It’s National Women’s Health & Fitness Day – what are you doing for a healthier, more fit you? I’m not a selfish person, but in the past few years I’ve made a conscious decision to take care of me. I struggle with myself some days and think I can’t possibly take 30 minutes or an hour to exercise because I have to finish a blog, network with people, build relationships for business, spend time with my husband and son, practice violin, clean, cook… But those days are less and less. I’m worth it, you are worth it and our health is surely worth it!
I’ve been working on making #OneSimpleChange every month for a healthier, more fit me. For example, I started taking Juice Plus daily 16 months ago; it adds the nutrition of 30 fruits, vegetables, and grains and bridges the gap between what I do eat and what I should eat. Do I still eat that cookie or piece of cake every now and then? Yes, but I can honestly say sometimes it doesn’t taste as good as it used to; I’m serious!
I also joined a local walking group. I’m training to walk a half marathon in November. Do you have to train for a marathon to take care of you? No; but move. Whether it’s 15 minutes a day, 30 minutes a day, or three 10-minute cardio spurts daily – move. Anything is better than nothing and that #OneSimpleChange after 30 days will become a habit and you can then add another simple change and so on and so on…
For my brain health, I started playing the violin last fall – I joined New Horizons Orchestra, and I absolutely love it! I never thought I would be able to play an instrument, let alone the violin, but it’s been fantastic for my brain and my attitude! Now Tuesday nights are reserved for practicing with a group of friends, group classes on Saturday mornings, and it’s wonderful. If you know me, my favorite quote by an unknown author is “Music Makes Us Human.”
My Three Simple Tips for You to Take Care of You:
- Move. If your day was too busy to fit in your exercise routine, stand in front of the TV at night and walk, do jumping jacks, squats, jump rope, etc. Just move. You’ll have more energy and burn some calories along the way! Did you know when you exercise and have better nutrition you have more energy? What would you change in your schedule to be able to move 15, 30, 45, or more minutes a day? Yes, 15 minutes a day is better than zero minutes a day.
- Make your nutrition a priority. Do one thing for 30 days to improve your nutrition – quit drinking diet soda, add two green vegetables to your diet per day, drink at least eight glasses of water per day. What can you do for your overall better nutrition?
- Make sure you give yourself time for a good night’s sleep. Do as I say not as I do! I usually stay up late because I like to relax before going to bed. I want that hour or so to wind down and have some time before hitting the sack; but I’m working on making sure I sleep at least 7 or 7-1/2 hours a night. How many hours a night are you sleeping? What change can you make in your daily routine so you have more energy for the next day?
Here’s a video with information to a healthier, more fit you. What’s #OneSimpleChange you can commit to for 30 days? We can’t wait to hear from you. Ladies (and fellows, if you’re reading this), we’re all worth it!
Perfect blog and info for where I am at in my life, for today and my future days. Although I eat mostly whole foods, no processed foods or pop, or cake, I’m overweight. Too sedentary either in front of the computer or beading table, but I made a commitment to myself to get a handle on it. So I stopped gaining- next is to start losing. I am increasing my water intake & moving in place or going up & down more often instead of calling hubby to bring me… I do think we will be supporting one another in our personal goals.
I agree; it’s great to have support and as we “mature” it’s harder to keep motivated. Here whenever you want motivation and vice versa, I hope. Thanks for reading this Roslyn!
I’m so guilty of not making good food a priority. Yikes… I want to but it’s often wish-bone thinking instead of action taking. 🙁 See, I’m practically alone at meal times since hubby is on the road – so it’s real easy AND fast to just grab that fast whatever is around. I’ve been doing a bit better now that I get weekly produce from a nearby farm. I think your idea of 1 thing at a time would work for me. Thanks a bunch… x0x
Norma, planning is so hard, but really so important, especially for busy people because we want to grab the fastest thing which is usually the least healthy for us. With fall coming, I like to take Saturday or Sunday and make soups and chilis and freeze them so we can grab them when things are busy (oh, most days!). Thanks for reading!