by Heather | Jun 10, 2019 | challenges, general health, self help, Tips, Uncategorized, wellness
Mindfulness Challenge How to cut stress while doing chores!
Did you know that a study at Florida State University showed that washing dishes actually can help REDUCE stress? Believe it… it’s true!
Even though we often associate chores with causing stress, the study found that one key element turned a boring household chore into something that actually made people feel BETTER!
It all boiled down to mindfulness: being FULLY PRESENT while doing regular, everyday things. This week our challenge is to tackle one simple household chore each day… and do it while being “fully present” to see if it not only helps you beat stress, but helps you feel better, too.
Student researchers found that people who incorporated mindfulness into dishwashing cut their feelings of nervousness by 27 percent and felt 25 percent more “mentally inspired.”
How to incorporate mindfulness into any task: 🌞 Be fully present. Avoid listening to music, podcasts, TV. 👐🏼 Notice your sensory input: the feeling of water on your hands, the scent of soap, or the water beads up on your hands. Feel, Smell, Taste, See, and Hear everything going on around you… and experience it as if it’s the first time you’ve ever done the dishes before. (if you’re rolling your eyes right now- then this is even more reason for you to give this a try this week 😂) 🧘🏻When you notice your attention wandering, bring it back to the task. Are you in? Let us know in the comments! REFERENCE: https://news.fsu.edu/news/health-medicine/2015/09/30/chore-stress-reliever-study-suggests-washing-dishes-decreases-stress
by Heather | Mar 5, 2019 | baking, challenges, cooking, Tips
Conquer the Spice Rack!
[Question for you!] What can add tons of flavor while at the same time help to maintain your blood sugar AND reduce inflammation…. all without adding a single calorie!?
Spices and herbs!
This week we’re going to show our spice racks some love and get rid of all our gone-by spices.
If you’re like most people, you might not even be able to remember when you bought some of those jars!
While old spices don’t technically “spoil,” they will lose flavor and strength which will change the taste of your food in a not-so-great way!
Here’s a guideline for how long spices last:
✨Whole spices (like cloves and/or cinnamon sticks) will stay fresh for about 4 years.
✨Ground spices (like cumin, paprika and tumeric) last for 2 to 3 years.
✨Dried herbs (like thyme, basil and rosemary) will keep for 1 to 3 years.
Toss anything that’s not working for you! If you notice that you’re getting rid of nearly full jars of spices, consider going to a natural foods store that sells bulk herbs and spices and replenishing your spice rack with smaller amounts to avoid waste.
Although it can be tempting to show off your spices in your kitchen, they’ll last longer if you store them in a cool, dark cupboard and keep their containers tightly closed when you’re not using them.
Are you in? Let me know! (these are mine …. be sure to share your finished project in a pic!)
by Heather | Nov 27, 2018 | challenges, general health, self help, Tips, wellness
The Happy Feet Challenge!!
This week we’re going to show our feet some love … and chances are, they’ll pay you back by helping you feel better all the way from the tips of your toes to the top of your head!
All you have to do is roll a tennis ball (or lacrosse ball if you have one) under each foot for 2 minutes.
It’s like giving yourself a mini-massage, with benefits that radiate throughout your entire body.
Our feet do a LOT of work for us every single day, and often they don’t get the care they need. Over time, this can cause many issues, from back pain to tight hamstrings and even plantar fasciitis.
By devoting just a couple minutes each day to your feet, you’ll be surprised at the difference it can make in stiffness and even pain.
Here’s all you have to do:
– Sit in a chair (with good posture!)… and place a tennis ball under your foot. Apply a little pressure- enough to where you can definitely feel it- but aren’t experiencing any pain.
– Slowly roll from side to side so that the ball crosses the arch of your foot. Spend about 30-60 seconds or so on this back-and-forth movement.
– If you notice tightness in a particular area, take a few moments on that spot and try to relax. Breathe into it to let the ball work its magic on easing the tension. If you feel actual pain, back off and concentrate on other areas of your foot.
– Next, roll the ball along the length of your foot from your heel to the toe, before repeating on the other foot.
Within just MINUTES… you’ll notice a change in how your feet feel as you walk! You might even notice a marked decrease in tightness in your hips and the back of your thighs 🙂
Here’s to happy feet! Are you in for this challenge!? Let me know below and what ball you’ll be using!
by Heather | Aug 20, 2018 | challenges, general health, Tips
You don’t need me to tell you how amazing a great night’s sleep is. It can make or break your entire day.
Sleep has INCREDIBLE health benefits. The quality of your sleep has an immediate impact on your mood, energy levels, ability to concentrate and focus, and creativity.
But, it also has its long-term benefits…. like decreasing stress levels, reducing inflammation, lowering your risk for depression, oh… and helping you live longer.
Research has even shown that if you’re trying to lose weight, getting enough sleep is KEY.
The average daily recommended amount of sleep is 7 hours a night. Believe it or not, according to the American Sleep Association, between 50 and 70 million US adults have some sort of a sleeping disorder.
As much as you’d like to grab a pillow and take a power nap during the day, that’s just not realistic for most of us… so it’s more important than ever to get in that quality sleep at night instead.
You goal this week is to get a minimum of 7 hours of solid sleep each night!
If you can make this happen, you better get ready to throw on your “Watch Out World” shirt!
Ready to join us in committing to getting at least 7 hours of sleep EVERY night this week?
Let me know below!!
by Heather | May 15, 2018 | challenges, Tips, Uncategorized
Law of Attraction Challenge
Are you following the law? The law of attraction, that is! On the surface, it can seem a little woo-woo, but the underlying principles are undeniable.
Do you ever find yourself wishing you had a different job, a satisfying relationship, basically wanting to see something different when you look in the mirror?
When you want these things, what do you tell yourself? How do you plan to get them?
Chances are you may be beating yourself up over things you DON’T have, or things you feel like you SHOULD have. In reality- this is the exact OPPOSITE of what you should do if you truly want change.
Let’s look at how the law of attraction works.
Let’s say you’re loving the new Tesla SUV. You know most people aren’t driving them…. but all of a sudden, you start seeing Tesla’s ALL OVER the place!
That’s because as soon as you start “looking” for something, you start seeing it a whole lot more.
When you apply this to the law of attraction, instead of looking for reasons NOT to do things, you’re looking for reasons TO do them!
It’s basic common sense, when you get down to it. Having a negative outlook on your weight, your relationship, or your position in the workplace will only keep you moving in the wrong direction… because that’s what you’re focused on!
Shifting your focus to what you DO want will change your direction, big-time!
And that’s your challenge this week: to SHIFT your focus 100% on what you WANT.
Once you truly define what you WANT and put 100% of your focus on it, you’ve already started to move the dial.
Picture your life right NOW as if you’re already living in that new reality. Do you truly believe it’s possible to achieve this? If the answer is yes- then it’s already in motion for you! I will be running a marathon this weekend with my husband and I am already visualizing myself crossing the finish line …. it doesn’t replace training, but it will help the execution! 🙂
When you shift your focus, your ACTIONS are different. Your goals won’t magically drop into your lap, but a path forward (whether you understand it or not) will begin to unravel.
The next step is taking ACTION towards your goals- which if you’re living and breathing with intention and focus, it should be a lot easier to make decisions.