Tag: Own your health

Are You All In Or Just Going Through The Motions?

Remember those health goals you set for yourself for 2022? Or those health goals you thought about setting for yourself? As we move through the year, are you all in on reaching those goals? Or are you just going through the motions with minimal success?

HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT YOUR HEALTH GOALS NOW?

Are you on track to blow past those goals for 2022 and do that well-earned happy dance?

Good for you! Keep on keeping on!!

Have you adjusted your health goals to reflect changes in your life over the course of 2022 and are now back on track?

Excellent – you are tuned in to yourself and what you need to meet these goals!!

Are you floundering? Starting, stopping, not feeling that these goals are what you need to work on? On track to meet those health goals, but don’t feel the joy you thought you’d feel?

If you’re floundering when it comes to tackling your health goals, why do you think that’s happening?

Are you afraid of failure?

Are you afraid of success?

Do these health goals mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to you?

Did you set your health goals to make your family, friends, colleagues happy?

Did you set these goals thinking your BFF would be able to keep you on track?

Are you at a point where you have absolutely no idea why you even set these goals?

Use this grand month of September – the second new year – to reset and recommit to your health goals:

Think BIG.

Make those health goals meaningful.

Make those health goals fun.

Make those health goals challenging.

Make a plan to achieve your health goals.

Need some  motivation?

Read The 12-Hour Walk by Colin O’Brady.
I could not put this book down and read it in one day.

After you read this book, set some goals for yourself, and go all in to crush them!

The 12-Hour Walk is inspiring, thought-provoking, action-inducing.

Share your new health goals proudly and publicly.

Are you up for 29029? Don’t know what 29029 is? That’s because you haven’t read this book.

Invest in yourself, and take a 12-Hour Walk.

Keep moving, one step at a time toward your health goals. You’re in control. Own your health. Make EVERY day count.

Are You All In Or Just Going Through The Motions? was last modified: September 16th, 2022 by Deb Nelson

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

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

Own Your Health: Those Health Goals Are Within Your Reach

Reach your health goals one step at a time.
Healthy living starts now.
Make small changes to achieve BIG results.

You can own your health and reach your health goals by taking one small step at a time? Small changes lead to BIG results. Really???? Yes, really.

 

Get Moving.

Add some physical activity to your day.

Last year I wanted to run a half marathon. I hadn’t been running regularly in more than four years. The first day I went out to run, I ran a quarter of a mile. Let me repeat that. I ran a quarter of a mile. I put a plan in place and ran three times a week. BOOM!

Running’s not your thing? No problem.

Take a hike, or go for a walk. Walking is an amazing activity: you can walk inside or outside. Start with short walks or hikes and build up as you can.

yogaCrank up the music and have a dance party.

Stretch yourself  with yoga.

Hop in the pool and go for a swim.

Poll your friends and find out what they do to keep moving. Ask if you can join them.

Whatever you do, make it fun!

 

Pump up the volume.

Eat more plants, and change up your nutrition.

Eat a small salad before lunch and dinner.

Have a Meatless Monday. Yes, you can do it. Oatmeal for breakfast. Hummus and tabbouleh on a bed of greens or in a pita pocket for lunch. For dinner

Will Bulsiewicz, MD, MSCI, author of Fiber Fueled, suggests we eat 30 different plants each week. Start small: break that down and the goal seems reachable. 30 different plants over 7 days = 4.3 per day. An apple as a snack and portobello tacos takes care of you on Taco Tuesday!

Plants can keep you full between meals, too

Oil free hummus

Sweet potatoes and salsa

Bananas, nectarines, watermelon, apples, berries…

Dessert treat – fudgy vegan brownies

Experiment with plants you’ve never had before; if you find you don’t like something, leave it behind. Since there are thousands of plants to choose from, you’re bound to find some that appeal to you.

Drink up.

Water, water everywhere…

Start slow. Add 4 ounces in the morning and another 4 in the afternoon. Not a fan of water? Add a little lemon or lime juice, or slice up a strawberry and put it in to add a fresh flavor. Still not there? How about a slice of cucumber? Before you know it, that 8-ounce glass of water will be your beverage of choice a few times a day.

As a bonus of drinking water, you may find that you don’t have those cravings to snack as much throughout the day. Sometimes we’re actually dehydrated when we think we’re hungry.

Pro Tip: Go for the water before reaching for the snack. Wait 15 minutes to see if feelings of hunger are gone.

step by stepHow to begin?

Set clear, smart goals.

Smart goals are:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Time Bound

Write those goals to help cement them in your mind. Got a planner? Put them in your planner. Print those beautiful goals. Post them in places you’re sure to see them throughout the day.

Keep those goals front and center. EVERY DAY.

 

Move from plan to action.

Start with one choice

Get Moving

Pump up the Volume OR

Drink Up

Small steps.

Increase as you can.

Try this approach and see if you find that you actually do own your health. Let me know how it works for you!

Own Your Health: Those Health Goals Are Within Your Reach was last modified: July 27th, 2020 by Deb Nelson