Sometimes we need to checkout...

Life doesn’t always make time for us to slow down, but sometimes it’s inevitable.  If we demand too much of ourselves by continuing to move full steam ahead then eventually it catches up and life come to a screeching halt!

We need to remind ourselves that life is a journey, not a destination. We will have our laundry list of household chores, commitments to social engagements, obligations to our career and precious moments to spend with our family. It’s essential for us to listen to our body when it’s asking us to slow down.  As the season is changing from summer to fall, we are seeing reminders everywhere to get our flu shot, and cold medicine commercials are in full swing as we gear up to strengthen our immune system in an effort to prevent the drudgery of not feeling well.

Start by making sure you’re taking a multi-vitamin every day. With the hours of daylight decreasing, it might be necessary for you to add Vitamin D into your daily regimen as well. Make sure you’re moving throughout the day- it’s a perfect time of year to keep a pair of sneakers in your trunk. Take 20 minutes at lunch, after work or whenever available to go for a walk. Keep your hands clean by keeping sanitizer available for when you need it. Doing all of this provides excellent prevention, but if you do become under the weather, then take time to go to the doctor if necessary, stay hydrated and get plenty of rest. It’s a busy world out there and we have to be healthy to enjoy it!

How to pep up on a Monday morning

 Start your week the night before by getting things packed up and ready to go. This will help to ensure you’re not racing out the door in the morning. It’s helpful to pack a lunch the night before if possible. It’s really a morning timesaver! Consider what you are going to wear in the morning. This might mean you need to do laundry. It could also help you beat the clock because you won’t be ironing at the last minute. Motivate yourself to leave early by stopping for your favorite breakfast or morning coffee, perhaps a cup of tea. Once the day has started, think about the plans you want to make for the remainder of the week. Maybe there is a new movie coming out, a set number of days that you want to hit the gym, or you want to meet up with a friend you haven’t seen in a while. Take the time early in the week to set things up to keep your week entertaining.

Fitness Goals

Our fitness goals tend to change throughout the year and typically fluctuate based on events in our life. Often we find a specific date to start a fitness goal and if we “cheat” just a little, we feel as if it’s completely ruined and give up.  Let’s shift our mentality to short term goals and not beat ourselves up over a slice of chocolate cake!

1.       What is your goal? Be as specific as you can and define what it is you want.  

2.       Tell people about your goal. Why? This will hold you accountable!

3.       Don’t let it consume your life. Fitness goals should be enjoyable and add to your life… not take over your life!

4.       Mark your calendar! Define your timeline. When do you want to reach your fitness goal?

Keep in mind that your fitness goal can be anything from losing a few pounds, to running a road race or participating in a triathlon. What do you want to achieve this summer?

Sleep: We need it...

As the week goes by, we find ourselves losing ground on the battle to get to bed a decent hour. Why can't we seem to find the time to pack it all into a 15 hour day?

Perhaps you make it into bed, fall asleep but wake up in the middle of the night with thoughts racing about what needs to be done or something that you forgot about.

 Here are a few suggestions:

1. Determine the time you will be going to bed at the beginning of the day and plan some form of exercise to do during the day.
2. Start winding down at least an hour before you want to fall asleep.
3. Within an hour before bed, turn down bright lights, turn off the television, disconnect from the internet and your phone
4. If you find yourself still thinking about the events of the day, try a hot shower, or read a book.
5. Make sure to get into bed at the time you planned.
6. If you find yourself with eyes wide open, then try to consciously focus on relaxing each part of the body
7. If you wake up in the middle of the night with a thought from the day then write it down. Put a note pad on your night stand so you can keep track of your thoughts without getting out of bed.
8. Most of all, we have to accept that falling asleep and staying asleep can sometimes be a challenge and we have take time to prepare our body to fall asleep and stay asleep! Be patient and allow your body time to rest even if you are not asleep.

We need our sleep to be productive, alert and sustain our energy throughout each day.