I love Spring and the renewed energy that comes with it, but there can also be a lot of pressure and negative energy surrounding it — the overload of marketing encouraging you to detox to get to your “bikini body”.
Feeling good is about more than just food and exercise. I wholeheartedly believe that eating real, nutrientious foods and moving your body consistently are key to helping you achieve great levels of health and wellness.
I want to remove some of that stigma and reassure you there are easy and efficient ways to feel and look better that don’t involve being super strict or drinking green juice for five days straight. Instead try something new this spring and start small with these five recommended habits that’s simple to integrate into your current lifestyle.
1. Drink more water.
There’s a reason this advice has been repeatedly over and over. It’s so important and truly one of the best and easiest habits for shedding excess weight and toxins. Hydration is key to keeping things moving and functioning properly and helps your body carry out waste and other toxins. There’s been a ton of research that has shown that people commonly mistake dehydration for hunger (Check out Scientific American to read more on this) . Studies also show that people who drink more water tend to consume fewer calories. Some experts believe it increases your metabolism, and it will definitely help you phase out sugary drinks.
Action: Start each day with a cup of warm water with lemon (which is extremely alkalizing and detoxifies the body) and set a timer to remind yourself to drink a cup of water every hour or so. I carry a 32-ounce hydroflask around with me wherever I go and refill it three times throughout the day to keep track of how much I’m drinking.
2. Dry brushing / Coffee scrubs
I was once part of corporate America once and with prolong sitting and diets that were high in sugar and trans fats I suffered from poor circulation. This is far from ideal as your organs (including the heart and the brain) won’t receive all of the nutrients they need to function properly. Not to mention when circulation slows you burn less fat, and accumulate cellulite. Not fun.
This is where dry brushing comes in, a technique that improves circulation. By taking a natural bristled brush and rubbing it in small movements on your skin you stimulate your body’s largest organ and enhance blood circulation. By loosening up toxins from your skin to be excreted through the lymph notes will help you shed dead skin, get rid of cellulite, and will even give you an energy boost.
Action: You can purchase a dry brush at a very affordable price online. Use it before your morning shower, starting at your feet and brushing in small circular movements with light pressure, working your way up the body and toward the heart.
3. Infrared sauna therapy
Infrared sauna therapy is huge in the wellness world. While traditional saunas use heat to warm the air, which in turn warms your body, infrared therapy uses light rays (like the sun, minus the UV exposure) that heat your body’s core temperature directly, enabling it to deeply penetrate tissue and remove heavy metal toxins and fat stored within your cells.
This is a key component of fat loss and weight, as stagnant pockets of fat in our bodies store chemical toxins. As we sweat (and you will sweat!) it promotes circulation and with it gorgeous, glowing skin.
Action: Get googling and look for a spa, yoga studio, or wellness center near you that has an infrared sauna.
4. Sleep, sleep, sleep.
A good night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health. Lack of sleep can affect our weight, cognition, hormones, and result in higher risk of fat gain.
Action: Getting more sleep is easier said than done, so try these rituals to get your best night’s sleep ever:
- Create a bedtime ritual.
- Figure out a bedtime you can stick to almost every day and set an alarm one hour before to give yourself plenty of time to ease into sleep.
- Options To Try: reading, taking an Epsom salt bath, drinking tea (caffeine-free), snuggling with a loved one, or writing a gratitude list. It’s all about what works best for you!
- Put down your phone. Keep electronics out of the bedroom if possible.
- Try an old-fashioned alarm clock if you can, but if you simply can’t give up your phone alarm charge it across the room from you. This way you’re less likely to wake up and check email in the middle of the night and more likely to get out of bed when it goes off in the morning.
- Have a sleep kit handy. Create your own sleep kit. Mine includes earplugs (to block out sound), an eye mask (to block out light), lavender essential oil (to induce a calm feeling), and magnesium supplements (to aid in muscle relaxation). Get creative: (scented candles, silky pjs) as long as it’s something useful and enjoyable.
5. Work on yourself from the inside out.
Emotions affect our digestion. There’s a small part of our brain called the reticular activation system (RAS) that turns on and off our perception of ideas and thoughts and determines the lens through which we look at ourselves and the world. When you tell yourself and believe in positiv affirmations you’re building new pathways in your brain.
Aligning our thoughts, words, actions (such as what we eat), and core beliefs is the key to success in looking and feeling the way you want.
Action: It’s a lovely idea but much harder to put into action. This is where getting additional support from a health coach can be instrumental. A health coach can uncover limiting beliefs that may be holding you back from feeling and looking your best.
Taking care of yourself and cleansing in these efficient, natural ways will have you feeling better quickly. Empowering you with the motivation you need to take the steps to achieving your wellness goals.
PeaceLoveSlay 