Written By: Tracey Maxwell
Summer is around the corner and what’s the first thing we think of? Beach time!
We can hardly wait to hear the sound of the waves and feel the sand between our toes… but wait! Thoughts creep in “I don’t like the way I look in a bikini!”
If that thought crosses your mind, I want you to first think of the joy you’ll experience at the beach with your family. Or maybe your plans for this summer look completely different. Either way, I want you to focus on what brings you joy.
Being at the beach or spending time away from work is what we live for, however, I’ve spoken to hundreds of women who don’t look forward to wearing less, simply because of how they feel in their own skin.
Tip 1: Conduct a personal inventory of what brings you joy.
Self-care is an activity that should be practiced daily. Yes, daily! If you’re too busy to focus on 30min (minimum), I highly recommend you listen to this podcast- 14 Signs You Don’t Love Yourself Enough by Ed Mylett. Let’s not overthink this. Self-care can be simple activities such as walking outside, listening to your favorite songs, arts and crafts, or simply going on a date with your significant other. Self-care will consist of multiple things, not just a hobby that happens once a week. Again, think of the things that bring you joy and allow them to rejuvenate you and provide naturally feel-good endorphins. Secondly, make doing those things a habit. There is a lot of information out there about how long it takes to create a habit, but I’ll just go with the median number of days: 66. You’ll recognize once a habit has been formed because it will start to become a part of your daily routine, like drinking a morning cup of joe. I challenge you to think of 5 things that bring you the utmost joy and make them part of your self-care practice. Whether you do 1 thing daily and another thing the second day and another the third, and so on, establish them as part of who you are and watch your joy increase.
Tip 2: Food choices for a healthier lifestyle.
Many of us like to do some spring cleaning when the days get warmer. We go through our closets and drawers, etc., finding ways to declutter. Once we are finished, we feel good about ourselves and feel accomplished about removing those things that no longer serve us. I would like to challenge you and take this a step further. Have you ever decluttered the pantry? Or have you recently done an inventory of what’s not serving your physical health? If you feel a little “fluffy” from the winter and spring events, consider removing all the junk food from your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer and stock up on things that will bring you energy and support a healthy waistline. We all have a certain level of inflammation in our body, but let’s just focus on some simple steps.
I suggest incorporating more foods like these (but not limited to):
Frozen/fresh vegetables- the greener, the better!
Frozen shrimp/seafood without sauces
Frozen/fresh lean meat
Eggs
Hummus
Low fat dairy products
Tofu
Almond or other nut milks
Avocado/oil
Olives/ oil
Fresh fruit
Brown rice
Non flavored/ natural oatmeal
Whole grain products
Whole wheat products
Seeds such as flax and chia
Nuts and all natural nut butters
Real Butter
0-calorie salad dressings, syrups, and sauces
I suggest removing items like these (but not limited to):
Frozen fruit with added sugar
Frozen vegetables with seasonings and/or sauces
Frozen entrees
Frozen pizza and breads
Frozen desserts
Whole fat dairy
Processed meats and cheeses
High calorie salad dressings, jellies, and puddings.
Soda, juices, Beer and wine
White rice
Any white flour products
Beans (unless they are green beans or waxed beans)
Canned vegetables of any kind
White Potatoes
Refined cereals
Cookies
Candy
Cakes
Regular Popcorn
Partially/hydrogenated oils
Semi soft margarines
Once you feel you are at a healthy weight, which makes you happy, some of these foods can be brought back into your diet sparingly.
Tip 3: Reducing Stress Levels.
We often think of work, deadlines, or family dynamics when we think of stress, however, summer plans or travel plans can also raise stress levels. When we are stressed, our brain can’t function the way it is supposed to. So, reducing stress will do wonders for our brain health, but how do we do that?
First, we must learn to recognize when stress begins to bubble up inside us. I’m sure you know the feeling I’m talking about! Managing our emotions in a stressful situation is a very powerful tool that we can use to combat the rise of the stress hormone cortisol. Internalizing stress only floods our brain (and heart) with damaging substances, creating inflammation.
The best way to prevent these stress chemicals from flooding our bodies is through regular exercise. All types of exercises are great; however, it may surprise you that engaging in aggressive types of activity such as kickboxing or lifting weights is especially therapeutic. Even movements such as digging and whacking weeds will help!
The relaxation response to stress is, however, the most common. Try box breathing, which almost immediately lowers cortisol levels. This also helps us to think more clearly and, therefore, make better/healthier decisions.
Breathe in for 3 seconds
Hold for 3 seconds
Breathe out for 3 seconds
Hold for 3 seconds
Cycle at least 3 times or as many times as you feel is needed.
Anxiety and stress are two of the leading factors in an unhealthy lifestyle, not to mention that higher cortisol levels can lead to excessive eating and cravings. This is emotional eating! Some people find themselves not eating when stress levels are high, which in turn can also cause cravings or overeating when the decision is made to consume food.
In my years of coaching, I have discovered that if a balanced diet and a relatively healthy relationship with food are not present, the cycle inevitably never ends!
Here are some practical ways to battle emotional eating:
Go for a walk.
Box breathe.
Sip hot cinnamon tea.
Calming distractions such as puzzles, reading, journaling, and/or calling a friend.
Meditation/prayer
Eat fuel. These are low-calorie, low-carb, low-fat, higher protein snacks.
Peel a clementine! Why? It engages both hands and the smell of citrus is calming. You can segment and savor one at a time, which makes it enjoyable.
Tip 4: Assess your sleep.
Science has finally determined that getting high-quality sleep is arguably the most important part of health and well-being. For professional women (and men, of course), high-quality sleep can and will improve performance. Higher quality sleep stabilizes behavior. High-quality sleep also improves organ function, helping us to heal and restore.
Do you know what your Chronotype is? Are you a night owl or an energetic morning person? If you are more alert in the evenings or mornings and your sleep habit is a mismatch, then you may struggle to get a good night's sleep. Identify your chronotype and shift things into your life that will help establish good sleeping habits. This may mean going as far as asking permission at work to start later in the morning or be the first to arrive. Be bold in asking for what is best for your body and to commit to improving your performance and output!
Small adjustments in your life can also improve your sleep, such as:
Removing blue light 1 hour before bed; stop drinking caffeine after your morning hours, even if you feel like caffeine doesn’t disturb your sleep; refrain from heavy conversations at least 2 hours before going to bed; and start a nighttime routine that supports quality sleep. That routine may consist of prayer/stretching/yoga and/or a beauty routine/bathing or simply reading a real book, not on a Kindle. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it is calming to the mind and properly prepares you for when your head hits the pillow.
Now is the best time to put into practice a nighttime routine that can help improve your sleep.
If you would like more information about my coaching programs or a pdf of healthy and balanced meals/recipes, please contact me at Traceylmaxwell@icloud.com, cell (469) 455-9414 or dm me FB - Tracey Maxwell) (Milton) or Insta - SincerelyMBS
Reference: Dr. A’s Habits of Health: The Path to Permanent Weight Control and Optimal health and wellbeing
Comments