This post is sponsored by KeVita. Zip down below for a fun giveaway! 

There are generally two camps of people:

1. Those who love fall, and start talking about pumpkins in August
2. Those who shed tears of the final days of summer and get grouchy when the autumn spirit creeps in too early.

Obviously you know which camp I am in : ) September 22 marks the first day of fall, so we all have permission to talk about all the great things about this season.

(Funny side note: I was telling Mazen a few weeks ago that the weather felt like fall outside and he said “Mommy it is NOT fall yet.” Turns out his teachers had a fall countdown going, and he knew that date had not yet come!) 

Fall is my favorite season for many reasons. More than New Years, and more than spring cleaning the autumn season is my time to restart, reenergize, and recommit to my healthiest self. I’m sure this feeling traces back to the back-to-school feelings I experienced as a child. I like getting back into a routine.

Here are five ways I am revitalizing my fall routine:

Setting a morning alarm. Since Mazen was born I’ve been going to bed around 11pm and waking up naturally when he does. He’s usually up around 7, but sometimes he sleeps until 7:30. Those preschool mornings are quite hectic to get us to school on time. In an effort to get myself organized before Mazen is up, I’m putting myself on a schedule: bedtime at 10, alarm at 6:26am. So far this is going well, as I am dressed with a cup of French press coffee in hand when Mazen rises.

Less wine, more kombucha. I’m trading my nightly glass of wine for a few billion probiotics! Kombucha is one of the few drinks that has a ton of flavor, fizz, minimal sweetness, and a host of goodness to go along with it. With colder weather on the way, my immune system needs all the strength it can get. Probiotics line the intestinal walls much like an army would stand shoulder-to-shoulder and protect a village. These healthy bacteria act as a barrier against sickness trying to get into the bloodstream. The organic acids in the KeVita Master Brew Kombucha help to feed these beneficial bacteria. Your gut gets credit for about 70% of your immune system, so having a strong one goes a long way towards keeping you healthy. Happy hour = happy body.

Brushing my teeth more than twice a day. This is an old trick I used to do when I worked in an office. So much of my sugar cravings happen after meals because I need a palate cleanse. I’ve started brushing my teeth right after lunch and dinner and like magic the sugar craving is gone. And when I’m feeling really lazy I just rinse with mouthwash and it does the same.