A few years ago, whenever I got stressed and too busy I used to do this thing that blows my mind now.
I used to be in the “ignore it and push through it” club. By that I mean, I’d take the stress/overwork hit, but just keep going.
I’d tell myself: “I’ll deal with this later.”
And I was super proud of myself – because you know what? I could take it.
But even though I was able to handle the actual work … I didn’t always manage the stress.
Well … guess what?
Eventually, one way or another, you end up having to deal with it.
You can end up getting sick, having headaches, getting injured, or feeling burned out.
If you’re also in the “push through it” club … you may want to consider jumping over into the “self-care club” instead … because that’s where the real power is.
Now, this doesn’t mean you have a pass on your responsibilities … it just means you’re listening to your body and managing your stress levels along the way.
Here are 7 things you can do to help you not only stay on track… but do it in a more sustainable way:
- Take a breath.
When you’re stressed/busy, taking just a few minutes for controlled, mindful breathing can help your body’s stress control system do its job. I use essential oils paired with deep breathing and it's like magic. - Move your body.
This is one of the best stress-relievers out there! Exercise works on a hormonal level to help you feel calmer, less stressed, and more relaxed. - Get a new perspective.
Studies show that spending time in nature (just a few minutes) can help cut stress. - Upgrade your nutrition & hydration.
Stress can make you crave high-calorie foods that contain a LOT of sugar and fat. This can make you feel tired, blah, and sluggish. Upgrade your choices to include nutrient-dense whole foods that help you feel better. Adding a shot of NingXia Red can help support blood sugar levels as well as provide massive antioxidants. - Make time for recovery (aka sleep).
When you sleep, your body is helping you recover from yesterday so you can be rejuvenated to tackle tomorrow. Make sure to go to bed early enough so you can get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. - Build a support network.
Having people around you (in-person or virtually) who hold you accountable is everything! (Our FB group can be a good place to start: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wellnesswithcolleen/ ) - Feed your mind.
Make sure you get a steady diet of positive input – whether it’s listening to inspiring podcasts and audiobooks, reading self-development books, or learning about fitness & wellness … it can keep you motivated and moving forward. Also try meditating for at least 5 minutes a day.
It’s the little things you do every day that will have the biggest impact on your energy, resilience, fitness, and health! I'd love to hear if you do any of these tips OR if you are going to try a specific one.
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
Maybe you’ve heard this saying:
“You are only one workout away from a GOOD MOOD.”
It’s SO TRUE – a workout can rev up your body’s feel-good hormones, give you a mental break, and shift your focus. Which makes it a great way to turn your day around!
A few days ago, I sent you an email about how everything is connected – your sleep, activity, food choices, stress, and so much more.
You can read it here: https://colleenriddle.com/blog/30890/the-real-cause-of-your-cravings-
Anyway, I mentioned how if you’re having an “off” day in one area, taking ONE GOOD-FOR-YOU ACTION can turn it around into an “on” (or at least better) day.
A quick workout is one of the fastest ways to help with that – in just a few short minutes.
Here are 5 quick ways to get your heart pumping in just 10 minutes!
10-Minute Feel-Good Workouts:
Cardio Walk: Lace up your kicks and go outside for a quick 10-minute walk. Or hit the treadmill/elliptical for 10 minutes.
Strength Circuit: Repeat for a total of 10 minutes: 10 squats, 30 seconds “pretend” jump rope (or march in place), 10 pushups, 30 seconds jumping jacks, 10 lunges (each side), 10 bicycle crunches (each side), 10 glute bridges, 30-second break.
Dance It Out: Turn on your favorite music and have a dance party.
Aggression-Relieving Session: Alternate kickboxing moves – 30 seconds of punches with 30 seconds of kicks, 30 seconds off, for a total of 10 minutes.
Cardio Cleaning Session: Set your timer for 10 mins and GO for a fast & furious chore session. Don’t get distracted. (This one isn’t as fun as the options above … but on the plus side, you’ll knock off a few things from your to-do list.)
As you can see, you don’t need any special equipment – you just need some focus, good music, and boom! You can turn your day (& mood) around. We'd love to know if you try any of these ideas. Hop on over to the Facebook Group after you try and tell us!
Have a fantastic day!
p.s.
If you haven't taken my survey yet, I'd greatly appreciate it! I'm working on ways to better serve my wellness community by designing programs that are tailored to your needs. Thank you! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q7NC798
Yours in health,
Colleen Riddle, ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Young Living Gold Independent Distributor
Join my Facebook Group for more wellness info! Wellness With Colleen
850-598-7263
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
I have a riddle for you …
What’s an activity that:
- between 200-500 million people across the world engage in,
- has tripled in popularity over the past decade, and
- is believed to improve your wellness, focus, energy, and mood?
Plus, studies show it can help alleviate back pain … improve enzymes in your brain to help fight Alzheimer’s … and even make your sex life better.
Some athletes use it to improve their performance.
It can also be perfect for helping you to cope with that extra stress that pops up during the holiday season, which will soon be in full swing.
If you guessed meditation … you’re right!
Meditation is a GREAT tool to help you become more mindful – which we’re focusing on a lot this month.
That’s because when you’re MINDFUL it basically means you are PRESENT and AWARE – which plays a huge role in your results, motivation, and even your workouts.
Having a meditation practice is a lot more mainstream today than it was 10 years ago.
In fact, almost as many people in the US meditate as do yoga (a little over 14% each).
Researchers are still investigating exactly HOW it works, but we do know that besides slowing down brain waves …
meditation helps you grow more gray matter in your hippocampus (which is linked with improving your mood & focus and slowing down age-related decline in cognitive functioning).
It’s definitely worth considering adding meditation to your wellness/fitness toolkit!
It’s easy to get started – just sit quietly in a comfy chair for a few minutes with your eyes closed, focusing on your breath and feeling your belly and chest rise and fall as you inhale and exhale. That’s it.
Try doing that for a few days, gradually increasing your time as it feels right. I add essential oils to help me deepen my focus.
Or you can use an app – there are dozens out there! (10 Percent Happier, Insight Timer (free, this is the one I use), Calm, and Headspace.) Also, my team put together a text series using Deepak Chopra's guided meditation 21 day series. This is how I started meditating, and it's amazing! Just text: CALM to 801-405-9525 and you'll receive daily text to the guided meditations.
At Elite Physique, we believe fitness is a mind-body experience. We work with clients to develop strategies for living their best life.
Live today with intention! If you haven't download my latest free Ebook all about focusing on mindfulness, grab it here:Mindfulness Workbook
Yours in health,
Colleen
Join my Facebook Group for more wellness info! Wellness With Colleen
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
Have you ever gone through a time in your life when you felt “in the flow?"
Wasn’t it GREAT?
You had a TON of energy, your sleep was on track, you felt productive, and you were positive and optimistic. Not to get woo-woo ... but you felt “in sync.”
Chances are, one big reason was that your body was running in its natural rhythm – basically, following your body clock. And it turns out there’s nothing woo-woo about it.
I have a quick and powerful tip to get back to that feeling if you’ve lost it.
But first, it’s important to remember that our bodies CRAVE routine. Especially healthy routines!
When you’re NOT following your body clock, you can feel fuzzy, unfocused, and tired.
You can also feel hungry … even when you’re not.
Over the long run, it can spell disaster for your health. It can affect:
- Your heart health
- Your metabolism
- Your digestion
- Your skin
- Your body’s ability to repair DNA damage, and
- So much more!
PLUS … disruptions in your body clock (aka circadian rhythm) are linked with obesity, diabetes, and mental health issues.
This month, I’m going to focus on ways you can upgrade your daily & nightly routines to feel more “in the flow’ … and get those results you’re working so hard for!
And if you’re not working hard for them YET … it can help you finally find the energy to make them a reality.
I want to start with ONE TIP that can go a long way toward helping your body clock get into sync.
Your body’s “clock” is actually located in your brain’s hypothalamus, right above where the nerves of your eyes cross.
It’s made up of thousands of nerve cells that sync your body’s functions and sleep-wake cycle through hormones and other signals.
→ One MAJOR thing that affects it is LIGHT. (A clue we’re meant to sleep at night: we don’t have night vision like most nocturnal animals.)
Light and darkness trigger a LOT of different actions in your hypothalamus.
So … the tip is to GET SOME NATURAL LIGHT during the day!
GO OUTSIDE. And even better, while you’re out there, go for a 20-30 minute walk … which is another way to help tune up your body clock.
And this is just the start … I’ve got great strategies coming your way soon on how to accelerate your results by tapping into the power of your own body.
But for now ...
Make it an amazing (and light-filled) day :-). And if you haven't grabbed my latest eBook & Workbook, "Good Morning & Good Evening Rituals" grab it for free HERE!
P.S.
Ready to take your results to the next level? Today we start the 28-Day Total Body Transformational Challenge. It's not too late to join us! By this time next month you can have more energy, feel great in your jeans, and have new habits for your health!
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
Here’s something you might be surprised to know if your social media feed is anything like mine.
The “hustle and grind” is NOT the fastest path to your results.
In fact, for some people, it’s a path to NOWHERE.
Especially if you have responsibilities … like a career, family, home, pets, etc.!
It’s true: the idea of “go hard or go home” might be exciting at first.
But a few weeks later? Not so much.
This way of thinking can leave you feeling tired, sore, and worn out! All that stress can actually work AGAINST you.
There IS a better path.
- Listening to your body’s cues
- Making small, sustainable changes that add up to BIG results
- Creating new healthy habits that actually support your lifestyle
- Doing properly programmed workouts that help you reach your goals and GIVE you energy, not drain it
- Eating the right combo of nutrient-dense foods that support your body’s needs AND goals (and doesn’t make you feel deprived)
- Integrating lifestyle tweaks (sleep, stress management) that keep your hormones and body in balance.
The best thing? It’s about building a healthy lifestyle that you can follow (and enjoy!) for years to come.
I can show you how I can help, just like we’ve helped hundreds of people to reach their wellness goals.
My upcoming 28-Day Total Body Transformation Challenge is perfect if you've been wanting to make changes, but just don't know where to begin. You'll receive a step-by-step plan to create new habits that will stick. All done with my coaching and a supportive community of people just like you! We start September 13th. You can look up the details HERE or just reach out to chat.
Looking forward to connecting,
P.S.
Here's what one participant said about the 28-Day Challenge, "I love this challenge. I learned that even if I don't stick to the plan 100% of the time I can still lose weight. I am proud to announce that I have lost a total of 10lbs during this challenge. I'm well on my way to my wellness goals." Randi R.
Here's what one participant said about the 28-Day Challenge, "I love this challenge. I learned that even if I don't stick to the plan 100% of the time I can still lose weight. I am proud to announce that I have lost a total of 10lbs during this challenge. I'm well on my way to my wellness goals." Randi R.
Interested in ways to support your wellness with chemical-free options? Click HERE!
