There’s something special about the warmth of springtime, don’t you think? It’s not that the sun has been absent during winter; rather, spring stirs up a renewed zeal for life and propels us into action to revive and reinvigorate our environment, even in the midst of a pandemic.

So, that “spring cleaning spirit” is in the air. It’s not a new concept by any means, but perhaps you’ve not seriously considered spring cleaning your entire life. I’m here to encourage you to use this season as a springboard for reevaluating the old and ushering in the new. Just the thought of it feels so natural and satisfying!

If you’re wondering what to do and where to start in order to spring clean your life, here are some suggestions.

Clean and clear

I know this is the tip you expect the most at this time of year, but decluttering your living space and giving it a good deep clean can change the entire feel of your home. Renewing your sacred space can rejuvenate you in many ways, stirring up a lighter, happier feeling as the sunshine rolls in with spring. So tuck away all those winter clothes, give your living space a refresh and start spring on a clean and clear footing.

Finesse your fitness

Have you been stuck in the same old fitness routine all winter long? It can get monotonous, not just for you but for your muscles because they get too used to repeating the same movements. Shake things up by taking a new class, searching for a new workout video online, or jogging down a new trail. I’m sure you’re eager to spend more time outdoors in the warmer weather, so switching up your exercise regimen will do you good on many levels.

Remove negativity

Whether it’s negative people in your life or bad habits you’ve been meaning to give the boot, use springtime as an opportunity to get rid of anything that has been bogging you down. What comes to mind immediately when you read this sentence? Chances are, that’s precisely what you need to work on releasing. As you do this important work of releasing negativity, make sure to replace the negatives in your life with positives.

Disconnect more

When you aren’t at work, be intentional about taking time off from technology as much as possible. Use the time to connect with people face-to-face. Meet your friends for lunch, read a book, explore a new part of your city, or find other creative outlets that will keep you from being glued to a screen. You’ll feel so much happier when you do. Even if you start by allotting a set amount of screen-free hours per day, you’ll be making a huge difference in your relationships and happiness levels.

Eat better

Spring is an ideal time to give your eating habits a makeover. Take notice of how you feel on a daily basis. Are you feeling energized by what you eat? Sluggish? Exhausted by mid-afternoon? Your food choices are a main component of the answer to any of these questions. If you realize that you’re more sluggish than energized, incorporate more whole foods into your daily routine. Phase out the processed foods one by one, replacing them with healthier options.

A better budget

Living paycheck to paycheck is a reality for many people, and it’s become much more so over the last year. Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to fix monetary challenges, but use this new season to pinpoint areas where you can make incremental changes with regard to your funds. Review your financial situation and see which expenses can be cut, how you can increase your savings for a rainy day, and how you can give back to those in need.

Something new

I’m sure you have a few hobbies you enjoy, but spring might be the perfect time to welcome new, interesting pursuits. Join a painting or cooking class, learn a new language, or delve into something you’ve always wanted to try. It’s invigorating to fuel our quest for creativity. And above all, treat yourself. Indulge in activities that make you come alive, spark creativity, and engender playfulness.

What’s at the top of your “spring cleaning my life” list of priorities?

Do the holidays–or even the thought of them–make you feel frazzled and stressed out? Whether you’re preparing an epic feast, shopping for the perfect gift, or listening to family members fumble through a conversation,  it can be a huge challenge to stay present and mindful during the holiday season.

My personal trick is to apply the same concepts during these times of joy– and stress–that I use during meditation or yoga. Throughout this post, I’ll take you through each of these steps that help me stay present during the holidays.

Cheers to a joy-filled season!

Stay in the moment

Have you ever noticed (even when it’s not the holiday season) that you start drifting off from what you should be focusing on in the present moment in order to worry about something else? A lot of the time, family-related issues can evoke those stressful “time-travel” moments when you’re physically in one spot but your mind is miles away.

You can bring body and mind back in sync by intentionally pulling yourself into the present. Focus on what’s around you, starting with your breathing.  I know; it might sound elementary, but it works! Focus on every breath until you feel truly grounded. Soon, you’ll start noticing small things around you that will help calm you down. Really paying attention to your surroundings will help pull you back into–and keep you in–the present moment.

Ditch the expectations

Well, okay, you don’t have to completely ditch them; “re-examine” might be a better verb. Expectations are entirely reasonable; hey, we all have them! You’ve likely envisioned how you want the holidays to turn out, despite the limitations that Covid-19 has placed on us. If all goes well, your wishes will turn into reality.

The challenge is not to attach yourself to these expectations. In the event that things veer off track, keeping a loose grasp on your expectations can help you pivot quickly. Roll with the moment, and you’ll find that no matter what comes your way, you will enjoy your holidays with more ease.

Find something to appreciate

Family dynamics come in all shapes and sizes, and this is especially evident when everyone gathers in one room for a holiday feast. Does Uncle tell the same story over and over again? Does Auntie never fail to offer everyone unsolicited advice? It can get tiring as heck, but let it roll off your back this year. Instead, look for the moments of tranquility sandwiched in between the servings of food. Try focusing on one thing you like about each person, and build from there. You’ll be shocked at the mindset shift!

Nurture yourself

We spend so much time planning the perfect gathering, cooking the best food, and choosing the best gifts that we run ourselves ragged in the process.  Be kind to yourself while you prep for the holidays. Set aside time to read a book, enjoy your favorite TV show, soak in the tub, pray, meditate, or whatever else fills your cup. When you nurture your own needs, you are much better equipped to nurture those around you.

Count your blessings

Everyone has hard days. But even on those tough days, I’m confident you can find something to be grateful for. There is a bounty of blessings, from small to large, hiding in the details of our everyday lives. Take some time each morning to dwell on what’s good in your life. Jot down 5-10 things you’re grateful for, no matter how small.

And when all else fails, take a little time to help those who aren’t as fortunate. It might be as simple as making a call or sending someone a message of encouragement.  You’ll be putting a smile on someone else’s face and unlocking the way to a more mindful and present life during the holidays.

How are you planning to be present during this holiday season?

It’s no surprise that gratitude can improve your mental health and overall outlook on life, but were you aware of the many benefits of thankfulness when it comes to your physical health? In this blog post, I’ll take you through six ways in which gratitude improves your health.  Plus, I’ll leave you with some simple, healthy breakfast recipes that are definitely worthy of thanksgiving. 

Gratitude activates key areas of your brain

When you express and practice gratitude, you activate an essential center of your brain known as the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is responsible for numerous bodily functions, including regulating body temperature, metabolism, circadian rhythm, and releasing important hormones.

Researchers have determined that gratitude releases the “feel-good” chemical dopamine in our brains. As dopamine builds up, we literally give out more positive vibes and end up more inclined to be grateful.

Pain decreases as gratitude increases

Patients who practice gratitude report a decrease in their pain levels and more motivation to get up and go about their day, according to some studies. The patients reported that their symptoms got milder, and they felt more capable and inspired to move their bodies and get some exercise.

Sweeter and deeper sleep

Want to fall asleep quicker and improve your quality of sleep throughout the night? You guessed it: gratitude is a key component of good sleep.

Sleep is essential for our overall health, which means that gratitude’s effect on rest indirectly improves many other aspects of our well-being. Gratitude activates the hypothalamus, which is in charge of regulating your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm tells your body when it’s time to fall asleep, and it also affects many other pathways that influence the quality of your sleep.

More thanks, less stress

Gratitude has clearly been shown to decrease stress, and improved quality (and quantity) of sleep definitely is one of the many factors that positively affect stress. When you’re well rested, you automatically feel more relaxed. Although this sounds like more of a mental health benefit, the impact of reduced stress on our physical health, especially on our hearts, cannot be overemphasized.

Studies have shown that heart disease patients who practiced gratitude, either by meditating or by writing in a gratitude journal, were able to improve their blood pressure significantly.

Improve your mood by expressing gratitude

As you might imagine, being able to stimulate the release of dopamine, that ‘feel-good’ chemical, could have tremendous benefits for individuals needing to boost their mood. Studies have linked gratitude with improvements in mood and increased positive behavior. Similarly, gratitude helps to alleviate anxiety, but studies conclude that this is most likely an indirect result of improvements in the quality of sleep.

Boost your energy level by being thankful

Individuals who practice gratitude report a considerable increase in their energy levels. That benefit could be due to better quality sleep, less stress, a healthier heart, and all the feel-good chemicals being released.

The hypothalamus plays a huge role in metabolism regulation, which is responsible for how food is digested, the absorption of nutrients, and burning up of calories for energy. Since gratitude activates this area of the brain–the hypothalamus–it shouldn’t be surprising that gratitude also improves our metabolism and energy levels.

Gratitude-worthy breakfast recipes

If you choose to journal in the mornings, that’s a great way to get your gratitude on before you really dive into your day. But check out these three recipes that I think will also provoke a grateful response, both from your taste buds and from your belly!

Protein Smoothie Bowl

Protein-packed green smoothies are a great way to start your day. You can use ingredients that you already have on hand, or create a variety of ingredients so you can have a different smoothie each morning. You’ll be less likely to grow tired of your breakfast if you switch it up regularly, and it’s certainly more fun to savor a new flavor each day of the week!

Here’s a suggestion regarding sizes in order to yield a large green smoothie:

• 1 cup nut milk of choice
• 2 large handfuls leafy greens of choice
• 1 cup fruit mixture of choice
• 1/4 cup seeds of choice
• 2 tablespoons nut butter of choice
• 1/2 scoop vegan protein powder of choice

Breakfast Salad

Let your creativity (and available veggies) direct the flow of a healthy salad that you’ll want to repeat.

For a vegetarian/vegan version of the salad, grab some leafy greens and some of your favorite non-leafy veggies (carrots, tomatoes, diced and roasted sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash, red onion, red cabbage. Throw some chia seeds, flax seeds, or hemp seeds on top. You can add a bit of fruit, too, especially berries. Get even fancier with some homemade salad dressing or maple syrup, unsweetened coconut flakes, or sesame seeds, and you’ll be good to go. Lemon vinaigrettes are great with breakfast salads, or you can use oil and vinegar.

However, if you’re a meat-eater, you can add some crumbled chicken sausage or turkey bacon, or simply top the salad with an over-easy egg. 

Homemade Granola

• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup of mixed nuts

Mix all ingredients and place them on a baking sheet. Bake at 325°F / 162°C for approximately 30 minutes. Remove and stir granola well about halfway through. Add any dried fruit you may like once it’s cooked.

Enjoy! And be grateful!

Self-care has been a crucial aspect of my health coaching business for quite a while, and with good reason. By not incorporating self-care into their wellness routines, clients lose out on a vital linchpin of holistic health and lifestyle adjustments.

However, now that we’re in a “new normal” under the Covid-19 pandemic, I think we need to look at self-care in a much broader way. Food as self-care? Yes. Handling stress efficiently as a self-care practice? Absolutely!

What foundational self-care mindset do you bring to your pursuit of health and wellness? Here are 10 “tools” that will set the stage for a wiser, more effective–and intentional–approach to self-care. I think they’ll serve you well as you fine-tune what it means to be healthy and happy.

Recognize where you’re deprived

Some aspects of our “wellness deficit” might be glaringly obvious, but others? Not so much. Our “primary food” needs–exercise, spiritual connection, career, and relationships–might need to go under the self-care microscope. Perhaps Covid-19 is a pivoting point for you regarding your career. You might be searching for a deeper spiritual connection. You’re recognizing that you’ve not been anywhere near as physically active as you had planned to be. Or it might be time to prune back some relationships and cultivate new ones.

Develop your sense of self-worth

It comes easily to most of us to build up all those around us. We speak well to them and of them. Heck, we are great at giving praise and encouragement to our pets! But what’s our internal self-talk like? Are we building ourselves up or hurting ourselves with our thoughts and words about ourselves? How are we nurturing ourselves? Are we investing the time and energy to build our self-worth?

Brandish the word “no” as a self-care superpower

No.  It’s a small word with an enormous amount of power… if we’re willing to use it! We women in particular can have a hard time saying no, even if we suffer as a result of not saying it. Here’s a thought: it’s okay sometimes to disappoint others in order to protect our own energy. Do a gut check if you recognize that you might have a problem with saying “no.” Think about the boundaries you might need to establish to guard your self-care–and your sanity!

Create a self-care routine that works in your favor

Most of our routines are set up to meet other people’s needs–and not necessarily ours.  And to a certain extent, it’s understandable. We have kids, significant others, bosses, and a host of other folks who depend on us being present for them. But if we’re depleted, how can we serve them effectively? So, are exercise, meditation, adequate water, journaling, sleep hygiene, and down time a regular part of your life rhythm?

Delegate, eliminate, elevate

Self-care demands that we assess relationships and tasks and take back our power. You might choose to delegate tasks to someone else who can do them with more ease than you can right now. Perhaps you need to eliminate a commitment that has become a drain on your energy and time. Or, you might need to elevate your focus on certain goals, or people, or social activities.

Prepare your To-Not-Do and To-Not-Be lists

We’re often so focused on what we want to be and what we have to do that we don’t take the time to assess our non-negotiables. What are your absolute no-no’s in life?  Which characteristics will no longer be part of your mojo? Are there activities and mindsets you need to abandon? Your self-care is as much about those choices and decisions as it is about a massage, a mani-pedi, or a facial.

Create a self-care environment that works in your favor

This isn’t just about your physical environment–although that does matter a lot. Clutter and complexity in your home and work environments don’t lend themselves to calm and peace. But what about your mental, social, emotional, and even technological environments? Where and how can you reduce the overwhelm that stress creates? Self-care includes taking a good look at what or who supports your wellness journey. 

Take stock of your health and well-being

I tell clients that the body is always speaking to us; we’re the ones who aren’t listening! Which of your health issues would be solved by taking your self-care seriously? Are you up to date with doctor visits? Do you eat on time and get enough sleep and physical activity? Are you consistently taking necessary medication and/or supplements?  Do you make time for facials, mani-pedis, massages, soaking baths, hair care?

Speak your truth

Can we be real? So often, our peace of mind and ability to truly practice self-care is hampered by our unwillingness to speak our truth to others. Ask me how I know? The decision to let others know, with love and respect, how we truly feel will free us up to live a more transparent and authentic life. Our significant others, children, coworkers, friends, and acquaintances deserve that truthfulness.  And your soul (mind, will, and emotions) will thank you!

Pursue a passion that nourishes self-care

What brings a smile to your face? What have you not done in a while that you want to get back into? We often put our hobbies, interests, and pet projects on the back burner because we don’t think they’re sufficiently important, given our many other commitments. But once we get back into the activities that stoke a fire in us, we’ll realize how vital they are to our mental and emotional health and to our self-care.

How have you been making self-care a top priority among your health goals?

Well…yes, mindfulness really does work! In fact, science shows clearly defined health benefits for individuals who make mindfulness and meditation a core part of their wellness routine.

Before we dive into this topic, let’s make sure we’re on the same page when we refer to mindfulness and meditation.

Meditation is the ancient practice of connecting the body and mind to become more self-aware and present. It’s often used to calm the mind, ease stress, and relax the body.

Practicing mindfulness is one of the most popular ways to meditate. It’s defined as “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.”

Mindfulness meditation is well studied in terms of its health benefits. I’ll share a few of those benefits below, and I’ll be referring to it as mindfulness for the rest of this post.

Mindfulness + wise health choices = stress reduction

Have you heard the staggering statistics on how many doctors’ visits are due to stress? Seventy-five to ninety percent! So, it makes a ton of sense that anything that can reduce stress can also reduce health problems.

Mindfulness helps reduce inflammation, decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and improve sleep. All of these factors can positively impact your physical and mental health.

First, however, let’s look at the research in three main areas: mood, weight management, and gut health. Keep in mind, though, that the research on the health benefits of mindfulness is revealing much more about its impact on many other exciting new areas of wellness.

Mindfulness for mood

The most immediate health benefit of mindfulness is improved mood.

In one study, participants went through an 8-week mindfulness program and were compared with other participants who took a stress management program that did not include mindfulness. The study showed that participants in the first group experienced a more pronounced improvement in their symptoms, based on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A). The HAM-A is one of the first rating scales created to test the intensity of anxiety symptoms, and it measures psychic and somatic anxiety levels. Mindfulness training was key to lowering symptoms in the more successful group.

Other studies show that mindfulness is equally effective as antidepressant medications for some people with mild to moderate symptoms of depression.

While mindfulness isn’t a full-fledged cure, it can certainly help to improve your mood.

Mindfulness for weight management

Studies show that people who use mind-body practices, including mindfulness, have a lower body mass index (BMI). Body mass index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women.

How can this be?

One way that mindfulness is linked to lower weight is due to its ability to reduce stress. Being mindful can help decrease stress-related and emotional overeating; hence, the less you eat, the less weight you have to manage. Mindfulness can also help reduce cravings and binge eating.

Mindful eating is another way that mindfulness can help us keep our weight under control. Mindful eating is described as a “non-judgmental awareness of physical and emotional sensations associated with eating.” It’s the practice of being more aware of all aspects of food (taste, smell, sight) as well as the actual process of eating. It’s about listening more deeply to how hungry (or full!) you actually are. It’s not allowing yourself to be distracted by other concerns–such as your phone, TV, or tablet–while you’re eating.

People with higher mindfulness scores also reported eating smaller serving sizes of energy-dense foods. It looks like the more we practice mindful eating, the less junk food we’re like to consume.

Mindfulness for gut health

Recent studies show a link between stress, stress hormones, and changes in gut microbes (your friendly bacteria and other critters that help your digestion). In theory, mindfulness-based stress reduction could be a way to help prevent negative changes in the gut’s microbes.

Also, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) seems to be linked to both stress and problems with gut microbes. In one study, people with IBS who received mindfulness training showed greater reduction in IBS symptoms than the group who received standard medical care.

The research is starting to show us how mindfulness can help strengthen the important link between stress and gut health.

Relaxing herbal teas for your mindfulness practice

Relaxing herbal teas are great additions after you complete your mindfulness meditation. Steep any of these in boiling water:

• Green tea (has a bit of caffeine, or you can choose decaffeinated green tea);
• White tea (also has a bit of caffeine, or you can choose decaffeinated white tea);
• Rooibos tea;
• Peppermint tea (or steep fresh peppermint leaves); and
• Ginger tea (or steep slices of real ginger)

Serve & enjoy!

Tip: Add a touch of honey to your tea, if you so desire.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm

https://authoritynutrition.com/mindful-eating-guide/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3341916/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4454654/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26186434

Is mindfulness part of your daily wellness regimen? If so, have you seen any benefits to incorporating mindfulness? Let me know in the comments below!

So, you had the very best intentions/resolutions with regard to your health and wellness goals earlier in the year.  You may have bought DVDs to practice yoga at home; invested in mason jars for your salads and overnight breakfasts; and cleaned out your pantry to make room for new, healthy food.  You became a new member at your local gym and even considered signing up for a food delivery service.

But here we are, almost at the end of the year, and not many of your goals have materialized. Life got in the way, we lament. We got too tired or busy and let a day or two slide. Then, sometimes, we completely fell off the bandwagon.  Believe me, I’m dealing with the same challenges.   

What went wrong?

The missing linchpin for many of us attempting to consistently reach our health and weight loss goals is accountability. We may have the right information, tools, and goodwill, but let’s be honest: the implementation is the hard part.

Accountability means you take responsibility for your actions; you own them, whether personally to yourself or to someone else.  And it’s a crucial key to improving your health and wellness.

Accountability is more about “doing” than just “knowing.” Let’s face it:  we already know what we should be doing, but the “doing” doesn’t always happen. The gap between what you planned to do and what really ended up happening can be bridged by factoring in accountability, knowing that someone (who often may be you) is measuring or checking your actions.

What are some options for accountability?

Rethink your priorities

Perhaps some of the goals you set at the beginning of the year have diminished in importance.  Perhaps you’ve realized that you really don’t have the time or energy to pursue them.  That’s okay; there’s no way that you’ll hold yourself accountable to a practice that is no longer important to you.  Write down your top five health and wellness goals in order of importance and agree to hold yourself accountable for those self-established priorities in the new year.

Start an activity journal

Writing down the amount of exercise you do each day can increase your accountability. You can use a calendar or a blank notebook. For each day, you can record:

• When you exercised and for how long;
• The type of exercise performed;
• The distance covered or the number of sets/repetitions completed;
• The level of intensity (easy/moderate/vigorous);
• Potential improvements to be made; and,
• How you felt after completing your workout (to motivate yourself to capture that feeling again).

You get bonus points for logging what and how much you eat every day.  Apps like My Fitness Pal can help you stay on top of the nutrition/calories/portions aspects online, if you prefer to do these things electronically, but there are plenty of others. 

Use a fitness tracker

A study of fitness habits in postmenopausal women showed that a fitness tracker increased the amount of exercise they did. Two groups of women were advised to walk 10,000 steps each day and get 150 minutes of moderate/vigorous physical activity each week. One group was given a pedometer; the other was given a pedometer plus a fitness tracker. Guess how much more activity the fitness tracker group undertook each week? Thirty eight minutes more!  Using a fitness tracker increased activity, whereas the pedometer-only group saw no change.

The conclusion? The tracker increased their accountability, measurement of their activities, and their motivation to be active.

I like using the Garmin Vivofit, but I know there are now a ton of options out there, such as the very popular Fitbit, so find one that meets your needs and budget. 

Find an accountability buddy

Having someone who can hold you accountable, both with regard to food and exercise, is an excellent strategy.  You can go walking or meet at the gym with a workout buddy, or you can ask someone you trust to follow up with you every few days on your tracked activities.  Similarly, find someone with whom you can check in regularly to share how you’re doing food-wise.  Make sure they know your “why” and can remind you of it when you need to hear it again. Have them spend a few minutes reviewing your journal/tracker and give you some a loving kick in the rear end from time to time.

Hire a health coach (Pick me!)

I love supporting people who are on a path to better health. I help busy women who are looking for simple ways to lose weight, gain energy, eat smartly, and incorporate self-care.  A health coach’s knowledge, expertise, listening ear, tough love and accountability can make the difference between coming to the end of the year without achieving most of your health goals or looking for ways to create even more challenging goals for the upcoming year.  Feel free to contact me at alisonhector@gmail.com and we can talk about where you’re currently at and where you want to be in the new year, wellness-wise.

Where to start

You don’t need to exercise like crazy to improve your health and lose weight. You just need to do it regularly. Here are my recommended steps:

• Talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.
• Start simply, acknowledging where you’re at physically, and do a bit more every day.
• Always remember your “why.”
• If you need accountability, decide whether you’d prefer an activity journal or a fitness tracker, and use it daily. Track your exercise, as well as what you eat and drink.
• If you need an accountability buddy, ask a trusted friend or family member; or contact me in the comments here on the blog or via email.  We can have an informal chat on the phone to see how I can support your health goals. 

Do you have accountability in your quest to improve your health and wellness?  If not, which of the steps discussed above do you need to implement first?

Can you recognize a lack of margin in your life?  Is it your inability to arrive on time for appointments?  Eating your entire meal in five minutes and not recalling how the food tasted?   A home that’s more obstacle course than soothing retreat?

A margin intervention might be just the course correction you need.

What a margin deficit looks like

Creating margin is no longer just a nice idea; rather, it’s an urgency:

• We’re getting 2.5 fewer hours of sleep than folks did in the early 1900s.
• The average work week is longer than it was 50 years ago.
• We spend five years waiting for people who are trying to do too much and are late for meetings.

Yikes.

Why margin matters

In “Margin:  Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives,” Dr. Richard Swenson describes margin as “the space between our load and our limits.”  Well, we’ve been pushing our load way past our limits for too long, with a cumulative negative effect on our health and happiness.

Margin isn’t limited to creating enough breathing space around our commitments.  A lack of margin shows up in our eating habits, our mental state, our emotional well-being, and our physical condition. The margin struggle is real!

Over-committing to people and events, not recognizing changes in my physiology or making the necessary adjustments, and not taking adequate time to process emotionally taxing life events were some signs of my lack of margin.  It taxed my health–my adrenal glands in particular–and diminished my quality of life.

A margin-less life is an unhealthy and often unhappy one.  We’re all dealing with a margin deficit, but we can avoid frustration, overwhelm, and burnout if we create new habits that foster margin and lead to greater balance, contentment, and wholeness.

How to create margin in four specific areas

Physical margin

• Look at your home objectively.  What’s taking up unnecessary space?  Books?  Toiletries?  Clothes and shoes?  Can you remove one third of it and not miss it?  Go for it!  Clearing your physical space allows you to relax more.  
• Do you still eat everything on your plate, even if you’re already full?  Institute an 80% fullness rule:  eat a little more than three-quarters of what’s on your plate, no more.  Chew slowly, savor your meals with all your senses, and put your fork down between bites.
• Do you honor your body’s requests for water, bathroom breaks, walking breaks, naps, or a few minutes of deep breathing?  All of these are cries by the body for margin.  As Dr. Swenson notes: “Margin is the gap between rest and exhaustion, the space between breathing freely and suffocating.”  Please don’t suffocate!

Time margin

• Tom DeMarco states in his book “Slack:  Getting Past Burnout, Busywork, and the Myth of Total Efficiency”: “Slack is the time when reinvention happens. Slack is the time when you are 0 percent busy.”  When I’m bouncing on my mini-trampoline, I’m having fun, working out, and clearing lymph in my body.  That’s it.  But that “slack time” is when I get great ideas and bring others to the forefront of my mind.  
• Give chronic lateness the boot by factoring in 15-minutes of “wiggle-room” for appointments.  Got a 10:00 a.m. doctor’s appointment?  Wake up 15 minutes earlier so that you aren’t racing over the speed limit to get there.
• Bookend your days with meditation, quiet time, or simply “me-time.”  Follow the normal cycle of day and night by winding down and going to bed when it’s dark and getting adequate sleep to wake when the sun rises and to start the day off peacefully.  

Emotional margin

• Jumping from one commitment to another without recognizing and exploring our emotional state leads to a lack of emotional margin.  If we constantly  act as if all is well and we push aside the soul’s call to process our feelings, we set ourselves up for more emotional pain and stunt our emotional growth.   It’s okay to not be okay and to make the time to heal. We often need to learn to sit with our issues and deal with them.
• After my parents died, it was difficult to process the pain that grief brought.  I had a very demanding job, coupled with health challenges, and the easiest thing would have been to bury myself in work and not validate my emotions.  But, I was able to connect with a counselor who encouraged me to join a grief support group.  I value that experience so much because it created the margin I needed to come to grips with my loss.  
• You might not be dealing with grief but with the voices in our heads that replay old, negative tapes that keep us bound.  Look for support, whether with trusted family members and friends or with qualified professionals who can offer tangible ways to deal with emotionally charged experiences.

Mental margin

• Mental margin might be the toughest one for our technology-dependent generation.  Do we even allow our brains to solo task?  Yep, doing one thing at a time.  We idolize multi-tasking but honestly, it’s not working . Earl Miller, a professor of neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), says multitasking destroys our productivity, increases the likelihood of  blunders, and blocks creative thought.  The mental whiplash from juggling tasks or sprinting from one task to the next eliminates the mental downtime needed to stir our creativity.  So please, do one thing at a time, for your mind’s sake. 
• We can increase our mental margin by cutting back on our social media time, as well as our consumption of news.  *crickets*  

Let’s look at margin as a way to make room for the things we value the most!  If we don’t cultivate margin, we lose opportunities for growth and greater self-awareness.  And no margin in one area will lead to less or no margin in another one.

What makes it difficult for you to create margin?  What do you plan to do to change that?

So, 2017 was to be your year to make changes to your health.  How are those big health wins going so far?  Guess what?  We’re already in April!  What wellness goals do you really want to achieve, and how are you going to achieve them? 

My tagline for Healthy Woman, Happy Woman is “Small Lifestyle Changes, Big Wellness Results.”  I’m convinced that slow but sure wins the wellness race rather than an all-out sprint that leaves you breathless, so let’s look at five small steps that can lead to big health wins.

1.  Refine your “why”

What’s your motivation?  What does succeeding at your health goals look like to you?  Here’s where daily journaling helps.  Solidifying your intentions via pen and paper (or technology) each day creates self-accountability.  As you check in with yourself daily, you realize what needs tweaking.  More green veggies?  Less stress?  Let that check-in be the “ground zero” that centers you health progress.

2.  Switch it up!

A sure-fire way to not maintain your health goals is to keep doing the same old thing. every. single. day.  You’ll get bored and your goals will seem less and less doable.  Plan your meals for the upcoming week and incorporate one new recipe, fruit, veggie, grain, or self-care habit into your regimen each week.  Have you tried Swiss chard?  Dragon fruit?  An Epsom salts bath with a few drops of lavender essential oil?  The possibilities are endless, and you WILL feel and see the difference.

Avocado toast. Have you tried it?

3.  Make “right turns”

UPS drivers use as many right turns on the road as possible, both for safety and to save them time and gas.  A “right turn” for you might mean banning ice cream from the house so that you don’t inhale a carton in one fell swoop.  It may mean putting out your exercise gear the night before so that when you wake, you can hit the ground running with no excuses.  Think about what your “right turns” might look like and pursue them with intention!

4.  Hack your food prep

Keep a well-stocked pantry and replenish your fresh produce at least weekly.  Put aside time on Sundays for prepping fruit and veggies for ready-to-eat snacks or smoothie packs for blending in the mornings.  Prepare overnight oats or chia seed pudding, or even a smoothie bowl to streamline breakfast.  The key is to be prepared so that you won’t be jonesing for fast food or sugary treats.  That way, you stay on track with your wellness goals.

Photo: Domesticate Me

5.  Build in accountability

Winning at health and wellness is not for lone rangers.  Can you do it all alone?  Maybe, but it’ll be way more difficult than if you had a coach (ahem!) or a friend to check in with so that you don’t drift back into bad old habits.  How about a fitness buddy so that it’s less easy for you to cop out of that strength training routine? 

Photo: tumblr (run like you’ve never run before)

Here’s how my first client, Carline, described being held accountable as she started her health program with me: 

“For me, saying out loud to someone: ‘This is what I want to do’ started the process. Knowing that I had to be accountable motivated me.  Alison suggested I set my goals incrementally; this is something I would not have done myself.”

So…which small steps have you been taking toward big health wins in 2017?

In the last blog post, we looked at six morning practices that can lead to a healthier, happier life.  So… I presume you’re still awake; what’s next?  Here are the other six of my Delightful Dozen morning practices that I promised to share.

Weigh in

I’d love for everyone to weigh daily, but most people either don’t want to (scared of what they’ll see!) or won’t remember. Can I encourage you to weigh in at least once a week? Weighing regularly is strong factor in consistently losing weight and keeping it off.  Use a scale that gives you more than just your weight. I use the Balance Body Composition Scale, which also gives you body fat, body mass, muscle mass, water weight, and bone density readings.   

Check pH levels

Your potential of hydrogen (pH) level measures the acidity or alkalinity in your body on a continuum from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline) and is an important indicator of  wellness or disease.  The goal is to maintain a pH level between 6.5 and 7.5.  The easiest way to measure your pH level is to place a pH strip in your first urine stream in the morning and compare the color of the strip after urination with the color chart in the pH strip pack.  Most drugstores carry the strips for a minimal price.

Neti pot

Particularly for people who suffer from allergies and upper respiratory tract issues, a neti pot is a simple, natural, and effective tool to bring well-needed relief.  It may seem strange to “irrigate your nose” the first few times around, but once you get the hang of it, it’s guaranteed to lessen your allergy and sinus misery.  You mix a small amount of salt in purified warm water in the pot, pour it through one nostril and allow it to flow out of the other.  That’s all!

Air your bed

Some scientists think that not making your bed may keep you healthier.  Trust me, I’m a neatnik, so not making my bed doesn’t excite me in the least.  But try leaving your bed unmade… at least for a bit after you get out of it.  Why?  An unmade bed is less appealing to house dust mites, which thrive in the warm, moist ambiance we create for them while we sleep.  The mites are more likely to die off when you vacate your bed and leave it uncovered to allow moisture in the sheets to evaporate.  I know, TMI.  LOL

Exercise

I’m an unrepentant night owl, but I now embrace morning workouts because I see the benefits.  You don’t even need a long morning exercise routine; I keep mine to 15-20 minutes. If you can work out at home, you save time (and gas, if you have to drive to the gym).   A morning workout jump-starts your metabolism for the day.  A recent study noted that you can burn up to 20 percent more body fat by exercising in the morning before your first meal.  Your morning routine can also improve your physical and mental energy, ensure better sleep, and create a level of consistency in the morning that you carry throughout the entire day.  

Breakfast

Conventional wisdom states that we should eat breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess, and dinner like a pauper.  So, yes to breakfast!  It’s been proven that eating breakfast helps with weight loss, and with sufficient protein and complex carbohydrates in your breakfast, you ensure that you’re taking in good brain food, you increase your energy and stabilize your blood sugar, and create satiety until lunch.  You run the risk of poor concentration, low blood sugar, irritability, and intense cravings mid-morning if you skip breakfast.

Which of these morning practices is already part of your routine? Which do you plan to incorporate?

Okay… so you’re awake at the crack of dawn and have a demanding day ahead of you.  What do you do next?

• Dash into the shower, pull on the cleanest outfit within reach, grab some coffee, and rush, half-awake, to work?  
• Attend to the details of getting the kids ready so that you all can get out of the door at a godly hour?
• Hit the snooze button and pray for another few minutes of semi-awake sleep?

Let’s be honest:  in these situations, healthy choices get thrown out the window mighty quickly.

If I don’t intentionally make healthy practices  an integral part of my morning, it simply won’t happen. When I worked outside of my home, there were days when I left the house as hassled and stressed as if I had just tended to 10 children under the age of 10.  Why?  My morning routine was out of whack.

Caveat:  what I’m about to suggest is not carved in stone.  Trust me, I don’t do all of these things every day, even though nowadays I don’t have the pressure of getting to a job on time.  As a health coach, I can set my own hours.  Woot woot!

So what should be some of the core morning practices of a Healthy Woman, Happy Woman? Here the first six of my Delightful Dozen morning practices; we’ll cover the other six in another blog post.

8-12 ounces of water:  

If nothing else, if you can drink at least 1-2 cups of water first thing when you’re awake, you’ll be off to a well hydrated start.  It pushes out toxins and gets the colon working.  

Early morning BM:  

The increased water intake will  inevitably lead to some (ahem!) activity in the bathroom.  Your goal is to produce an arm’s length movement with no smell.  For those who deal with constipation, that seems like a far-off dream, but it can be done.  You’ll be proud to show folks where you sit (pun intended) on the Bristol Chart.

Lemon in warm water:

It’s super-beneficial for myriad reasons, the most significant being its effects on digestion and on the liver, and–of great consequence for all women–its role in helping to maintain a healthy weight.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) with water and baking soda:

This practice isn’t necessary daily, but it’s good to incorporate it frequently. A teaspoon of ACV in 8 ounces of water, along with 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda is great to fight allergies and upper respiratory tract problems.  It also helps diminish an appetite when it’s taken about a half-hour before meals.   The mixture  contains nutrients and enzymes that help you digest your food better, and it is said to help people suffering from arthritis and gout.

Oil pulling:

I’ve seen the difference when I do this regularly.  You’re simply swishing oil (coconut, safflower, sesame) in your mouth for 20 minutes on an empty stomach and then spitting it out. The benefits of oil pulling include whiter teeth, healthier gums, relief from upper respiratory problems, and release of toxins from the body via the mouth.

Meditation/prayer/quiet time:

Carve out time first thing in the morning for your spiritual life.  It doesn’t have to be a long process.  Connecting with God in the early hours gives Him first place in your day and gives you time with Him to share what’s on your heart and hear what’s on His.  It’s also a great time for deep breathing and setting your intentions for the day.

Which of these are healthy morning practices that you already enjoy? Which ones would you like to try?