode. Chili is a great one.Soup, you could (15:04) you can do some shredded beef, chicken and veggies. It does not need to be complicated. (15:11) We're reducing that decision fatigue.So I don't want you to overthink this. (15:16) But just think about what is your busiest day of the week. And maybe that's the same day each (15:21) week.Or maybe you do need to change that one up as you look at your schedule. Maybe that changes (15:24) from week to week. But more than likely, there's probably going to be one of your busiest days (15:30) each week.And that could be your slow cooker day. So we're just simply looking at your life (15:36) and asking, where could I make this easier? Hack number six is do a 10 minute all reset. So (15:46) this is not meal prep.This isn't spending three hours on Sunday, preparing your entire life. (15:54) If that works for you, that's great. But for some people that can be really overwhelming.(15:58) So just taking 10 minutes once a week to look at your calendar. And it kind of ties into the (16:04) previous one. But you know, asking what's happening this coming week? What nights are we home? What (16:09) night is my busiest night? What night are we not home at all? Maybe we don't get home till eight (16:15) or nine o'clock.Are there kids activities certain nights of the week? Am I going to plan to go out (16:21) for dinner or grab something? Do I have a late meeting? What's already in the refrigerator? What (16:29) needs to be eaten? What's in the pantry? You know, all of that stuff, right? So just kind of taking (16:33) that 10 minutes to evaluate and realize, wait, I don't need five dinners this week. I only need (16:40) three, because you've already got some stuff, you know, lined up. That can also save you money, (16:46) reduce wasting food, which saves you money, and then also saves you stress, too, if you think about (16:52) it.And this is something that I really want you to hear. Your health routine should fit your (16:59) calendar. Your calendar shouldn't have to fit your health routine.So moving on to hack number seven, (17:07) use the 10 minute movement rule as well. So especially when we get into these cooler months, (17:13) it can be easy to kind of slip out of that routine, because we can't just go outside for (17:18) some fresh air and get a 10 minute walk, right? And this is one for anyone who thinks, (17:25) if I don't have 45 minutes, there's no point. I will admit that it's me.I fell into this thinking (17:31) way too much. I think, like, if I can't walk three miles, then I guess I just don't have time. (17:39) So it still counts, no matter what you do.10 minutes, even five minutes, it absolutely (17:45) counts. So this fall, try this 10 minute rule. Give yourself 10 minutes.Maybe go for a walk (17:52) before you shower. Walk while your child is at practice. And this can even be, like, maybe you're (17:58) doing squats while your child is at practice.If you can't walk around a field or something, (18:04) then do squats. Do squats while you're brushing your teeth, maybe while you're cooking. (18:10) There's still things you can do to add that movement in.If you can do a family walk after (18:16) dinner, that's amazing. Or you and your significant other. 10 minutes of some simple strength training, (18:23) and you don't have to have weights.You can do very simple, like I said, those squats, sit-ups, (18:29) push-ups, or plank. You can do all that stuff without weights and without any fancy equipment. (18:35) Stretching also counts for 10 minutes.Do some yoga. You can follow others' apps. There's videos (18:41) online.Whatever feels good for your body. And then maybe 10 minutes does eventually turn into (18:47) 30, and that's great. But if it stays at 10, that still counts for something.Consistency (18:54) beats intensity. I've said this before. It beats intensity over and over again.(19:01) Hack number eight. Don't let the earlier sunset steal your movement. Oh, this is a tough one, (19:07) I know.It starts getting darker earlier, and this is something that can really sneak up on us (19:15) every fall. The days start getting shorter. It gets darker earlier.Suddenly that evening walk, (19:21) like I said, it's getting cooler as well. And that evening walk that you were taking just doesn't (19:27) happen anymore. So don't wait until you're two months into fall to realize that you stopped (19:32) getting outside.Start making that adjustment now. Could you change it to in the morning maybe? Could (19:39) you get a quick 10-minute walk in the morning before you get ready for work? Could you get (19:44) outside during lunch? Could you walk immediately after dinner instead of waiting? Dishes can wait. (19:51) Go for your little walk and then come back maybe.So even just getting outside for a few minutes (19:56) earlier in the day can be a great way to just reconnect with your body and your environment. (20:02) And again, we're adapting. We're not giving up on the habit because the season changed.We're just (20:07) changing the habit with the season. And that's a big one, especially I feel like for the fall and (20:16) for this time of year. Hack number nine.Put white space on your calendar. So in the summer episode, (20:23) I talked about creating a not-to-do list and I love this one. So this is the fall version.So I (20:29) want you to create some white space because look at what happens this time of year. If you have kids, (20:37) school starts. And that means all the time sports or other activities start.Work may not get busier (20:46) this time of year, but it probably does. It's the end of year for a lot of people and there might be (20:51) goals and certain deadlines and things for the end of year that might be starting to come up. (20:56) And even if that's not you, then maybe it might feel busier if you do have kids in school.(21:01) And then we start getting into Halloween and then we have Thanksgiving and then suddenly we're in (21:08) December and somehow every spot on your calendar just gets filled. So just because there's empty (21:17) space on your calendar doesn't mean someone else gets to have it. So take a minute to think about (21:24) that.I'll say it again. Just because you have empty space on your calendar doesn't mean someone (21:31) else gets to have it. You are allowed to protect it.You are allowed to have an evening where nothing (21:38) happens. You're allowed to sit back and maybe watch football on Sunday without any plans. (21:45) You're allowed to say this week is already full and I'm not going to add anything else.(21:53) Rest isn't something that you earn after you've completely exhausted yourself. (21:59) It should be just part of taking care of yourself. And sometimes that's one of the (22:04) healthiest things you can do.And so even sometimes some of that movement, yes we do (22:09) need that movement, but if you are absolutely crazy busy then sometimes you might have to make (22:15) a decision one day to just do nothing. That might be what your body needs and sometimes you have to (22:21) listen to what it needs. Hack number 10.Probably one of my favorites especially because I was a gym (22:30) owner. And this is the one that I really want you to remember. So because we are entering the time (22:35) of year when it's easy to say well Halloween is coming, Thanksgiving is coming, December is (22:44) basically a wash, right? I would hear this every year at the gym and even when I work with my clients.(22:50) No matter what type of program it is, I've done the 90-day program, I've started my nine-month program, (22:58) there is always going to be something. If it's not one of those major holidays, it's going to be a (23:05) maybe even like Mother's Day, it's going to be something. A cookout, whatever it is, some get (23:14) together.So don't wait for January. What if you didn't spend the next four months starting and (23:24) stopping? What if you didn't need a January reset because you never completely abandoned yourself (23:32) in the first place? Now I'm not saying that you need to be perfect through the holidays. That's (23:36) not realistic.I want you to enjoy the holidays, enjoy Halloween, enjoy the experience, enjoy (23:43) Thanksgiving, eat the foods that you love, celebrate, make memories. But taking care of your body and (23:52) enjoying your life are not opposites. You can do both.So maybe your routine just looks different. (23:59) Maybe you do exercise a little less. Maybe you eat differently.Maybe some weeks are really messy (24:05) and they're not perfect. That's life. And the goal isn't to stay on track 100% of the time.(24:13) The goal is to stay connected to yourself. And I think that's a huge, huge difference. (24:23) So those are the 10 fall health hacks.And just like I challenged you again this summer, (24:29) please don't finish this episode and make yourself a checklist of 10 new things that you need to start (24:33) doing. That's not what this is about at all. So I want to reiterate this.What is the one thing (24:40) that would make this season feel easier for you? So maybe it's that default dinner night. Maybe you (24:47) need three easy breakfasts to go to. Is it protecting your one evening a week? (24:53) Is it giving yourself permission to count a 10-minute walk or incorporating 10 minutes of (25:01) movement into your day? Or maybe you simply need to stop telling yourself that you'll start again (25:06) every January.So choose one. Pay attention. How is your body responding? How does your energy (25:16) respond? How do your cycles respond? Does your week feel a little easier? Does your nervous (25:23) system feel a little less overwhelmed? Are you less overwhelmed? Do you have less brain fog, (25:28) more energy? Your body doesn't need another perfect routine.It needs support. And the (25:35) support you need starting in September, basically through the end of the year, is going to look (25:40) completely different from the support that you needed over the summer in June. Your routine (25:47) should support the season that you're in, not fight against it.So as we head into fall, I hope (25:54) that you give yourself permission to find a new rhythm. Not a perfect one, but just find what (26:01) works for you. Your rhythm.One that leaves room for nourishment, movement, rest, connection, (26:09) and just truly enjoying the season of your life. And if today's episode helped you, I would love (26:18) for you to take a screenshot, share it with me on social media. Again, you can do that.Or (26:23) send me the word body on Instagram, healthy underscore ever after 15. Or on Facebook, (26:32) just my first and last name, Lindsay Bezuthin. Tag me and tell me which fall health hack (26:37) is resonating the most with you and which one you're going to try first.(26:42) So can't wait to hear all about it. And I will see you next time. (26:47) As we wrap up, remember this, the routine that worked for you this summer may not work for you (26:52) now.And that doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. Your routine should support the season (26:57) you're in, not fight against it. So don't try all 10 hacks at once.Choose one thing that (27:03) can make your life feel a little easier this week and start there. And if you'd like some (27:07) extra support, join us inside the free healthy ever after community and grab your fall survival (27:13) guide. It's filled with simple meals, healthy habits, and practical strategies to help you (27:18) navigate this busy season without adding any more stress.The link to join us is in the show notes. (27:23) And once you're inside, come say hello and tell me which fall hack you're trying first. (27:28) And if you loved this episode, don't forget to subscribe, (27:31) leave a review, or share it with a friend.Until next time, I am sending you so much (27:36) love and I will see you on the next episode of PCOS Unfiltered. Nourish. Heal.Thrive.