
How are you doing? I hope that you had a memorable 2014 and are ready to start 2015! Yesterday is in the past, tomorrow is not promised, and the present is a gift :)
I pray that all that you hope and desire for 2015 you receive. In today's blog post, I want to share my top 4 tips for not sabotaging or ruining all of your hard work in staying healthy. Without further ado, here we go!
Tip #1:
Stress - find a positive way to deal with or manage your stress. How do you know when you're stressed? There are a number of signs, your mood, lack of sleep, weight gain, unexplainable aches and pains are all signs of stress. There are a few effective ways to manage stress. Meditation, deep belly breathing, walking, massaging your ears (watch a video on how it's done here), use lavender essential oil topically and aromatically, and regular self care - I personally love doTerra Essential Oils - you can purchase lavender here if you'd like. If we don't manage our stress, it wreaks havoc in our lives, becomes chronic, and destroys our immune system, causes weight gain, and a host of health illnesses (including cardiovascular disease).
Tip #2:
Get Organized - If you have anything that is clutter in your life, whether it's your car, your desk at work, your home, focus on getting it cleaned and organized. Having things in order eliminates a great deal of stress and helps you think more clearly. Don't get overwhelmed, choose 1 project at a time and focus on completing that organization project, then move to the next. The prior project that you completed, stay on top of it by not letting the clutter accumulate in that area any longer. This is also a good time to reflect and write out your goals, getting those written down and on paper gives them validity, life, and allows you to organize your thoughts to work towards those goals. Organize your goals using the S.M.A.R.T (strategic/specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time based) method. With my clients, I always want them begin with thinking of the end in mind. If you have a really large goal, break it down into smaller, easier to manage pieces over time, that removes the stress and overwhelm with trying to reach your goal.
Tip #3:
Get Up and Move - If you aren't active at all, start with walking. A good way to measure your activity is to get a nice quality pedometer. Most smart phone apps do not really track your steps as well as a good pedometer does. The target that you want to aim for is 10,000 steps daily. Warm up a little bit, then do some stretches. Clip your pedometer onto your body at the start of your day, take the stairs instead of the elevator, also park further away from the entrance to buildings on purpose. If you aren't a beginner, but find that you're usually stressed, try incorporating a low impact fitness workout into your routine that do not cause additional stress - pilates, yoga, tai chi, and Piyo are a few options.
Tip #4:
Nutrition - this is last but not least, this is ground zero, the foundation, without this critical piece nothing else matters because food influences your mood, how well you think, and feel. Food is the fuel for your body and brain. When you sit down at each meal, use the following quick tips to stay on track
- Where is the protein? For women that's the size of 1 palm, for men that's the size of 2 palms.
- Where are your vegetables? This should fill half of your plate.
- Where are your complex carbohydrates? - these are optional, if you aren't working out and you're looking to maintain or lose weight, you may want to just double up on your servings of vegetables, if you are active, then this should be roughly 20% or less on your plate.
- Be aware of your food experience, no distracted eating
- Take your time to chew your food savor it, mealtime should take a good 15-20 minutes, if it's a lot shorter slow down
Struggling with getting healthy and staying on track? Maybe you're simply overwhelmed with all of the information on the internet, and talk shows and need some help with navigating to find what works for you. Schedule a complimentary online session with yours truly to find out how working with me as your advocate Health Coach can benefit you.
Yours in Health,
Davon