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How to Relax For Better Health

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How to relax

It doesn’t seem like it should be so complicated just to figure out how to relax.

If you’re trying to figure out how to relax to better your health, you first need to figure out what it is that you need, to rest and relax.  And even more, is it really necessary to relax and rest?

Short answer? For a healthy lifestyle it is absolutely necessary to sleep, to take a break, and to relax. For some, it takes deliberate planning just like it does to deliberately put a doctor appointment in your calendar. It isn’t always easy to get proper rest, whether that is actual sleep, or relaxation in some other way.

It is important for us to discover in which ways our bodies need rest in order to actively enable true healing rest and relaxation.

In our society today, we feel or think that if we sleep too much, we’re wasting away precious time; time is money. And if we take a day off from the gym, we’re losing muscle. If we take a day off of work we look lazy, and if we skip church, we appear to be struggling spiritually. If you set your phone down, you might miss a streak on snapchat. And what if you don’t eat a single morsel of food for 5 whole hours? Ohhh nooo! Your body is going to go into starvation mode.

 

These days, with all the “to-do” lists and notifications on our phones, the pressure and the demands coming at us are like a million things a second! It’s a no wonder that anxiety, (along with depression), is one of the most common mental health disorders in the world. It’s crazy out there guys!

For balanced health, our bodies need more than just a few hours of sleep here and there.  We need total muscle relaxation and mental clarity.  

 

Not to overcomplicated matters, but our bodies need more than just sleep, more than a day off from the gym, and more than a vacation.

Here are 5 ways our bodies need rest for balanced health:

  • Deep muscle relaxation
  • Rest for the nervous system
  • Fasting for the digestive system
  • Spiritual and mental rest
  • Sleep

DEEP MUSCLE RELAXATION 

In the 1920’s, Dr. Edmund Jacobson, Director of the laboratory for Clinical Physiology at the University of Chicago, found that patients who came to him didn’t know how to relax. Their muscles were more tense than was necessary for what they were doing, like sitting with clenched fists without knowing it, or digging fingernails into the skin; so he started what is now known today as progressive relaxation therapy.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a non-pharmacological method of deep muscle relaxation, based on the premise that muscle tension is the body’s psychological response to anxiety-provoking thoughts and that muscle relaxation blocks anxiety. More here: Wikipedia  

 

 

Benefits from progressive muscle relaxation therapy:

  • A decrease of anxiety
  • Decrease of anxiety related to phobias
  • Reduction in panic attacks
  • Improved concentration
  • An increased sense of control over moods
  • Increased self-esteem
  • Increased spontaneity and creativity

 

REST FROM EXERCISE

It’s not just your muscles that need a rest day from the gym. It is also the energy systems that fuel your muscles that needs a break.

The nervous system which fuels training, needs a rest day as well. Even if it’s arm day on Monday and not arm day again until next Monday, (giving your arms more than enough “rest”) your nervous system is constantly working to train all muscle groups, therefore needing that total day or two off.

I am one of those that “never” skips the gym. Sometimes though, I miss a day for no good reason, or – it feels like it’s no good reason. I actually missed two days in a row a week ago, and then felt like a horrible person for not going. But I was so tired. And I didn’t even go to bed that late!

When I did finally go back to the gym, I was amazed at how good my workout was. I felt stronger, upped my lifting weight by a significant amount on several of my sets! And I was so excited!

I posted about this on instagram and someone (hey Phil!) commented: “The fact that the first day back after some rest is so good, should tell us something!”

When we talked later on about it, he said, “. . . I hate not working out, but rest and recovery are super beneficial!” I am sure Phil and I aren’t the only ones who don’t like skipping a gym day. But knowing that a day off is beneficial and actually taking a day off, are two separate things for those of us who cannot miss gym time.

“It is no different in life.  We are a society that thinks to succeed you have to work all the time.  That’s not living . . . ”   ~ Phil Del Rocco

 

Time off from the gym is a balancing act. A couple purposeful days off (or even a couple accidental days off) are completely fine and even beneficial. But more than that can be detrimental to our psyche. So just be mindful and aware of your body and actually give yourself permission for a short break.

FAST FROM FOOD

I missed lunch one day and I ended up eating later than usual. The next day something similar happened. I don’t usually eat dinner, it makes me feel sluggish the next day, and just overall, “fat”. It puts more “weight” on my tummy and I am not down with that. So I had to force myself out of that bad habit – which happened so fast! Ugh – after about a week ’cause I could feel that “bloating” thing happening and I knew exactly why I was “swelling up” and feeling “yucky”.

After the habit of eating at night is broken, the next few mornings feels amazing! Like – you feel like you can walk around in a bikini proudly and proclaim to the world that you’re a sexy human.

Most people freak out when they don’t feed their faces constantly, afraid they’re going to put on weight. (SRSLY – think that one through *mind blown emoji here*).

One common thing I hear, especially in the fitness world is: “You need to keep your metabolism going to burn calories and the only way you do that is by eating 6 small meals a day.”  (I’ll go into this more another time, but I will just say right now that, unless you’re a very young, very active person with a body type that does’t put on fat easily, this in not a true statement).

Another common tale is that you will go into starvation mode and lose lean muscle mass.

We can address this strange (yet common)  idea in more detail later as well, but just real quick . . .

“A lot of times people think they’re going into starvation mode when they skip a meal or fast for a day, and that’s truly not the case. Unless someone has a prolonged, dire lack of access to food or an eating disorder like anorexia, it’s very hard to go into complete clinical starvation mode.” Dr. Joy Dubost RD, CSSD Registered Dietitian, Board Certified in Sports Nutrition, Food Scientist

“Fasting is an excellent way to treat disease. A day or two of fasting each week would do most people more good than any amount of medical advice or treatment.” – Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine (Full article here)

Fasting allows the body’s enzyme system to focus on detoxifying.  If you’re constantly eating, you’re not giving your body the proper time it needs to do eliminate toxins, and therefore your body is more susceptible to disease.

SPIRITUAL AND MENTAL REST

If you are a believer in a higher power, or if you are not, doesn’t really change the fact that we all need a mental and spiritual reprieve.

Take your focus away from yourself. Place your focus on the Creator, or something somewhere out there in “the universe”. This is important for spiritual and mental health. Even just focusing on your breathing can be a mental break from the things rushing through your mind.

This sort of quiet takes “me” out of the equation and reminds us that we are but a tiny, tiny spec on this planet; that the world does not revolve around just me. When we give ourselves permission to stop and be still and remember that we are here to give back, bless, and be grateful for what has been given to us, we allow peace to take the place of our anxiety and drama.

“You know I used to think that rest from anything i.e. the gym, writing a lesson or sermon or anything I have interest in, equalled laziness,” said Phil. “Then a friend was talking to me after a (meeting), and I was saying how much I love to be busy teaching etc.. He said, ‘how about the time you spend with God?’  I said, ‘I do spend time with Him while I’m working.’  He asked, ‘is that really spending time with Him?’  It was a revelation, because I suddenly saw that I cannot find rest in Him if I am busy working.”

This is what I loved. And again, if you’re not a believer in God, still think about this statement. If you can’t stop and still your mind and focus on a higher power, or something outside of your self, how do you ever have mental peace?

You cannot multitask while attempting to achieve mental clarity. This is a time when you must stop and be still. To be healthy in your mind, you need to be quiet. Give your mind a break from the lists, from work, people, TV, external entertainment and stimuli.

 

SLEEP

Symptoms of depression, high blood pressure, migraines, and other health issues and diseases, worsen, when our sleep cycle is interrupted. Even one night of missed sleep can create a prediabetic state in an otherwise healthy person.

Getting good quality sleep is important, and I have actually written about this in an earlier article. 8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep goes into a lot more detail on how to improve your sleep!

Everything from our muscles to our brain function, our nervous system, and our overall attitudes really suffer when we don’t get enough sleep.

In conclusion, rest is important, but most of us not only have a difficult time sleeping, but we also don’t think about other ways our bodies need rest and relaxation.

I hope you got something from this and can find some real rest and relaxation in your life. I’d enjoy hearing about what you do to find The Rest in Your Story. I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

Definitely hit me up or email me and let’s chat!

 

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Lose and Maintain Healthy Weight With Carbs

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Did you know that you can lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight and still eat carbohydrates? And, did you know that carbohydrates should be 45-65% of your daily calorie intake?

Whereas protein should only be 10-20% of your daily calorie intake and fat should be around 20-35%. As you can see, your carbs are pretty important for a balanced diet.

But everybody says you should cut carbs to lose 
weight, why is that?

Unfortunately, majority rules regardless of whether or not the tale is actually true, and carbohydrates are bad is a very commonly understood “fact”, that is in fact not a fact at all. 

When I studied for my personal training certification, the above percentages of daily calorie intake were in my textbook, and all personal trainers that are certified should have learned the importance of a balanced diet of carbs, proteins and fats.

The problem is, it’s such a common-knowledge statement: “cut carbs to lose weight”, that even the educated tend to jump on the bandwagon of no carbs.

The reason everybody says carbohydrates are bad is because (without further digging and true knowledge on the subject) it is understood that carbs are low in fiber; carbohydrates are linked to a lot of health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

This is partial truth. This statement is based on one side of the story. This side of the story is talking about a certain kind of carbohydrate. 

There are two different kinds of carbs. There are complex carbs and simple carbs. It’s important to understand the difference between the two before you throw out carbs in an attempt to lose weight.

Throwing all carbohydrates into the rubbish bin is like saying drinking is bad, and throwing water, soda and alcoholic beverages all in the same category.

Water is very healthy and the others aren’t. See the difference? This comparison may seem weird, but this is how drastic of a difference there is between good and bad carbs.

It’s not the carbs that are putting the fluff over your body, covering your gorgeous figure, it is the kind of carbs you eat and drink.

So let me make it simple for you. These are the carbohydrates that make you fat:

Simple carbs are:

  • White (table) sugar
  • Corn syrup
  • Candy
  • Ice cream
  • Cake
  • All baked goods with white flour
  • Bread with white flour (you should eat a lot of 100% whole wheat/grain bread!)
  • Pasta made with white flour
  • (Most) packaged cereals
  • ALL sodas
  • etc.

These are the carbs that don’t make you fat, the ones you need for energy and the ones that should be 45-65% of your balanced diet. Daily!

Complex carbs are:

Carbohydrates, at the chemical level, contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. And yes – they take the form of sugars,  starches and cellulose (fiber).

Your body needs sugar for energy and brain function.  Sugar is essential for your body to create energy to survive.

The catch is, it’s not necessary to include sugary foods (simple carbohydrates) or added sugars (again, simple carbohydrates) in the diet in order for your body to make energy. For our bodies to be healthy, we need to feed it healthy food, that includes healthy sugars. A diet with adequate complex carbohydrates (from  whole grains and legumes – list above) as well as foods containing natural sugar (fruit) will fulfill this role.

In conclusion, all the fun sugary sweet things we like to eat and drink, are the bad carbs.

Potatoes, pasta, whole grain bread, fruits, brown rice, etc. are the good carbs and will not make you fat nor should you take them out of your diet. You need these for fiber and energy!

If you’d like more information, please reach out. I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

 

 

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How to Balance8 Thanksgiving

We had big plans for Thanksgiving this year.

Had is the key, magic, word.

There are 21 of us in the family and we originally had big. Huge. Plans. For Thanksgiving. But things kind of just kept not getting planned beyond talk, and the summer came and went, school started, and fall started dropping leaves on my doorstep. Hello? Who said it was time for you to visit?

So . . . My boyfriend did what he does best, took control of the situation (in a very kind and thoughtful way), and canceled the entire family gathering event. Not that we don’t love each other, it just wasn’t really coming together.

Sometimes things just kinda go that way.

Now? Well, . . . My boyfriend, kids and I, are on the 3rd floor of our apartment complex. We’re friends with all of our neighbors. So between the four of us, apparently we’re all (ironically), not with extended family this year. So, we’re going to have Thanksgiving together in our breezeway!

Much more chill.

But there’s still stuff to plan, food to make, activities to come up with for the kids, etc.

And we’re not all vegan. Or vegetarian. No. Big. Deal.

I’m not a simplicity wizard, but I am in training for specialized wizardry of sorts, and I am going to show you how this Thanksgiving can get real chill and uncomplicated real quick.

8 WHY’S

Remember the why behind the 8 methods.  When you remember why you are doing balance8life, it helps keep you focused and balanced. (It’s to center yourself in mind, body and soul, in case you forgot).

All of the 8 methods that I have been teaching you are a set up for success with things like the holidays. 

Balance8life refresher:

Moderation

. . . it is a set up for self control in the dessert section, and the amount of food you load onto your plate. It’s not never eating sweets, it’s keeping it to one and enjoying that one, instead of a plate full or, none.

Nutrition

. . . as I’ve mentioned in other articles, can taste good and be healthy, too. There are so many tasty foods that I adore, that are actually good for you that won’t put on the weight!

Rest

. . . is a must around the holidays. When you’re already in a good routine, it is habit to go to bed and wake up at the same time, so why not just stick to the routine? If your routine has to change – just make sure you’re getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep. For your sanity!

Exercise

. . . should be like eating. Something you just do daily! I get up at 5:00am every day – trust me, on Thanksgiving vacation, everybody is going to be sleeping in and ready for breakfast around 11, so go to the gym or exercise at 5:30am and you still have time to make breakfast before everybody gets up. Or whatever – hit the gym mid-afternoon while everybody else is napping, take the family, do something active together as a group. Just make it happen.

Sunshine and fresh air 

. . . is a little difficult to get when you’re inside cooking and cleaning, but one of our family traditions is to take a walk together after lunch. All you need is 10 minutes, so help the fam out and make it 30 – exercise and get fresh air and vitamin D/ sunshine all at once!

Meditation

. . . doesn’t have to be traditional meditation with legs crossed isn absolute silence. This can even happen in the early morning while praying or focusing on a positive proverb or saying. It is just a time of quiet peace away from the chaos and doesn’t have to be more than 5 minutes, but can be as long as you want! It really brings the chaos into perspective.

Water

. . . is a must when you’re taking care of feeding the troops or chasing after kids and grandkids. Keep a pretty pitcher on the bar or in an easy place, and make it easy for you as well as the family, to stay hydrated. Make it pretty and add lemons and apples or limes! It can look and taste amazing!

SHOW TIME

When you’re at the point where you know you’re about to reach the place where you stress the most, or freak out the most, and become less balanced, this is when it’s show time for balance8life in motion! This is when you get to show off everything you’ve been learning . . . Or, maybe everything you’re learning get’s to show off?

Read my article Balance8life In Motion for a reminder on how to actually live these 8 methods for balanced health in mind body and soul, on a day-to-day basis.

When the above 8 things are always present in your day, you just simply feel better and your stress level naturally decreases. The fresh air, sunshine and meditation are especially for stress, so don’t leave these seemingly insignificant methods out of your day, especially during the holidays!

WRITE STUFF

So to the actual holiday stuff!

I am a huge advocate of planning and writing things down. I don’t, however, do it much. But, a little “time out” with a pen and a piece of paper, planner, marker board, chalkboard, or the palm of your hand, works, too.

Write the crazy stuff down, all the way down to what color decor you want to re-do the entire house in before the family piles in. (I don’t mean that literally, but if it makes you feel better, do it). Seriously though, write down what first comes to mind, (activities, food, outfits, new candles, date and time of day, etc.). The main big stuff. Write it down. The complicated stuff. Write it down.

Then, get real. What is most important to you. Not your mom or your great aunt. You. Write that down.

EAT DIRT

The root of every plant is always covered in dirt. If the root of Thanksgiving is being thankful, then the thing closest to the root is what’s around it -the dirt. Obviously, I’m not literally saying “eat dirt for thanksgiving dinner”!

I’m saying, remember that it isn’t about the decor and the food. Strip away the fluff and get down to the “dirt” (the vibe) that bonds with the roots (thankfulness). If you start there (at the root) and work your way out, only include what you can actually handle without hyperventilating about re-painting the dining room,  and make the holiday truly memorable.

MEET NO

No? Okay. Fine. Be that way. I’m just saying what everybody else says. No is a great word. I’m still learning how to pronounce it and define it and live with it. But I suggest you do the same. Chew on it a bit. It might taste a teensy bit bitter on the front end, but it’s smooth on the back end with a little zesty notes on the edges. It’s quite delicious, eventually.

Savor the meaning and action of the word, “no”.

HANDCUFF THE DOUGH

Lock down your budget and don’t let it go. Put cash in your wallet/purse and leave your credit cards behind. Go shopping with a detailed shopping list, and don’t deviate from it. And, if you do, deviate by way of eliminating even more than you set out to do. Keep it simple, keep it basic, keep it all about the ‘tood, not the food. Good vibes, thankfulness and smiles with some mashed taters and a basic salad is fine and dandy.

THREEZ A CHARM

Keep the menu simple? Maybe do three main dishes? Maybe not? But simplify the amount of food you make so that you can spend half your day cooking and the other half cleaning, instead of one day for each. Nobody is going in your closet (and if they are, they deserve the smell of dirty laundry).

INCOMPLETE CHAOS

And this is the end of this article. I am going to let you figure out how you want to complete (or leave incomplete) the chaos (or peace) of your holiday.

I’m all about balance, and sometimes balance means letting things go, even your feelings of guilt for not meeting the expectations of your family or even, possibly, your own self.

FINAL OKAY

Last, but not leastest .  . . It’s okay to actually be okay with not doing things traditionally, or perfect. It’s okay to just let it go. (And go watch Frozen or something. . .)

If you have any cool ideas to add to the stew of great holiday balance ideas, I’m totally down to hear them! Hit me up on any of the social media platforms you enjoy the most. I’m on (almost) all of them. . .  Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest ,Linkedin, and balance8life.

 

 

 

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Beginners Guide to Healthy Living

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Get healthy? What does that mean? How does a beginner even… go there?

I get it! Starting off on your health journey can be really hard when you don’t know where to start.

My article, Balance8life In Motion is a great example of how to incorporate all 8 methods  of health into a single day without feeling overwhelmed.

But let’s just get started here with a few tips for beginners, because, if you’ve never in your life done anything particularly “healthy”, getting started is overwhelming!

 

ONE – YOUR MIND

Get into a healthy mindset. What does a healthy person think? Well, since everybody is different, I don’t know what everybody else thinks! But, I think self improvement, and self improvement means: learn, study, be open to change, set goals, ask questions, etc.

 Ask yourself, “Is this a healthy choice?”

Even if you don’t know the answer, start by asking the question, then begin the learning process. You don’t have to go far, browse my blog for lots of great stuff for healthy thoughts, healthy food, exercise, how to get good sleep, how to set goals,  etc.!

Meditation isn’t something everybody is comfortable with. If you are comfortable with the idea, take some time to search “meditation for beginners” on Pinterest or Google, and begin to train your mind to be calm.

TWO – YOUR DRINK

Replace sodas and all other drinks with water, and try to get 8 cups of water (or 4, 16oz water bottles) in per day.

THREE – YOUR PLATE

Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies with your meals, not between. Try to begin the process of not eating anything between your meal times.

FOUR – YOUR MOVE

Get active. Depending on what you’re used to doing, this can mean anything from cleaning your house to bumping up your activity level to a 5K.

If you’re used to doing absolutely nothing,  start by walking (walk quickly, as if you’re in a hurry to get somewhere) and just be active in general.

Clean your house – mopping and vacuuming actually gets your heart rate up. Walk the neighborhood. Swim. Get creative, do whatever it is that you can think of, that you might enjoy, that keeps you off the couch or out of bed.

Be active for 30 minutes total in your day. If you need to break this up into 10 or 15 minute intervals throughout your day, that is a fine place to start. But make sure you time it.

Whatever it is you’re doing, when you start feeling your breathing become slightly difficult, and you can’t talk unless you stop, that is where you need to be for as long as you can, while you’re doing your 10-15 minute intervals.

While your heart rate is high like this, never sit down. Just slow your walking pace until you can breath normal again before you sit. (This is called a “cool down”).

FIVE – YOUR SLEEP

In order to have a clear mind and a good attitude, and the energy it takes to make successful change, your body needs 6-10 hours of sleep. 6 if you’re older, 10-12 if you’re under 20 years old.

SIX – YOUR AIR

Fresh air helps with sleep, cleans your lungs, clears your head and makes things smell good. Air out your home and car. Let in all that fresh air. It’s good for you.

Better yet, get out in it! Meditate, exercise, eat, or just sit on your phone outside if social media is your thing and you’ve got a break at work, take a “social media break” outside.

SEVEN – YOUR SHINE

Sunshine is good for you. No sunscreen here! 10 minutes is all you need in an entire day to get your vitamin D. And you need vitamin D so that your bones can absorb calcium.

EIGHT – YOUR INDULGENCES AND ADDICTIONS

We all need a break, even from the things we love. And we all like things that aren’t exactly good for us.

Moderation is where it’s at. Moderation is great friends with meditation. It is good training for self-control.

Start practicing self control by limiting yourself to treats (whether that is a food, a drink, a TV show, an activity, etc.) to only certain times in the day or week. Start spacing the time out between your indulgences to once a week or month and then every other month, (depending, of course, on what it is you’re doing), until you have a good handle on your self-control.

The cool thing with self control is, the more you practice it, the stronger it becomes. 

This way, you begin the process of moderation by only allowing yourself to engage in things that aren’t exactly good for you, every once in awhile. This is good training for your future fitness and health goals once you’re ready to take it to the next level.

This is also a great way to begin the process of eliminating the things that are really bad for you! Some things just have to go, if you truly want to be healthy.

But don’t worry – we’re not focusing on that right now. 

IN CONCLUSION

It is always best to start small. Baby steps is the only way to begin. Read my article Six Steps to Setting Goals that Last once you’ve gotten a few days or weeks into what we just talked about! This will help you take things to the next level!

If you have any questions, I’m here! And if I don’t have the answer, I’ll either find the answer or someone else that can give you an answer. So please don’t hesitate to ask! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

 

 

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How to Grocery Shop for Healthy Food

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Grocery shopping for healthy food is a lot easier now more than ever, because healthy food is sort of popular – or at least more popular than it was about ten or fifteen years ago. But how do we know what is really healthy when we’re out grocery shopping?

There are so many things that look “healthy” on the front of the package. “No artificial colors”, “Gluten free”, “No sugar added”, “natural”, “low sodium”, etc.

To be honest, a lot of this is simply  savvy marketing skillz to reel you in.

Because health has become more trendy, food manufacturers are tapping into this trend with their clever marketing artistry. But just because it looks like it’s healthy, or alludes to the fact that it is with just the right wordage, doesn’t mean it is.

To read a little more about how this healthy (or not) food labeling and marketing works, read: How Food Packaging Claims Can Fool You by Sally Wadyka.

In the mean time, lets break this healthy, complex, grocery shopping business down into pieces.

First, you need to . . .

MAKE TIME TO SHOP

Rushing through shopping isn’t going to do you or the people you’re cooking meals for, any favors.

You need time to read labels.

If you don’t read labels, it is highly likely that you could be buying food that isn’t food at all.

HAVE A SHOPPING LIST 

No list means a waste of time and money.

It’s important to have a meal plan and a grocery list when you’re about to go grocery shopping. When it comes down to convenience later on in meal prep, it is a must! Plus, this saves money. I promise.

A shopping list is also important if you’re new to healthy shopping, because reading labels takes time. If you don’t know what you need and are reading labels, too, this could result in a lot of money out and wasted time and still very little to work with once you get back home.

READ LABELS

Some foods just aren’t really foods, and you won’t know this until you start to try to read the list of ingredients. (I say try because, half the time, something looks great until I try to read the label). These labels are usually either a mile long and I don’t have that sort of time, or a mile long and the print is too small, or a mile long and I can’t pronounce the list. I give up. Mile long reads aren’t my thing unless they’re written by J.R.R. Tolkien.

If it is a long list, either quit and put it back, or, if you really, really want the food and want to see if it’s really that bad, get Siri out and start asking your robot to define these crazy words, then decide if you still really want it. My guess is, you’ll probably start discovering some pretty interesting things about the so-called foods you’re eating!

I looked at the label of a cheap jelly just today, thinking I could save money. It didn’t have fruit or fruit juice in it. What? How is this jelly? It was full of multiple sweeteners, artificial colors, artificial flavors and things I couldn’t pronounce. Not at all a food. I definitely didn’t want my kids eating that!

If you don’t read labels, you’re likely to buy “foods” that are high fat, high sodium, high sugar (if it even has real sugar in it), highly synthetic, and highly filled with preservatives. Which, can and will add, high cholesterol, high BMI, high risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. Nobody needs these sorts of highs in their life! 

Side note: don’t forget to teach your kiddos to read the labels! Better to start young!

WHOLE FOODS

Buy whole foods. Pre-packaged foods are always going to have longer labels to read, more preservatives, and are going to be more expensive, and almost always unhealthy. (Notice I said “almost” and this is where reading labels comes in handy! Some companies are actually getting better at making healthier pre-packaged foods). But this is rare. When I buy pre-packaged foods, it’s generally a “treat”.

Buy canned, fresh, frozen and dried goods that you can cook meals with, from scratch. Pinterest has endless amounts of recipe options. I use Pinterest all the time. When I find a recipe I like, I print it. (Because I’ve actually made boards for recipes and had some go missing, so if I love it, I just print it!)

MONEY SAVING

If you’re on a tight budget and have very little money to buy groceries with, this is when buying healthy food gets tricky (but not impossible). Because cheaper foods typically are not healthy.

Cheap, unfortunately is just that. It is cheap. I don’t mean that as “inexpensive”, I mean, low quality. 

This is when cooking from scratch kicks in. Buying whole foods is a must for health, and for the budget.

THINGS TO WATCH FOR

There are a few things I always keep a look out for.

One, is sugar. If it says sugar, I breathe a sigh of relief. So many so-called “healthy” foods say “no sugar” but have added synthetically made sweeteners that are far worse than sugar. (More on this later on in another article).

Sugar isn’t bad; too much sugar is bad. This is where one of the 8 methods of balance actively kicks in: say hello to moderation.

Artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, are just bad whether you eat a little or a lot.

Watch for artificial and chemical preservatives. These things are placed in your foods to keep them from going bad for a longer amount of time. Unfortunately, preservatives can cause chronic health problems, effecting your heart and lungs.

Watch for words you can’t pronounce, and use Siri when you are reading the ingredients of a so-called healthy food. It might not necessarily be bad, it might just be something you’ve never heard of before. Just learn about what you’re eating.

Watch for long ingredient lists, and also watch for mention of gluten-free. If you’re not gluten intolerant, eating gluten-free isn’t always better. Read Why Shouldn’t You Go Gluten-Free Part 1 and Why Shouldn’t You Go Gluten-Free Part 2 for more on why this may not be a good choice for you.

Other things I look for are added colors, and artificial anything.

Always only purchase items that say 100% whole grain/wheat. All flour is made from wheat, but not all are “whole.” It is possible to think you’re buying whole wheat bread when it is labeled “wheat”, when in fact, you are simply buying white bread with colorant in it that makes it look darker.

Know your foods. Read labels. Use Google to define things you can’t pronounce. Think whole, think fresh, think simple.

When you cook from scratch, your food will be purer, taste better, and will be a lot healthier.

Side note: keep in mind that when you cook and bake foods at home, your foods need to be refrigerated immediately after eating. Without preservatives, foods will go bad quickly.

If you still need help, I’m here for you! leave a comment below and share this post with your friends and on social media! You can find me on other social media platforms as well, if you’d like to see what’s going on with balance8life! I’m on (almost) all platforms: LinkedIn,  Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

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Beginners Guide to Weight Lifting and Gym Life

This post  may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

 

If you’ve never been in a gym before, it can be very intimidating! Here are a few simple steps to boost your confidence before you walk through the doors into new territory!

Fat burn

If you have been in the gym for awhile, but never had anybody help you with some basics, you might find something here for you, too!

I know how daunting it is to walk into a large gym of seasoned gym rats and trainers, and know nothing.

I remember how overwhelmed I felt and how stupid I felt when I couldn’t figure out what some of the machines were for, how to use them, or how to adjust them to fit me. And just like middle school, you feel like you should already know and don’t want to appear dumb, so instead of asking someone for help, you skip that machine as if it weren’t leg day, and pretend it’s arm day and use something a little simpler. I’ve been that girl.

I’ve also been that one that did one set of arms, half a set of legs, some abs, and then something else, totally not knowing what body part I was working, just to keep moving and make it appear as though I had a plan and knew what I was doing. Been that girl, too.

But if you’re a newb, you might not even know a thing other than, you want to get in shape and a gym seems a good place to start!

Well, let’s get to work then!

 

TAKE THE TRAINING SESSION

First things first, when you sign up for a membership, sign up for a free session with a trainer.

Yes, the free sessions are an attempt to get you to sign up for training, and if you want a trainer, do it! But if you don’t want to pay for a trainer, sign up and show up, for that first couple of introductory classes anyway, just to have somebody that knows the gym and equipment to show you how to use the equipment with proper form. It makes all the difference in the world when you know your way around the gym and equipment.

 

WEAR PROPER CLOTHING

To some of you, this may seem like a duh. And if you don’t need this tip, skip right along, grasshopper. But, if you’re already insecure about going where you’ve never been, you don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb.

When you sign up for a gym membership, find out what the dress code is!

This way, you don’t get embarrassed when you walk in the door with a (sports bra and flip flops?) and get approached by the big guy and sent home.

Don’t go to the gym in any sort of jeans or stiff, loose, clothing. You will need clothes that allow you to get into awkward positions and move freely without lumps and bumps to work around. Good form is a must for safety. Your form is more likely to be compromised when wearing uncomfortable clothing,  just by trying to get away from the discomfort.

 

beginners guide to weight lifting

SHOES

When buying shoes, ask the person in the shoe Dept for “training shoes”. Running, walking, casual, and training shoes, are all different. It does make a difference!

 

 

beginners guide to weight lifting

LOUD NOISES AND SLAMMING WEIGHTS

Loud grunting, no matter male or female, is not attractive, and in some gyms not even permitted. There’s no need to be obnoxious. It won’t bring the sort of attention you’re looking for. When you’re pushing or lifting heavy weight and an audible exhale of relief slips from your lips, this is different (and fine). You will know what I mean once you get there. You’ll see (hear) both.

Slamming or dropping weights is also a no. It ruins the equipment, again draws unnecessary attention, and in general is just rude and unattractive. You’re also more likely to hurt yourself, or those around you, if you do this. You may even get asked to leave, depending on what gym you’re at.

 

FORM AND SAFETY 

If you don’t have a trainer or a friend who is knowledgeable on what good form is, do yourself a huge favor and Google how to have proper form when using gym equipment and weights!

I am not going to be the one to give you those tutorials here, but study this before you start.

Proper form is for your safety!

Trust me, depending on how bad your form is, you can (and will) injure yourself, possibly for life, if you do not understand proper form and technique.

This is also another good reason to sign up for training for the first month or so, especially if you’ve never in your life worked with machines and weights.

 

SLOW DOWN

Faster is not better. Along with good form comes good lifting technique. This includes a slow, steady pace of up and down, or push and pull, at the same, steady, speed. Again, a trainer can explain this. But as a general rule of thumb, when lifting, you want a 2-0-2, steady rhythm and speed when doing your reps.

Count slowly 1, 2, 0(here you’re at the “top” of your move) 1 , 2.

When you’re throwing your weight around recklessly (with speed), you’re out of control and more susceptible to injury. You’re also not giving your muscles the proper training of endurance and load to grow adequately and evenly.

Building muscle means loading your muscle properly, and strengthening is done with endurance by gradually loading on more weight as you get stronger over time. This happens after about 2-6 weeks, depending on your fitness level in the beginning.

 

LIGHTEN UP

Heavier weight isn’t always better, especially for a beginner! When you are starting off, start light. Don’t worry about what others think about you. At the beginning you need light weight, – sometimes even no weight – with high reps. Once you’ve mastered this with good form, you can then increase your weight and lower your reps. (All of this in more detail later). Again, this will be 2-6 weeks from starting, depending on your fitness level at the beginning.

 

CARDIO MACHINES 

As I keep saying, good form is necessary, not only for injury prevention, but also for gaining results.

There are a lot of cardio machines and options. All of them need to be used with proper form, but I am going to point out just two common machines that are used a lot and very often with bad form.

Treadmill:

The treadmill has a button that will change the incline. This will change your position from walking on a flat surface to up a hill. It can be slight or very steep, depending on what you want. When you use this button, never hold onto the handlebars to hold your weight so that you can lean back while walking. This is terrible form and potentially dangerous. If you increase the incline, you should always walk on the treadmill exactly the way you’d walk up a hill with no handles, leaning forward. If this is too hard, don’t use an incline until you have the leg strength and cardiac endurance to walk up a hill at a steady pace. 

Stairmaster:

The stairmaster is one of my favorite’s. It also has handles for safety reasons. But they aren’t there to lighten the load. It is better and safer, to keep your speed slow, rather than speed it up and hold on in an unnatural position. Walk up the stairs the same way you would if you were walking up real stairs: standing in an upright position. Never lean (hunched) down while supporting your upper body weight on your elbows, forearms or hands.

If you are too tired to stand upright with good form, slow down, take a break or stop for the day. 

CLEAN UP AND PUT AWAY WEIGHTS

Finally, wipe down and clean up your area before you leave to go to a new machine or location. It is rude and inconsiderate and just gross, to leave your sweat behind for the person that comes after you.

Always put away your weights.

ALWAYS.

Everybody is at a different level in their fitness and have different goals and workouts. Some move quickly and are on a timed workout that requires moving from one place to another in a timely fashion. Having to work around someone else’s weights, or re-rack someone else’s weights before they can do their set, slows them down and is just very irritating and also inconsiderate.

Also, if you are a large man and using heavy weight, a nice little lady coming behind you that does not have the strength that you have, cannot use that machine because she is unable to rack those weights. Always think of others when you are moving from one machine or location to another.

SHOULD YOU LOSE WEIGHT BEFORE JOINING A GYM? 

Losing weight before joining a gym is absolutely not necessary!

A gym is for all body types, on all fitness levels, and for people that have all sorts of goals. It is a great place to start, no matter your fitness level.

You do not need to lose weight to walk into a gym, just like you don’t need to be saved before walking into a church, or be healthy before going to a doctor.

Check out several gyms before making a decision as to which one is for you. There are just about as many gyms as there are personality types, so take your time.

weight management

 

If you have any other questions, I’m here to help! Hit me up on any of the social media platforms you enjoy the most. I’m on (almost) all of them. . .  Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest ,Linkedin, and balance8life.

 

 

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Balance8life in Motion

Balance8life In Motion

 

Balance8life in motion is simply that. It is always changing, evolving, moving, shifting, and never is one position of balance maintained for a long period of time before another one comes in to take its place.

Balance8life is actively engaging 8 expressions of health to our daily routines for true completion. It’s a dance. It’s a touch and go. It will always be in motion, and you will never stay in one place for too long, or the balance will slip away.

Balance8life is an orbiting cycle of balance and harmony within our minds, our souls, and our bodies as well as our emotions.  

REST

It doesn’t seem that important, especially to teenagers, who, ironically, need more sleep than adults. There are so many things that distract all of us from getting the recommended 6-8 hours of sleep.

To name a few: caffeine, alcohol, eating too heavy of a meal too late into the evening. A new relationship,  sports, TV, partying,  school, worry, anxiety, health issues, snoring, poor air quality, light, noise, or lack of, etc.

Read this article for tips on how to have better quality sleep.

Once you’ve truly had a good night of sleep, the next thing to do, the first thing in the morning, is . . .

WATER

Start on your first 32 ounces of water as soon as you get up. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can get through that much water in the morning.

EXERCISE

Some people have a very difficult time hitting the gym first thing in the morning, so this is only an example schedule, but not the only way to work this.

My boyfriend and I head to the gym before the sun is up, and really enjoy it as an energizing start to our day. When you hit the gym in the morning, you don’t need coffee!

NUTRITION

When I get home from the gym, I eat. And breakfast is supposed to be the biggest meal of the day. I admit, I don’t always make it the biggest, but I do always have a nutritious meal. It’s simple and definitely not overly complicated.

I typically have granola with soy or almond milk, topped with berries or other fruit. I make my own granola and load it up with nuts and seeds. Oats are great for lowering cholesterol and for keeping it in check.

My typical breakfasts look a little like this: granola with soy milk and fruit, and maybe a bagel or toast. Scrambled tofu (vegan egg substitute), homemade muffins, pancakes or biscuits and gravy. All whole wheat, all low in sugar and very high in protein, fiber, and carbs for energy. (You gotta have carbs y’all, it’s a total must!)

MEDITATION

This is my weakness and simultaneously one of my favorite things to do. The reason is, I have a difficult time just being still. I feel like if I’m not doing something productive, then I am being lazy. So I probably need this the most out of all of these. The others, for some reason, just aren’t that difficult for me to do on the daily.

The thing I have to keep in mind, is meditation is being productive. It is being productive in the way of strengthening and rejuvenating the spirit and emotions.

Meditation centers our self in a way that protects our thoughts, our emotions, and our positive vibes!

I don’t know about you, but I really need this a lot. When I do meditate, my day always goes so much better, uplifting, and all around I tend to be more focused on the good in others rather than the negative.

Something else that I love about meditation, is that it doesn’t take long, and you can do it along with the the next two components of health: sun and fresh air

SUNSHINE

We  need our vitamins, and we get these in our veggies and fruits, but vitamin D comes from the sun! And vitamin D is what enables our bones to absorb calcium. We kinda need that; I like the idea of being up in the gym still well into my 70’s and beyond without broken hips and such.

So while you’re meditating, all you need is 10 minutes in the sun to get all the Vitamin D you need in your day. That’s it!

For more about the benefits of sunshine, read my article What is the 8 in Balance8Life?  And, The Bright Side of Sunshine. 

FRESH AIR

Fresh air is calming, it cleanses our minds and gives us perspective, plus it cleans out our lungs and our homes. Fresh air is the perfect setting for elevated meditation. Combine meditation in the sunshine and fresh air, and you’re accomplishing 3 things at once without much effort at all.

 MODERATION

At the end of my day or week, or both, I like to do something for me. This is when I do lazy, or indulge in a cheat day, activity or food. Or whatever it is that I normally wouldn’t do.

Moderation has to be applied to everything in our day, all day long. Work, (ehem… talking to me here) the amount of food we eat, the treats we indulge in (and when we indulge), the people we are around, the thoughts we have, the amount of time we sleep, and how much we play. Without moderation, we simply can’t have a balanced lifestyle.

And this, my friends, is balance8life in motion. 

 

It doesn’t matter how you go about fitting these things in your day. You can exercise in the sun and fresh air, you can sit and work in the sun and fresh air, you can exercise in the later part of your day, the point is, all 8 elements need to be incorporated daily for the ultimate balance experience.

And keep in mind, it is a dance; a touch and go experience. You will have perfect balance in a moment, and your next moment could be complete chaos.  But the more you incorporate these 8 methods into your day, the more you will find yourself in moments of balance, and the moments will last longer, the more you bring them back around.

Have fun, don’t stress. Stress will break the momentum. Just do it.

I’d love to hear how you make this work for you! I’m a real person and I like real people, too! So hit me up on any of the social media platforms you enjoy the most. I’m on (almost) all of them. . .  Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

 

 

 

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How to Be Real (Positive)

 

How to Be Real (Positive)

Today I am trying real hard to be real (positive)! But it is a real struggle!

The thought crossed my mind . . . “How does positive equal negative?”

Let me re-word that. 

How is it possible for "positive" things to turn 
your in-ward thoughts negative?

This was a thought I had (and processed for some time) when I was laying lazily on my bed thinking negatively about my day. (I was on Instagram, just FYI). I thought that all I had focused on was (mostly) positive, so I was puzzled as to why I was feeling so negative!

As I pondered this weird thought, I realized that I had attached the word “positive” onto things that weren’t. . . real.

For example:

A girl with an airbrushed face, (or filter) in a professionally taken photo at just the right angle, wearing the perfect outfit, with a huge smile on her (perfect) face, writing, “positive vibes” in the sand. . . and I feel. . . inadequate!

Why? Because I suddenly feel like I need that face, that body, that outfit and that sand, to feel positive vibes!  *You can fake gasp here*.

Sometimes when I read all these “positive” quotes, see pictures of perfect bodies, see other people’s positive encouragement on instagram, and read blogs about how positive of a life the blogger has, I start to wonder if it’s real and, “what’s wrong with me?”

But this is where  positive and fake are friends but shouldn’t be. (Didn’t anybody teach positive how to choose friends wisely!?)

Positive thinking equals positive feelings and vibes and people dig that st**f! But. . .

. . .  positive has to stay real!

 

Your body and actions follow your mind and thoughts. Everything we truly ponder and think about somehow shows itself in our actions – on our face. There is a reason why they say that if you think it, it will be so.

If you say you can’t, you won’t. If you set your mind to something, you will find a way to do it. Say “I can do”, whatever it is you’re wanting to do, but how real were you about that “can do”? And when you “couldn’t”, did you stop? Or did you figure out another way to accomplish the “can do“?

I see this all the time with my kids. “I can’t get good grades”, and they don’t. Why? Because they don’t care, and don’t put forth the effort to study. It has nothing to do with what they can or can’t do. I took away some pretty important privileges and we’ll see how those grades change soon. (I’ll have to report back later, this is still happening as I write.) But it’s not about can or can’t here, it’s about where the mind is focused. 

 

Here are a few tips on how to stay focused on the positive and keep it real! 

    1. BE REAL (POSITIVE)

Positive thinking has to be realistic. You can’t tell yourself you’re going to lose 50 pounds in three months when it took you 3 years to put it on. “I can lose 50lbs!” Is real positive! “I can lose 50lbs in 2 months!” is turning a positive thought and attitude into a quick negative when it doesn’t happen.

Be real with yourself when you see or read positive vibes in a perfect world. There’s no such thing as a perfect world, but there is such thing as positive thinking in an imperfect world! It really makes it a lot easier to deal with, trust me! It isn’t easy, but it is possible! (Tell yourself you can do this! *wink*)

2. ACT IT OUT

Positive thinking has to bleed into your actions. You have to act it, feel it, fake it till you make it. Allow your thoughts to seep into everything you do, and you will eventually feel it even when you didn’t to begin with.

3. TAP INTO YOUR P0WERS

Humans are power packed beings filled to the brim with strength. Mental, physical and spiritual strength. But, just like muscles, strength grows with practice, repetitive behavior, endurance and consistency.

Tap into your powers, the mind strength, and override old, negative habits of thinking you can’t! Then, once you say you can do, believe you can, then you start going on a scavenger hunt within the labyrinth of your mind to find the open doors and windows, channels and alleys, that are the “can do” freeways.

You are stronger than you think you are. We are all stronger than we give ourselves credit for.

It’s all about the focus and belief. You can’t half way do this.

4. FIND THE FIRE

If you can’t get motivated, find out what it is that will put fire under your donkey. It’ll buck and get mad, but it’ll move! Go with it!

5. SHARE

When I am having a bad day and I walk into Walmart (that’s enough to put anybody in a worser bad day) and some stranger smiles. . .  I don’t mean one of those fake things. I mean one of those big, genuine, real deal smiles, it kinda does something to me! What about you?

Share a smile, give positive vibes even if you’re not feeling it in the moment, and watch out. Positive vibes actually start to be real!

If you have any positive vibes to share, I’m so down! Please send them my way anytime! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

 

 

 

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How to Reduce Belly Fat Naturally

and soul

How to Reduce Belly Fat Naturally 

How to reduce belly fat (naturally) is something that can be so frustrating and equally quite challenging! It is one of the most difficult things to do, no matter who you are.

People can lose weight, exercise, eat right, and can still just not be 100% satisfied with their tummy.

Today, I am going to give you a few tips on how to reduce your belly fat naturally.

weight management

OMIT 3RD MEAL

The number 1 thing I focus on when trying to reduce belly fat, is not eating before bed (this includes mid-day nap as well!) When I know I want to fit in a “skinny dress” a week ahead of time, I will not eat a third meal. Eating no later than 4pm is ideal for losing belly fat.

 

Photo by Edward Franklin

EAT FRESH

Maximize your fresh fruits and vegetables and lower the amount of fats and sugars consumed. Things that are heavy/dense and high in protein and fat, sit in the stomach longer and need a lot of digest time. Eat those earlier in the day and eat salads, soups, smoothies and low calorie foods late afternoon/early evening when you’re eating your last meal.

Photo by Anna Pelzer

 

NO SNACKING

Snacking adds belly fat.

I have known people that snack regularly, that have asked for help with losing that extra belly fat, but don’t think snacking is the problem. When I tell them to cut out snacking, I often hear, “but it’s just apples and carrots.”

No. Snacking. No matter what it is you are eating, if you want to reduce belly fat, no snacking ever.

“Only 100 extra calories daily are capable of adding 10 pounds per year to one’s weight”, Dr. Agatha M. Thrash, M.D.

To  understand better why it is that snacking and drinking other drinks between meals is not a good idea, read: Snacks and Eating Between Meals, an article written by Dr. Agatha M. Thrash.

One other thing to keep in mind as far as snacking goes, don’t eat while cooking. It can really reduce your appetite. Once you sit down to eat, you won’t eat as much, but you’ll be hungry before it’s time to eat again, and will be more likely to snack and eat between meals.

DRINK WATER

. . . but not with your meals.

“Many make the mistake of drinking cold water with their meals. Taken with meals, water diminishes the flow of the salivary glands; and the colder the water, the greater the injury to the stomach. . .The more liquid that is taken into the stomach with the meals, the more difficult it is for the food to digest; for the liquid must be absorbed. . . the enzymes necessary for digestion can function optimally only at body temperature. If the temperature gets either too hot or too cold, the enzymes can’t function well and thus digestion is slowed.” Dr. Agatha M. Thrash, M.D.

You should get 8-12 cups of water a day, and anything other than water between the meals is going to add belly fat. Getting 96oz of water in a day can be very difficult sometime, but I gotchu! Check out, How to Drink 96oz of Water in a Day, here!

If drinking water really isn’t your thing because of the lack of flavor, check out, 5 Ways to Yummy-Up Your Water.

 

detox for your mind body and soul

NO DAIRY

Dairy is one of the most popular culprits for causing water retention.

As we get older we lose the enzyme required to break down and process milk sugars, and as a result, this can cause bloating.

When Dr. Agatha M. Thrash M.D. talks about weight control, she says: “Eat no form of animal products.” Period.

Cheese is the one thing that can really cause belly fat. It is a high fat food that doesn’t digest well at all. If you want to have a particularly “skinny” day, stay away from cheese for at least 3 days prior to “skinny day plans”.

 

EAT TO LIVE, DON’T LIVE TO EAT

Food is fuel. Just like gasoline isn’t needed when the car  already has gas in it, our bodies don’t need food when we’ve recently eaten. Even when your car is on “empty” you can still drive 30-50 miles. Our bodies are the same. Fuel (food) is for energy and nutrients.

Enjoying your food is great, but it is not a need. The true “need” is simply the nutrients.

Before you eat (or drink) anything, ask yourself: Do I need this? Or do I just want this?

 

Food in blue bowl

CARDIO

Nobody just loves cardio. (Well, that’s a blanket statement, I am sure some people do). I don’t. But if you’re wanting to trim and slim the mid section, I suggest you start to learn how to fall in love with cardio, or at least tolerate it, because nothing is going to trim down the extra like a consistent regime of aerobic activity!

The key to getting cardio to work is, do it for more than 30 minutes, and do it no less than 4 days a week.

Low impact cardio is best for beginners, people who have had injuries, are overweight, have back or knee trouble, and for those who are over 50-60 and have not been physically active for some time.

Suggestions for low impact cardio are: swimming, riding a bike, and power walking.

For more on How to Get a Flatter Stomach, I highly suggest this easy to read article which offers more foods to stay away from, exercises to perform and other great things that help tighten and flatten that tummy!

 

maintaining weight

 

SabraIf you have any thoughts or questions, I’d love to hear them! Please reach out to me anytime! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

 

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8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep

8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep

 

Whether you’re going to catch some Z’s, crash, hit the hay, get some shut-eye, hit the sack, go nod off for a spell, snooze a bit, turn in, or . . . just catch forty winks, all you want, is just to sleep!

Whatever it is that you like to say when you are about to go to bed, it all means the same thing, and that thing often doesn’t happen for a lot of people, at least not in the way they want it to!

There are a lot of reasons some of us can’t fall asleep, or wake up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back to sleep. It can be a busy mind, medication, work, kids, stress, health, etc. But I’m going to give you just a few tips that I hope can help you improve your quality of sleep!

REGULARITY

As annoying or uncool as it may seem, our bodies are actually extremely responsive to habits and regularity. When these get all messed up, it throws off our circadian rhythm.

when we follow a regular schedule, our bodies become accustom to it and our quality of sleep tends to be much better.

In a Neuroscience and Biobehavioral review done by Zelinski El, he says, “Health problems can result from a disturbance to the circadian rhythm.”

 The circadian rhythm is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours.

Although the circadian rhythm is built-in, it is adjusted to the local environment by external cues, which include light, temperature and redox (chemical reaction) cycles. This is why we are able to adjust when we start staying up later, working nights, travel, etc.

Symptoms of depression, high blood pressure, migraines, and other health issues and diseases, worsen, when our sleep cycle is interrupted. Even one night of missed sleep can create a prediabetic state in an otherwise healthy person.

CAFFEINE 

It takes 4-6 hours for the body to metabolize caffeine, which is a stimulant that can disturb a good nights rest. Just 1 cup of coffee (even early in the day) can still effect quality sleep.

If you’ve decided to quit drinking caffeine altogether, it can take 2 weeks and up to 2 months of being off of caffeine, before the detox process is complete. During this phase, you may find it very difficult to sleep, even though you’re not consuming caffeine at all.

ALCOHOL 

Initially, a drink helps most people fall right  to sleep. But did you know that, even though you fall asleep quicker and sleep sounder right away, it actually reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. And the more you drink before bed, the more pronounced these effects. REM sleep happens about 90 minutes after we fall asleep. REM sleep is when you dream. It is also the part of your sleep that strengthens your immune system. Deep sleep is “for your body” and REM sleep is “for your brain”.

Because alcohol messes up the natural sleep patterns in our bodies, the quality of sleep is compromised.

WATER

Dehydration causes your mouth and nasal passages to become dry, setting you up for sleep-disruptive snoring and a dry throat. A lack of water can also lead to night time leg cramps that can keep you awake.

On the flip side, drinking water too close to going to bed can keep you up at night visiting the bathroom. So be sure to get those 96oz out of the way, starting when you wake up, tapering off later on in the day so that you’re not super thirsty right before bedtime!

DIET

An investigation showed that a diet containing fresh fruits and vegetables, low saturated fat, and whole grains may be optimal for people wanting to improve sleep quality.

Woman exercising

EXERCISE

Physical activity improves sleep quality and increases sleep duration. Exercise also reduces stress and tires you out, making sleep sweeter.

FRESH AIR

Fresh air can actually increase your immunity levels, preventing from a lot of common sicknesses, and of course if you’re well, you’re going to sleep much better. It can also reduces stress, and I don’t know about you, but stress makes my nights awful!

BE THANKFUL

A positive thought pattern promotes better sleep because your mind is more accustom to peace and gratitude. When we worry and focus on the negative things in life, sleep becomes harder to achieve because the mind is too busy worrying. Practice positive thinking and gratefulness before bedtime to put your mind in a worry-free state.

If you have any thoughts or questions, I’d love to hear them! Please reach out to me anytime! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.