Tag: healthy living starts now

Weekend Wellness

This weekend, give yourself the gift of focusing on your wellness. Make the conscious decision to take a few actions that just might impact your health in a positive fashion.

ENJOY LIFE

Do something that brings you joy:

Spend some time with people whose company you enjoy: in person or via phone, zoom, etc.

Read a book that you’ve been meaning to pick up, or read a book to your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews.

Get in the kitchen: cook a favorite meal or find a new favorite. Got kids? Let them help you out.

Turn on the tunes and have a dance party.

Listen to a podcast.

Meditate.

Relax: Take time to do nothing.

GET MOVING

Go for a walk. Don’t have a lot of time? No problem! 10 minutes at a time adds up.

Take a hike.

Go for a run.

Hop on your bike.

Do some yoga, tai chi, or qigong.

Here’s another opportunity for a dance party!

Swap an hour of online time for an hour of walking time.

Bad weather? No problem! Walk around a grocery store or a mall or visit a gym and hop on a treadmill. Take an online class.

Set a timer throughout the day so that you’re not sitting for more than 45 minutes without getting up to move around,

Water. Water. Water.

Here are some ways to add water to your day:

Drink a glass of water before each meal.

If you’re feeling hungry between meals, have a glass of water before reaching for a snack. It could be that you’re dehydrated, and your body is craving water.

Feeling sluggish? You guessed it! Have a glass of water.

Fill a water bottle in the morning and sip on it throughout the day.

Going out to a party or dinner where you’ll be drinking alcohol? Limit yourself to one alcoholic beverage and drink water throughout the remainder of the party / dinner.

Do you avoid drinking water because you find it boring? No problem! Boost the flavor of that water by adding:

Lemon slices

Mint sprigs

Strawberry slices

Cucumber slices

Orange slices

CROWD OUT

Crowd out food that’s not serving you well with a healthy, nutritious snack. Instead of that bag of chips or handful of cookies, enjoy:

A piece of fruit: satisfy that sweet tooth with an apple, orange, or banana.

Baby carrots and low-fat hummus: proof that low-fat can taste great and satisfy those hunger pangs! Baby carrots not your thing? No worries – cucumbers, bell peppers, radishes, and more. Experiment to find what tastes best to you!

Curry popcorn: curry adds a pop of flavor to popcorn. Give it a try!

Take note of how weekend wellness impacts you.

Do you feel more relaxed? Less stressed? More energized? Less fatigued? More likely to explore how small steps and small changes can affect your health? Will you continue those activities / actions that suit you? Will you implement a daily self-care practice?

You’re in control. Own your health.

Healthy living starts now.
Weekend Wellness was last modified: September 9th, 2022 by Deb Nelson

Disconnect to Reconnect

There are days when I thank my lucky stars for technology and all it allows us to do. There are other days, though, when I feel the need to be unreachable.

 

The solution for me is to disconnect to reconnect. At first blush, it might sound a bit odd or contradictory to suggest disconnecting in order to reconnect.

Here’s how it works for me:

Unplug – whether for fifteen minutes, an hour, a day, or a week. No phone, no email, no social media, no traditional media.

Read a book. Dive into a children’s book or a novel.

Move. Go for a walk, a run, a bike ride, take a yoga class.

Be still. Mediate, take a nap, sit in a sun spot (indoors or outdoors), do nothing.

Cook. Cook. Cook. And then eat an amazing meal or two.

After taking a break, even for a brief amount of time, I am recharged and ready to reconnect with the people in my world. Give it a try, and let me know how it works for you when you disconnect to reconnect.

Healthy living starts now.

Disconnect to Reconnect was last modified: February 11th, 2022 by Deb Nelson

Goals. Goals. Goals. Committing to Small Changes in June.

Small changes are powerful. I talk about making one small change every week during Take Action Tuesday via Facebook Live (Tuesday mornings at 8:00). Sometimes, though, it helps to make a few small changes to get to your wellness goals. For the month of June, I decided to document a some goals that involve making tweaks to my existing routine.

Career

Post one blog post per week

Distribute one newsletter

Identify program to offer in fall

Outline marketing plan for fall program

Explore collaboration opportunities

Attend two networking events

Creativity

Enroll in a language class

Listen to two podcast episodes a week

Health

Legs Up the Wall every day

Meditation every day

Probiotic every day

Joy

Go to the beach at least once a week

Read four books

Physical Activity

7 Hours of Exercise Each Week

190 miles of walking / running

Average of at least two bike rides each week

Average of at least two runs each week

Strength training at least once each week

Relationships / Social Life

Reach out to an average of two people per week

Why have I selected these goals for myself for the month of June?

These goals are all extensions of areas that I’m already working on; I’ll be making tweaks – or small changes – to a number of existing or previously held practices.

By putting these goals in writing and sharing them publicly, the likelihood of achieving these goals has already increased!

Committing to small changes and achieving these goals will bring more joy and feelings of fulfillment to my life – how good is that?!?

What small tweaks can you make to your daily life to bring more joy into your world?

Need help? Let’s chat!

Healthy living starts now.

 

Goals. Goals. Goals. Committing to Small Changes in June. was last modified: June 5th, 2021 by Deb Nelson

Why Put a New Habit into Place on Groundhog Day?

Each year as February 2 arrives we celebrate Groundhog Day and wonder if Punxsutawney Phil will predict an early or late spring arrival date. Why, oh why, do we let a wily groundhog have control of our happiness?

How about if this year, for a change, we look at Groundhog Day as OUR day: our day to put a new habit in place? Nothing against groundhogs, but I’m betting most of us could use to take a bit more control of our lives. So…let’s own our health by putting a new habit in place starting TODAY.

Make one small change today, and relive that change day after day after day  — similar to how Bill Murray experienced an entire day over and over and over EXCEPT we’ve got control over the one element of that day that will remain the same: our new habit.

Explore the power of making small changes
to reach your health goals.

Take one of these actions every day for the next month:

  • Reach out to a friend
  • Go for a walk (distance and amount of time is up to you)
  • Read for 20 minutes
  • Dance party (alone or with family)
  • Add one plant-based meal to your day
  • Drink 8, 8-ounce glasses of water
  • Write in a journal
  • Make a gratitude list and read it before going to bed
  • Meditate
  • Add cardio to your day
  • Make a daily to do list and keep it to five items
  • Write a note of appreciation to someone
  • Eat an apple
  • Go to bed 15 minutes early
  • Have one less cup of coffee
  • Reduce clutter at your office or home

Got something else you’d rather do? EXCELLENT – go for it. Show Punxsutawney Phil who’s in charge here, and put that habit in place beginning TODAY.

Small changes are a powerful way to reach your health goals: one step at a time you’ll work toward those goals by taking positive action day after day after day.

Let me know what habit you’re implementing. Healthy living starts now.

 

Why Put a New Habit into Place on Groundhog Day? was last modified: February 2nd, 2021 by Deb Nelson

Set Daily Intentions to Meet Your Goals

What kind of day will you have today? You’re not sure. Really? Guess what, YOU get to decide the type of day you intend to have. Put the power of your intentions in place. What type of day will serve you best?

Wonderful          Productive                Reflective

Resigned             Lazy                          Marvelous

Successful           Disappointing          Lousy

Great                    Fabulous                  Inspirational

Hopeful                Positive                    Magnificent

 

Identify three tasks / projects / priorities for your day. Why three?

Three priorities are manageable rather than overwhelming.

Three priorities will give you variety so that when you want / need to take a break, you’ve got an alternate project / task to turn to.

Three priorities will give you variety throughout the day, which will help to keep you from getting bored with your day.

Why set priorities for the day?

Clarity is powerful.

When you get interrupted from your project / task, you know exactly what you want to accomplish for the day and you can easily return your focus to the task at hand.

At the end of the day, you’ll know how far you’ve moved forward toward your goals. Celebrate each step toward your goals, whether those goals are health goals, business goals, or personal goals.

How will you celebrate successes? YOU get to decide. Here are a few options:

Take a break and read a book, an article for 20 minutes.

Phone a friend and share your success.

Have a dance party in your kitchen.

Get outside for a walk.

When someone asks you to take a break from your daily intentions:

Make a conscious decision to accept or deny the request to step away from your intentions.

Let them know you’re working on a priority project and find out if you can connect with them later in the day or the next day.

Daily intentions set your expectations for the day.

Holstee ManifestoHave high hopes.

Reach for the sky.

Minimize floundering.

Get onto the work that lights you up.

Know where you’re going.

Feeling like you need to re-assess? Reading this manifesto from the folks at Holstee might help you get back on track.

 

Each and every day YOU get to paint the picture of what you want your day to look like.

                                               Healthy living starts now.

 

Set Daily Intentions to Meet Your Goals was last modified: January 7th, 2021 by Deb Nelson

Get Your Veggie On: It’s National Vegetarian Day

What better way than to kick off the last quarter of the year than with National Vegetarian Day!!

 

Celebrate all things veggie today.

Image from www.forkandbeans.com
  • Take advantage of National Vegetarian Day and reset your dietary pattern.
  • Swap out a sugary snack for a veggie snack (sweet potato with salsa, celery with hummus).
  • Try a new veggie – at every meal.
  • Cook a meal you’ve never cooked before.
  • Have fun with your food.

What’s the big deal about vegetables anyway? 

  • These gems taste fabulous!!!
  • There are so many veggies that if one (or more) doesn’t suit your fancy, just set it aside. There are many more options to choose from.
  • Veggies provide us with fiber. Fiber makes us feel full so that we’re less likely to overeat. Fiber also keeps everything moving through our system. AND so much more.
  • Vegetables are more nutrient dense and generally less caloric than animal foods. That means you can actually eat more food without becoming heavier when you’re following a whole food, plant-based diet.
  • These powerhouse plants can help prevent and even reverse disease.
  • Veggies boost energy – rather than slowing us down.

Take the challenge:

  • Hop online to find a recipe or go to your favorite indie bookstore and buy a cookbook featuring vegetarian fare. (Check out a few of my cookbooks pictured below.)

Celebrate the veggie today and every day!

Having trouble overcoming challenges of incorporating veggies into your nutrition plan? Let’s chat.
Healthy living starts now.

Get Your Veggie On: It’s National Vegetarian Day was last modified: October 1st, 2020 by Deb Nelson

COVID19: A Good Time To Be A Vegetarian

As I walked into the grocery store late yesterday afternoon, a now familiar scene played out. Some aisles were eerily empty – not an

Not much to choose from here.

item remained on the shelves. Other aisles had fewer options to choose from than we’re used to seeing. Still other areas of the store seemed fully stocked.

Lucky me! The fruit and vegetable area of my local grocery store was beautifully and fully stocked. I had my choice of a wide variety of fruit and veggies – every color of the rainbow was available for the buying. This stood in stark contrast to the shelves that are usually filled with meat, pasta, and a variety of prepared foods.

People – take this opportunity to add a few more veggies into your world. Why? Well let me tell you:

Vegetables contain fiber – you’ll find no fiber in any animal products. Fiber helps us maintain a healthy weight and bowel health, lowers cholesterol. Yay fiber!

Vegetables fill you up and help keep you from eating excessive

load up on onions and potatoes
Fuel up on onions and potatoes

amounts of food. Yes, they do – have a sweet potato with some salsa or a russet potato with chili.

Vegetables provide us with plenty of protein. Go for peas, spinach, kale, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, or Brussels sprouts.

Hop on the veggie train with me, and add a side of fruit while you’re at it. Grab an apple, banana, or orange and fuel your body with food that treats it well.

If you find yourself working from home, make sure you do a few other things to help you through this time of COVID19:

Go for a walk. Schedule time every day to get outside – get some fresh air, get some exercise, clear your head.

Stay hydrated. Drink water.

Have some healthy snacks on hand. Stock up on carrots, celery, hummus (make your own), salsa and cucumbers, and fruit.

Sleep. Most people need 7 – 9 hours of sleep to function optimally. If you’re not getting the sleep your body requires, your happiness and productivity are sure to suffer.

Meditate. If you’ve already got a meditation practice in place, keep it going. If meditation is new to you, start a practice.

Use technology to stay connected with friends and family.

Take good care of yourself – starting with an extra serving or two a day of veggies! Need help making diet and lifestyle changes? Let’s chat.

Healthy living starts now.

COVID19: A Good Time To Be A Vegetarian was last modified: March 18th, 2020 by Deb Nelson

December Challenge: Week Three. Get Moving!

DECEMBER 2019 CHALLENGE

We’re focusing on implementing a new habit each week for the last month of this decade. Last week’s challenge: add more water toy our day. Week one challenge: eat an apple a day. How are you doing with these two additions to your daily life? Are these small changes helping to crowd out food that shouldn’t be a part of your daily nutrition?

WEEK THREE: GET MOVING!

Have you ever kept track of how many of your waking hours are spent sitting at a desk or in a couch or chair at home watching television, playing video games, or connecting with friends online? Try it for a day – you might be surprised.

Here are some ways to get moving throughout the day:

Set a timer throughout the day so that you’re not sitting for more than 45 minutes without getting up to move around.

the goal is to run a half marathonMake your work meeting a walking meeting (indoors or outside). Chances are the meeting will be shorter and more productive!

Put that gym membership to use and take a class: Qigong, yoga, cycling, Pilates, zumba, etc.

Hope on a treadmill.

Take a hike.

Swap an hour of online time for an hour of walking time.

Can’t do an hour all at once? No problem! 10 minutes at a time can get you to an hour.

Bad weather? No problem! Walk around a grocery store or a mall.

Cooking a meal? Got kids in your house? AWESOME – have a dance party!! Please note: no kids required for a dance party!

Need accountability? Find someone in your life who can join you in your goal to get moving.

I don’t know about you, but I’m heading out for a walk!

You’re in control. Healthy living starts now.
December Challenge: Week Three. Get Moving! was last modified: December 16th, 2019 by Deb Nelson

December Challenge: Week Two, Focus on Water

DECEMBER 2019 CHALLENGE

We’re focusing on implementing a new habit each week for the last month of this decade. Last week’s challenge: eat an apple a day. How did it go? AND – do you find that if you eat an apple each day you’re less likely to eat junk food? Sometimes if we make small changes, it helps us crowd out food that shouldn’t be a part of our daily nutrition. Just sayin’.

WEEK TWO: Water. Water. Water.

Let’s build on that apple a day and increase the amount of water we’re drinking. This suggestion is probably no surprise to you. I’ve written a bit about the importance of water in the past, and you’ve probably heard of the benefits water provides to your body. Increase the amount of water you’re drinking each day by adding an 8-ounce glass a day to your water intake until you’re comfortable with the amount of water you’re drinking. (Check with your healthcare team to make sure you’re on the right track here.)

Here are some ways to add water to your day:

Drink a glass of water before each meal.

If you’re feeling hungry between meals, have a glass of water before reaching for a snack. It could be that you’re dehydrated and your body is craving water.

Feeling sluggish? You guessed it! Skip the caffeine and have a glass of water.

Fill a water bottle each morning and sip on it throughout the day.

You drink multiple cups of coffee each day? Swap out one cup of coffee for a glass of water.

Going out to a party or dinner where you’ll be drinking alcohol? Limit yourself to one alcoholic beverage and drink water throughout the remainder of the party / dinner.

Do you avoid drinking water because you find it boring? No problem! Try adding the following to your water:

Cucumber slicesOrange slices

Lemon slices

Lime slices

Mint sprigs

Orange slices

Strawberry slices

Make a game out of it to see how you can increase your water intake. Do you feel better? Less fatigued? Are you less likely to overeat? Take note now that you’re eating an apple a day and drinking more water whether you’re able to resist food and beverages that zap your strength and energy.

You’re in control. Healthy living starts now.
December Challenge: Week Two, Focus on Water was last modified: December 9th, 2019 by Deb Nelson

December Challenge: One New Healthy Habit Each Week

What if…

you were to start healthy habits in December in stead of waiting to implement resolutions in January to make up for unhealthy behavior?

What if…

each week for the month of December you adjust just one behavior?

What if …

you use this last month of the decade to shore up healthy habits and make 2020 your best year yet?

Let’s give it a go!

DECEMBER 2019 CHALLENGE

WEEK ONE: AN APPLE A DAY

We’ve all heard that saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” While Benjamin Franklin generally gets credit for this phrase, there is some evidence to support that this phrase originated earlier as a proverb: “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

Today, the apple continues to be looked at as a nutritious part of our diet. Here are a few reasons to include apples in your diet, according to Dr. Andrew Weil:

Apples are a good source of fiber, which can lower LDL cholesterol.

Antioxidants in apples protect us from both heart disease and cancer.

Buy organic and eat the peels (more antioxidants in peels). If you can’t get organic, Weil recommends peeling the apple before eating it.an apple a day

When will you have this daily apple?

You decide!

Eat that apple:

between meals when you’re feeling a bit hungry

a half hour before a meal

before or after a workout

See what suits you best!

Simple, right? One apple each day starting today. We’ll add another habit next Monday.

Healthy living starts now.
This website is a source of general information only and is NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE ADVICE OF YOUR DOCTOR or other qualified professional. The reader understands that Deb Nelson is not a doctor and has no medical training. A doctor or other qualified professional should always be consulted before beginning any health program. The reader is cautioned to carefully assess the risks associated with following any health program and is responsible for obtaining health care appropriate for his / her condition. The reader assumes all risks associated with any health program and understands that Deb Nelson and Be Well Consulting Group are not responsible for any failure of the reader to seek and obtain appropriate professional advice specific to the reader’s situation, condition, or diagnosis.
December Challenge: One New Healthy Habit Each Week was last modified: December 2nd, 2019 by Deb Nelson