Need some inspo?!
Me too. Happy hump day!
5 Healthy Hacks
Since I just shared some of my workouts with you, I thought I’d compile a quick refresher on some healthy hacks for life, especially life in quarantine! If you feel like you’re falling more into the slumps or down in the dumps, you may just need a few tweaks to your daily routines. I find that if I get off track, I need to stop and look at where my energy and time is going.
- Move your body AT LEAST 30 minutes every day. Break it up if you have to! 5 minute stretch in the morning, 10 minute yoga break mid day, 15 minute walk after dinner. Boom, done! Or do a dance session, lift some weights, hop on your spin bike, play some tennis or run after your kids! Just do it every single day. You’ll quickly find how great you feel, and want to move more! If you have a dog, make it a goal to walk the dog first thing in the morning and once again in the evening. Once you’ve gotten into that habit, don’t count that as a workout, but just as a daily routine. Watch your body start changing immediately!
- Drink that water!! If you’re not drinking at least 1/2 your body weight of water or more, you are most likely not getting enough H20!! I’m not talking your teas, coffee, pop, whatever…straight up water yo! Buy yourself a cute new water jug or one that keeps your water extra cold! Cut some fresh fruit, stick some mint in there, do whatever you need to do, but get more water. It will help your skin glow, your digestion flow, and you may even eat less since you’re probably more thirsty than hungry when you go grab that extra snack. I’m also trying to drink a huge cup of water before a meal so that I don’t overeat as well.
- Enjoy SOME sweets. Fruit is not evil! I find that if I eat enough fruit throughout the day or cut some up at night after dinner, I don’t find myself wanting to eat a whole batch of GF cookies. One or two cookies won’t kill your vibe, but reign it in. I will even have a few chocolate/butterscotch chips with some tea if I really want. Do not deprive yourself, or you will end up overeating. Have a glass of wine or a white claw. It’s ok! Just try not to have 3+ or you’ll just undo the work you’ve done. Remember we are in a wonky time so if you take away all the fun things, you may just quit and that’s no good. If you do over-indulge, tomorrow is a new day. Do not stress *we don’t need that cortisol raising any more than it is!
- Eat the rainbow!! No not skittles, but rather fill your plate each meal with as many colors as you can. Breakfast I try to get my spinach (green) tomatoes (red) eggs, avocado, blueberries or strawberries….you get my drift. If you find yourself eating all bland foods at each meal, you may not be getting all of the nutrition your body needs and you’ll crave it and cave in other areas. Now that Summer is almost here, those fresh fruits and veggies will be abundant! Keep those carrots handy, celery, berries, and salads are so great on a hot sunny day!
- Gratitude. I know you’ve heard it a million times but if you just take a few minutes in the morning, or at night, or both, to find a few things in life you’re thankful for, life does seem to have a funny way of turning around! I try to write in my Start Today Journal daily but if I don’t, I will still take time to reflect and count my blessings. If you start focusing on all the bad, negative, how things could be better, than that’s all you’ll see. Trust me, I know because I fall into that sometimes too. But I try so very hard to have a happy headspace and focus on the good! It’s amazing how much good will come back to you!
If I’m Being Honest…
It’s Wednesday morning and I did not want to get out of bed today. It seems like it’s getting harder and harder for me to want to get up early. If it weren’t for my 5 year old telling me his tummy was grumbling because he was hungry, I very well could have laid in bed until…
I’m sharing my thoughts today because this is such a crazy time. We have no idea when this virus will go away, when we can go to the store without fear of picking up germs to bring back to our family. We have no idea when we can hug and squeeze our friends and family outside of our quarantine circle.
I keep volleying back and forth between, “everything is okay and everything is so not okay.” I am working hard on my meditations, literally listened to 3 or 4 before I checked any social media today. I try to allow myself time to process, grieve and allow myself to feel the feelings. Yes some people have it worse, but it doesn’t make your or my situation any easier.
I keep reminding myself that the kids are happy and healthy. Joe and I are healthy, and if I’m being honest, he’s always really happy! It’s me who spirals out into monkey mind of, ‘what if’ and ‘what about’? But that’s always been us. He’s Mr. Sunshine even on the grayest day, and that’s one of the things I love about him, but he’s him and I’m me and we are different.
So I guess all I’m trying to say is, if you need the good old fashioned shower cry, go ahead and do so. But please talk to someone, write things down, and give yourself some love. Read some books, watch some TV, work on a craft or bake if that is your thing. As humans we need to feel productive, so I always feel best after baking my family cookies or crafting a blog post. I want to continue to show up, even when I don’t feel like it. Yup. I don’t feel like doing a lot these days. I was killing my at home workouts with Tone it Up routines and then bam–stopped.
I still walked the dogs the last few days, but not showing up and sweating and getting that extra cortisol out really messes with me I think! I’m making it a goal to sweat daily again. My body, mind and soul needs that extra push right now and it’s so true that we should be taking the very best care of ourselves during this time.
I’m still getting up and writing down 5 things I am grateful for in my Start Today Journal. I am writing in my journal. I am working on quieting my mind when the negative chatter comes into play. It’s an all day every day battle and I will admit Sunday I even had to check out a bit. I laid in my bed and watched Hulu for a little while. I just needed a tiny break. We are not meant to be “on” 24/7 and as moms, wives, friends, daughters, we are fixers and trying so hard to make things right. I check in with a few close girlfriends and my family through Marco Polo or House Party. I do think it’s important to stay connected as much as we can!
As for a “Schedule” — nope. We ain’t got one! I love a good routine and groove, but my kids are still little so they’re not sitting in front of computers or iPads for hours on end. I kinda just let things go where they may. They have been enjoying a bowl of cereal on the living room floor and watching cartoons together. It’s the little things. If the weather is nice, which it was yesterday, ZERO worksheets were done. Sorry #notsorry Cuomo. Instead we all hopped in the truck and spent 5 hours at our land. Walking in nature, looking for items on a Nature Scavenger Hunt. We saw worms, animal bones, feathers, deer poo, and got real muddy. I even got a little sunburn on my nose! It was glorious.
I know that I cannot play the “I will be happy when…” card, but I do know that once our weather finally breaks and this 30/40/low 50 degrees crap is gone, we will be living outside! It is supposed to snow this weekend so Joe already promised me a fire. I can live with that. I have my Jessica Simpson book I want to finish!
I guess my rambling here is it just let you know, you are not alone. No matter where you are and who you’re #stayinghome with, just keep going. If you look for the good, you’ll find the good. If you look for the bad, well you’ll find that too.
1. Plug keep plugging into positive people, my personal faves are, (aside from my husband)
2. Sweat. Need ideas?
Tone it Up (You Tube and Free app)
Peleton (going to try)
3. Laugh. It really is the best medicine. Memes galore right now, lighten up and see the humor in the dark.
4. Eat healthy. I’m struggling with this one since I am out of fresh fruits and veggies, but try really hard to eat 5 colors a day, throw in some extra frozen vegetables or a smoothie. I’ve been eating Gluten Free and feeling pretty good! Make efforts and cook from scratch! (No preservatives.). I’ve been following Cara and Christina’s new book ideas.
5. Show up. Show up for yourself. Show up for your mom. Show up for your kids, your hubby, your dog. Just keep showing up. Baby steps like the move What about Bob. We totally need to watch that this weekend, we just love it! But seriously, DO SOMETHING that makes your soul happy. We will never get this time back. The negativity will creep in but you can stop it; we just have to keep showing up. Be the light. Bake the cookies with the kids, play the family board game, make some memories! This will not last forever.
Let me know what is helping you get through the tough moments right now!
Tuesday Thoughts
I’ve been really feeling the changing of the seasons, the shifts in life and truly becoming more aware of what’s all around.
View outside my home
It’s so easy to get caught up in the whirl.
The constant comparing, the worry, the it’s not fair mentality.
As much as I try not to, I can fall victim to the negative swoop that surrounds us all.
We all do.
But time and time again, I go back to center. The tools that I learned (and lived) with Lindsay Preston over the Spring and Summer continue to save and service me over and over again. When I feel stressed, less than, anxious, upset, mad or frustrated I lean in. I get quiet. I realize that my problems are not too big. I see others with far worse than I. I write. I journal. I walk outside. I breathe. I move my body. I count my blessings and list the 5 things I am grateful for every.stinking.morning. (Thank you Hollis Co.)
Nothing is too big, and we must remember that we are not alone, though alone we may feel. The universe guides us, subtle and quiet, or sometimes with great force. You are exactly where you need to be at the exact right time.
The only thing you must remember, is that you must not quit.
As Oprah says, “What is the next right move?”
Don’t think about tomorrow, next month or next year.
When frazzled, go ahead and talk out loud or grab a piece of paper.
Get the crazy mumbled thoughts out of your head and just breathe.
I am loving this Autumn for so many reasons, but mostly because it’s slowing me down and making me acutely aware of how precious life is. In just a few days, trees go from vibrant greens to euphoric reds, orange and yellows…to brown and bare. It is a season of collecting thoughts, pinecones, leaves, memories. I find myself taking more photos with our ‘nice’ camera as if I’m trying to pause time itself. I’m relishing the warm/cool walks with my family and dogs.
Above all, be grateful.
When all else fails, there is truly always something to be grateful for.
Whether is a pumpkin cold foam iced soy chai or your precious babies–
Getting grateful is the gateway to happiness, joy & loving your life.
What are you grateful for today?
I Confess…
I miss the link up for these!! {If there’s a new one, someone please LMK! K thanks.}
…I’m on day 2 of my cleanse and I’ve got a whole chicken in the slow cooker—I’m dying to eat it and it’s no where near dinner time.
…Yes I am still doing Advocare cleanses. They are gentle and effective and my body just seems to reset just perfectly when I do them!
…I went to step on my scale yesterday and the batteries were dead. NOT COOL! I need to know how many el-bees I lose man!!
…I am super pumped that my husband agreed to go speak on a panel again for an awesome Auto Financial Group conference. Mama gets to go again too—yay!!
…On that note, we are staying at this beyond gorgeous & swanky Hotel Monteleone. You guys, there is a carousel bar. Yes, an actual carousel that spins slowly while you sippy your drinky!
…I am in a silly mood. I just finished a great uplifting audiobook, maybe it is that.
…For real though, I love the way Marie tells her truth bombs and sprinkles adult language throughout the book. It’s real life and quite motivating! Her uplifting and encouraging spirit brought me here to type a blog post!
…Every time my dishwasher beeps, Joe typically says, “Jennnnnnnn” when he’s here. Now even when he’s not here, that’s all that I can hear when the damn thing beeps. It’s funny bc it’s true. I’m the only one who really unloads the dishes. Well, Brooke helps with the silverware. And I am not complaining; I love my dishwasher!
…I’m still going at it with 100 Morning Meltdown, but I adapted so I can do it at the gym or I’ll just do other cardio instead of her crazy plyo moves.
…I’m sore from the Meltcon workout I did yesterday.
…One of my favorite YouTubers launched some Merch!! Check out her adorable sweatshirts and tees here!!!
…Ya’ll know I’m a Rachel Hollis fangirl and I have been so excited that the last 90 Days is coming up!! People, we have less than 100 days until 2020—what are you doing to make it count?? I cannot wait to break out that new journal.
…One of my favorite authors/spiritual ladies Gabby Bernstein had a new book launch today and as soon as my audible credit loads (as it does the 24th of every month) you bet that I’ll be listening to her!! She mentioned on Good Morning America today that yes it’s about talking about getting what you want in life, but first and foremost you must feel good in order to receive. YES!!
…Why yes, I am a book & journal nerd and I’m not mad about it. I also just love the feeling of completing a book or finishing writing in a journal.
…Prayers up for my dad. He’s having a small procedure done Wednesday and as always, good vibes & health are always welcome.
…There is no better feeling than being in alignment or my authentic self.
…Fall is in the air and me breaking my pumpkin cold foam chai addiction is real.
…Gratitude does do so much for the soul!! I’ve been doing my Start Today Journal after I personally journal and there is always something to be grateful for.
…”Create before you consume” is also my morning routine motto. Before I let in anyone else, I let my own inner light, soul and beauty shine on paper, in my mind and heart.
Have a fabulous Tuesday friends!