I'm a big believer in the power of self-care. You can't live an optimal healthy, nourished life without practicing self-care regularly, but I think that sometimes we find ourselves so busy with life - just trying to do everything that "must" be done - that we neglect to make self-care a priority. I also think that sometimes self-care gets misunderstood. In fact, a recent poll found that 44% of people believe self-care is only possible for people with enough time, and 35% believe self-care is only possible for those with enough money. Sometimes people also label behaviors like binge watching Netflix as self-care. Is it relaxing to get into a TV show or movie? Sure, but it's more of an indulgence than an act of self-care. Truth be told, self-care is simply anything that we ... [Read More]
healthy habits
5 Steps to Take to Recommit to Your Healthy Living Goals
"Nothing will work unless you do." - Maya Angelou Lately I've been thinking about goal setting, and how sometimes we have the tendency to set goals and start off strong, but then get distracted by old habits and the busyness of life, and perhaps never quite get there. I know so many people who set healthy living goals, but then wind up spending years of their lives feeling guilty and unworthy because they have yet to be able to crush those goals... Did you resolve to lose unwanted weight, but have given up on your goal after frustration with the scale? Did you promise to fit in regular workouts this year, but haven't exercised as much as you'd planned? Did you commit yourself to cooking healthy at home a lot more often, but fell back into your normal routine of ... [Read More]
Health Benefits of Stretching + 6 Ways to Fit More Stretching in
Back in high school, I was a competitive cheerleading coach (and a competitive cheerleader myself). I remember telling my cheerleaders how important it was for them to practice stretching exercises often to improve their flexibility, and how I stretched every single day. Here am I, over a dozen years later, and while I'm no longer throwing girls in the air for stunts and memorizing choreography routines, stretching is still a practice that I implement into my active life on a daily basis. Some ways that stretching improves your health include: While you know that stretching obviously improves flexibility, it also improves the range of motion in your joints and blood flow to the muscles. This is why stretching can decrease risk of injury - and we all know that injuries are no ... [Read More]
The Healthy Habits I Practice Daily
The following post is sponsored by Dandy®. If there's something that every single health professional and enthusiast in the world can agree on, I think it's that being healthy is not a destination, it's a lifestyle. It's something you have to put in the effort for each and every day. Consistently making healthy decisions makes me feel strong, capable, and confident, and it transcends into every other area of my life. Today I wanted to share some of the healthy habits that are part of my everyday routine. They're ways of life for me that make me feel vibrant and energized, and help me to be the healthiest, happiest person I can be. Let's get to it! Stretch. Stretching is something that I not only do before and after my workouts, but also on my rest days too. I think it feels ... [Read More]