If you’ve been following me on social media for a while, you might remember earlier this year when I was on a major health kick. I just wasn’t feeling my best, and I decided to make a change. I wanted to not only feel better but to be a good role model for my boys when it comes to living a healthy life. While I’ve definitely gotten a bit off track with the craziness that is summer, it’s top of mind heading into fall.
(I’m not flexible AT ALL but I’m trying to stretch more :))
To not get overwhelmed, I love the idea of making small, attainable changes. Things that you can do each and every day to make yourself feel better, and eventually turn smaller habits into larger ones. Here are 10 things to try:
1.) Walk
One of the best things I can do for myself is to move. It doesn’t have to be an intense cardio workout either. Any kind of movement is better than none, so if that means integrating a walk into your morning routine or as a family after dinner, do it!
2.) Swap out one food item
Overhauling your diet is no joke, so to start off more realistically, try swapping out one thing a day. For example, if you’d usually reach for a bag of chips, try veggies and hummus. Or if you’d normally load up the sour cream on your favorite tacos, switch it out for plain Greek yogurt. This totally works for me, and it’s not giving everything up at once.
3.) Skip the glass of wine
While I personally don’t drink alcohol, I know that a lot of people enjoy a glass of wine after a long day. If you want to make a healthy swap, though, skip the wine and go for a flavored water instead. Less sugar, less hangover, fewer calories. Don’t worry, you can still have your glass of red, just try to limit alcohol the days you want to feel excellent.
4.) Stretch
On those days when being a morning person is just not for me, a good stretch always helps me feel energized. Even if you do it while still lying in bed, it’s amazing how much more awake it can make you feel.
5.) Meditate
I totally understand it can be hard to find a few peaceful moments to yourself, but this will do a lot for your mental health, which is just as important as physical. You don’t have to have a yoga mat or anything, in particular, to meditate either, which is why I like it. You can literally be in the Target parking lot and take a few deep breaths in the silence before getting out of your car. Been there!
6.) Start your morning off right
Routines are so important to me – especially in the morning and especially as a mama. When I don’t get through my normal cadence, I feel like my whole day gets thrown off. Make your bed, have some warm lemon water – do whatever makes your morning feel peaceful.
7.) Limit tech
Because it’s nearly impossible for me to completely stay away from technology throughout the day, I think the best way to limit the amount of screen time I get on a daily basis is to implement a “phone bedtime”. Turning my phone onto airplane mode at 8 p.m. is the most effective way I’ve found to do this because that way nothing can come through and tempt me.
8.) Go to bed early
Celebs and doctors have been saying for years that the secret to a “youthful” appearance is sleep. If you’re anything like me, though, sleep is always the first thing to get sacrificed when there are a million other things to do (including two little boys!). But going to bed even 15 minutes earlier helps!
9.) Take a minute for self-care
This kind of goes hand-in-hand with meditation and limiting tech, but make sure you’re setting time aside during the day just for you. I used to think these pockets of time would magically appear in my day, but I realized spare time is a limited commodity around here, so it’s on us to make sure we’re giving ourselves time to simply take care of ourselves.
10.) Drink H20
Like right now! It’s a super easy way to feel healthier in an instant. I’ve started keeping a full glass of water next to my bed so that it’s the first thing I do when I wake up. I also drink a full glass before each meal/snack. I try to keep that going throughout the day.
What I’m Wearing:
Black Moto Leggings – Pink Sports Bra – Black Sneakers