How to make time for healthy activities every day

Maybe you’ve noticed, or maybe you haven’t been around me long enough to notice, but I have made a huge, huge shift in the way I do fitness.

I have started to really look inside and do what feels right to me.

I used to be this hard-core, “no excuses” maniac, who didn’t believe that anyone who wanted something couldn’t go out and get it!! (I still believe that if you want something you can make it happen)

However, I now have realized, the hard way, that too much pushing, not enough ALLOWING can pretty much, well, get your panties in a bunch!

You can become no-fun, too serious, and actually less healthy!!

(ain’t nobody got time for that!!)

There is a big world out there and all kinds of people. There are all kinds of fitness and all kinds of food and ways to eat and stay healthy and active.

I actually took nearly TWO FULL YEARS off of what most people would consider “working out”… at least in the sense of how I used to work out.

I decided, it was best for me, to just make time for healthy activity.

Some of that actually meant: RESTING.

When I was overworked, tired, sick and sore, in the past, I would just tell myself to “suck it up”

This ultimately led to burn out and a whole bunch of hormonal rebounds.

Ultimately, just staying active has helped me maintain my physique, my relationships and my sanity!

I’m excited to team up with Stayfree® to share how I am able to stay calm, cool, and collected while staying active.

Here are some of my best tips on making time for healthy activities:

  • Think outside the box!! – we think we have to “go to the gym” to have a workout. Not so!! I started doing a lot more from home– climbing the stairs to my apartments 25 times and then some push-ups on the counter– a little goes a long way!
  • Opposite Day Workout – sometimes, we have SO much stress in our lives- work, kids, traffic, etc. the last thing we need is another high intensity workout to raise cortisol even MORE. Take a walk. Take a yoga class in person or online. Breathe and let go.
  • Use your breaks wisely– if there is little time between leaving work, picking up one child, dropping off another, etc. Make those water breaks or lunch breaks count!! Walking lunges, parking far away, a few squats while waiting on hold. Make the extra minutes count!
  • PLAY – My newest, most fun way to get some activity in, is to blast Pandora and dance!! Playing is so fun and laughing is the best ab workout I have found! Make life and fitness enjoyable and it will be easy!

What are some ways that you stay calm, cool and connected during your busy life?

For a limited time, received a free 30 day online subscription to My Yoga on Gaiam TV with any Stayfree purchase! Keep your receipt and visit Stayfree.com/myyoga for program details.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Stayfree®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Stay calm, cool, and connected with Stayfree®. For a limited time, received a free 30 day online subscription to My Yoga on Gaiam TV with any Stayfree purchase! Keep your receipt and visit Stayfree.com/myyoga for program details.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Stayfree®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Me Day

Me Day

Me Day

“Me Day”

I’ve had discussions about this “self-made holiday” on Facebook, I’ve mentioned this in the newsletters and I recently spoke about it on a radio show, but I realized I never composed a blog about it!

See, at the end of December 2012, I started to think about “resolutions” and all of those things we tend to do at the end of the year…. memories from the past year and hopes for the New Year… and I’ll be honest, I was not happy with what was going on. I had been dealing with metabolic damage and adrenal fatigue for the better part of two years, and I had started to make some GREAT headway, and then, POW I lost it!

How did I lose it?

STRESS.

I started staying up late again, I started taking on more projects than I could handle, I started putting myself last and others first… you know the deal.

I realized that the THINGS I was doing to feel better, ie. taking care of me, getting to bed early, meditating, relaxing, eating regular meals, taking my supplements, etc.

I had completely stopped….and I was feeling terrible.

In fact, I told my husband, I just want to rent a car and go stay in a hotel ALONE for a few days. (ok maybe a week!)

He was obviously hurt… but that’s how I felt!

I felt as if I was being pulled in a million directions and I needed an escape… NOW!!

So that is where the “Me Day” idea came from.

I decided that for 2013 ONE DAY out of every month, was a day for ME.
RULES INCLUDE: 

  • no phone
  • no computer
  • no alarm clock
  • I can do whatever makes ME feel good– massage, reading, napping, eating
  • no “shoulds” or “have tos”
  • no work

and so, I took out my phone and blocked out the last Sunday of every month for my year long experiment.

Well, January, something came up, the Dani Johnson First Steps to Success seminar was on “MY WEEKEND” so, I just rescheduled for the next weekend! I took my Sunday (it was Super Bowl Sunday) and got myself a massage, read a book and took a nap. I can’t say that I didn’t get on the computer or ditch the phone.. but it was a start.

So my February day came and my husband knew it was my day, but he needed me for a few things, and I have to say  it was kind of ruined. He apologized and it was no biggie… who knew this would be so hard?!! I thought, “maybe this will be better on a week day!”

March came and went, I traveled to 3 states in 3 weeks and there was no time for me, again and here we are, mid April. I have a day scheduled THIS weekend. Hubby’s out of town and I’m disappearing!! For the rest of the year, I moved my “Me Day” to a Friday. Its easier when hubby is at work to BE ALONE.
The moral is: be flexible, be adaptable, but put it in the books.

I’m not perfect. I don’t have children, however, I have a very busy life because I give a lot and a lot of people depend on me. I understand how hard it is to have a day for you. BUT its still SO important. I urge EVERYONE..

I CHALLENGE YOU—-> DO IT NOW.

Schedule your “Me Days” for the REST of 2013 (there’s still 8 months left!!)

Then CLICK TO TWEET IT: I’m taking a day just for me!! #meday #becauseImworthit @SweatyBetties

even if its a “Me Half-Day” — take 4 hours for YOU. I promise you will be less bitter about the things you “have to do”.
Don’t tell me that you can’t, that you don’t have time, or can’t find a sitter…

Don’t be a b!tch. 

Lets just DO THIS…. and then come back and tell me what you plan on doing. Here are some ideas:

  • sit at the park
  • read a book
  • have coffee with a friend
  • sleep in… late
  • watch a movie marathon in your pajamas
  • get a massage
  • get a mani/pedi
  • hang out at Whole Foods
  • Sun bathe
  • sit in a car alone for 4 hours (I’ve totally done this)
  • go on a hike (but please tell someone where you’re going)
  • take a bath
  • take a yoga class
  • eat a healthy meal
  • do an “at-home” spa day- paint your nails, do a face mask, etc.