If You Do Nothing Else To Be Healthy, At Least Do These 5 Things
By Lara Dalch
Okay. You're busy. I get it. Between work, friends, family, and life, taking care of YOU
is at the absolute bottom of your priority list. I hear it every day,
from friends, family, potential clients, and even from myself on
occasion.
But let me ask you this: How much time is it costing you NOT to take care of yourself?
- How many minutes have you spent staring blankly at your computer screen because your energy crashed?
- How many hours are you a zombie during the day because you were up until 2am surfing the web?
- How much time is lost dealing with doctors' appointments because you get sick all the time and don't know why?
Add
it all up and tell me in the comments what you come up with. If you're
like most of my clients (before they work with me), it's not a pretty
number.
Here's how to streamline your self-care so you can fit it in without bending over backwards:
1. If you do nothing else, make sleep a priority. It's
no coincidence that I made this number one. Sleep might be the single
biggest missing piece to your health puzzle (and to your weight
management puzzle, in fact). Being sleep deprived messes with our hunger and stress hormones,
making us prone to binging on calorie-dense foods with lots of sugar,
refined carbohydrates, and fat. The energy boost from these foods
disappears quickly, leaving us depleted and more tired than before.
2. When you make food choices, think efficiency. Eating
food that fuels you is your best defense against time wasters like low
energy and frequent illness. Choosing foods that give you the most
nutritional bang means you spend less time eating and more time doing.
Nutrient-dense foods like whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, and
beans give your body what it needs on less. Make it a priority to choose
them first, whenever possible, instead of wasting time on options that
leave you hungry an hour later and searching for more food.
3. Even if you're slammed, get up for 10 minutes and take a walk around the block. Tune
into your own personal "I need a break alarm" by noticing what happens
in your body when you've hit a wall. Does your back ache? Do you stare
at your computer screen for just a little too long (without actually
doing any work)? Does your stomach feel a little funky? Once you
identify your body's "alarm," start listening to it! Giving yourself
these short little movement breaks when your body calls out for them is a
quick way to avoid burnout and reduce stress.
4. Take 20 minutes a week to plan your meals. I
know, I know: Who has time to plan? Two small things will make a huge
difference in how well you eat and whether or not you move your body:
(1) Using your calendar; and (2) Taking 20 minutes a week to plan your
meals. Put workouts, meal planning time, and cooking time ON YOUR ACTUAL
CALENDAR. It's a game changer, I promise; and will most definitely save
you time on the back end.
5. Use the 4-7-8 breathing technique. There's nothing more healing
than using a tool that you have with you at all times: your breath. A
favorite of my clients, the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique (or "paced
breathing") is an amazing way to refresh your body and mind wherever you
are. Here's how it works: Breathe in through your nose for a count of
4. Hold the breath for a count of 7. Breathe
out strongly through your mouth (like you're blowing up a balloon) for a
count of 8. Repeat that cycle 3 to 4 times. That's it. It only takes a
few minutes and will bring your stress level down, and your sense of
wellbeing up, almost instantly.
Do these five things and you'll be the picture of health…in no time.
