Sunday, November 1, 2015

Happy November: Four Tips for a Happy & Healthy You

Good morning and happy November!

 

How was your Halloween?  We had a great family day with our little skeleton.  We went to Trader Joe's, Barnes and Noble and played outside.  Today begins my 21 Day Fix Challenge Group!  We bought lots of food from Trader Joe's yesterday to fuel the week and all for less than $100.  I'm always impressed with how much food we get there for the cost.


In the spirit of starting November out feeling fantastic, I wanted to share some of my tips to feeling my best.  None of them are big surprises, but I'm sharing them anyways because I know they make a big difference in my life.  They are simple, but important.

1 – Eat better.  Eat more whole foods.  REAL FOOD.  Cut back on sugar.  Food is medicine, my friends.  Whole foods make me feel incredible.  I feel really good every day and that definitely wasn’t always the case.  Food influences happiness. I get happy when I eat a chocolate chip cookie too, but if they are made with really crappy ingredients, I feel lousy later.  However, if I get a Chipotle burrito packed with brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, corn, guacamole and lettuce, I feel really happy and full.  Also, I don’t feel bad later.  The food we eat every day influences how we feel every day.  It impacts the decisions we make and how clearly we are thinking.  It influences our emotions and how we can tolerate stress.  I’m not saying that the food can cure all, but it is crazy powerful. 

2 – Workout.  Just 20-30 minutes 4-5 days/week.  These days as a busy, full-time working mama I don’t have much time to workout.  I used to spend hours and hours running before work each week.  Running isn’t my priority right now, but I still have fitness goals.  I want to get stronger and leaner.  I want to sweat and do something for me.  How do I fit in a workout?  I involve my family.  The time after work is precious.  My husband and I only have 2-3 hours with our son before he goes to sleep.  We want to make that time count.  Therefore, Sage joins us for the workout.  Right now I’m doing PiYo, so I bring my little guy in the basement with me and a bunch of his toys and that’s how I do my 20-30 minute workout.  Also, the change of scenery is nice for him as we enter (what we like to call) cranky o’clock (you know that time before bedtime…).  It’s entertaining for us and Sage.  He’ll crawl under me when I’m doing plank, he’ll dance to the music, sometimes I have to pause my workout and help him with a book or a toy, but I do the best I can.  Most often it’s fun for all and I’m a better mama for it.

3 – Checkout from your phone.  I made this rule for myself that I don’t go on my phone from 5-7PM.  That is time dedicated to my family.  I might use it to take a photo or post a recipe on FB, but I’m not sitting staring at it.  It’s what works for me and it’s refreshing!  Don’t get me wrong I love my iPhone and all its powers, but I find that by setting that time where I won’t be on it, that I focus on my family more.  I focus on dinner and playtime.  I just feel better from the break.

4 – Focus on what you did accomplishment, not everything that needs to get done.  Let me explain.  There are days when I wake-up late and my husband and I are rushing around trying to get ready for work and Sage needs breakfast and Jax (our dog) wants to go outside.  We’re juggling everything and then we fly out the door.  The workdays are busy and then we’re home and it’s time to get dinner on the table, laundry needs to get done, the house needs cleaning, we want to give Sage all our attention… There’s basically a million different things I could focus my attention on, but if I did that nothing would really get done.  So I focus on just getting something done.  Maybe it’s laundry one night or maybe it’s vacuuming.  I know these aren’t what you would truly call accomplishments, but they are productive.  Many nights my accomplishment is a nice dinner and playtime with Sage then relaxing with husband after he goes to bed.  That’s wonderful.  When I get a chance to write a post (like this one) or connect with others in my Challenge Groups, or I have the opportunity to share what I can offer as a Health Coach, that’s fantastic.  I feel like I really got a lot done!  Putting it simply, focusing on what didn't get done is stressful and I don't have time for that!

I love the start of a new month.  November is a special one because it's the time before the holidays hit.  It's a time of opportunity.  Think about what you can do to feel your best this month.  It is not too late to join my 21 Day Fix Accountability Group either.  Our goal is get to fit by Thanksgiving and we start today {email me at lovalatte1@gmail.com or find me on Facebook}!

Do you follow any of these tips?

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