What is Considered A Healthy Lifestyle

Everyone can have their own version of a healthy lifestyle. What this looks like is subjective and will vary person to person.

Popular media may have you believe that in order to be ‘healthy’ you must drink a greens powder in the morning, use a walking pad while you work, and never indulge in sweet treats. That is total B.S.!

A healthy lifestyle is something that includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and avoidance of harmful habits. For some it will be slight changes but for others it may be a large overhaul.

What and how much you do is completely up to you!

Components of A Healthy Lifestyle

There are no specific pillars that will lead to a healthy lifestyle, but here are a few important areas to start.

Balanced Diet: This is crucial! By having a diet balanced you will be fueled to do what you want, have enough brain power to power through your day, and reach your goals.

Regular Exercise: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical exercise a week in addition to two days of strength training.¹ This can look different for everyone based on what you love, goals, and access!

One week you could: jog for 45 minutes on Monday, strength train Tuesday, 45 minutes on the elliptical Wednesday, strength train Thursday, and end you week with a long walk on Sunday! This is just a basic example. There are endless combinations of workouts that fulfill the CDC’s recommendations.

Adequate Sleep: This is one of the foundational components to adopting a healthy lifestyle. Nearly every other aspect relies on the premonition that adequate sleep is being had.

An epidemiologist from University of Michigan explains that, “Sleep is essential to every process in the body, affecting our physical and mental functioning the next day, our ability to fight disease and develop immunity, and our metabolism and chronic risk disease²“. She shows that nearly every other aspect of our health relies on adequate sleep.

Socialization: Social health can be a multitude of interactions. Potentially, it may be contributing to your community, having friendships and relationships, caring for one another, and further! For clarification, these connections are about quality not quantity.

Without socialization, loneliness may occur and that has been linked to higher rates of³:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Suicide
• Heart disease
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Dementia
• Premature death

As you can probably tell, having social support system is a great idea to have in place to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Avoid Harmful Habits: New information is always coming out. That is why there isn’t an exhaustive list of harmful activities/substances. As of now some harmful habits you may want to decrease or avoid completely are: smoking, nicotine use, vaping, and alcohol abuse.

Why You Should Adopt A Healthy Lifestyle

There are a ton of results you will see (or at least will occur) from adopting a healthy lifestyle!

Stress Reduction: Imagine how much better you’ll feel with less stress weighing you down!

Weight Management: For some, increased exercise and consuming a balanced diet may lead to weight reduction, but it is not the ultimate goal for a healthy lifestyle.

Mood Improvement: Through these different components you will experience elevated moods and increased endorphins!

Disease Prevention: There is no guarantee a healthy lifestyle will ward off any disease but it may be a factor in reducing your odds in disease prevention.

Improved Athletic Abilities: One of your goals could be to run quicker, further, or enjoy your movement more. Either way, if you are doing something more often you are more likely to improve!

Healthy Relationships: With socialization being a component, you’ll have the space to nurture and maintain your valued relationships.

I am sure you’ll come across a few more as well.

Making A Lasting Change

The key to making a lasting healthy lifestyle change is to make it sustainable for you. Depriving yourself from your favorite foods or forcing yourself to do activities you loathe will only increase the odds of quitting.

What you implement needs to fit into your life in a manageable way. Telling yourself to never eat cake again isn’t going to work. I don’t even need to personally know you to promise you this!

If consuming less cake is a goal make it sustainable by opting for less amounts in a sitting or having it less often. Strictly cutting it out isn’t good for anyone!

Another important aspect to sustained change is to stay flexible. Things happen, plans change. Keeping flexible allows you to take these changes in stride knowing you have goals and can always continue owrking towards them.

Where to Start

The first step when deciding to adopt a healthy lifestyle is to keep in mind that this will be challenging. You have to actively and consciously put in the effort to make these changes day after day until they become ingrained into your routine and habits.

Where you’re actually going to start is setting a clear goal. This should be something possible and makes sense for you. Additionally, you need to define what each step you are going to take to reach this goal.

For example, you may have the goal to do a turkey trot 5k on Thanksgiving with your family. This means you need to write down the steps and mini goals that are between you and that race.

Your first step may be to stretch! After doing this it may be to walk a mile, two miles the third day, and 3.1 on the fourth. The next goal could be to jog a mile and walk 2.1. This continues on until you can jog a 5k on Thanksgiving! You can even break this down into more gradual steps- whatever suits you!

By following this example you would have actually done a plethora of steps without realizing it:

1. Set a clear goal (turkey trot 5k)
2. Educate yourself (learning how to stretch and proper running form)
3. Broke the goal down into steps and mini goals and made a plan (the different mileage growth)

Reasons to NOT Adopt A Healthy Lifestyle

For some, these habits may not be feasible nor warranted. Every person has their own situations, conditions, goal, and resources. These determinants may guide one’s path in what to encompass.

If you do not currently exercise it may seem impossible to follow the CDC’s recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise and two days of strength training. This recommendation doesn’t mean you have to immediately jump into it! By doing so you may actually cause yourself more harm than benefit!

If your healthcare provider has told you to not do a certain action or consume a specific diet, listen to them.

Do I Need to Stop ________?

When you decide to adopt a healthy lifestyle you may be believing that you have to immediately quit all habits that you see as ‘unhealthy’.

This is FALSE!

So, if you have read this far and want to adopt a healthy lifestyle but are thinking, ‘but do I need to stop _____ (insert anything you believe would have to be cut out)?’ No!

You can fit (nearly) anything in to a healthy lifestyle, including what you love! If having a few things you love in moderation allows you make a healthy lifestyle sustainable, go for it!

Frequently Asked Questions About Healthy Lifestyles

Do I need to take 10,000 steps everyday?

No, you do not need to take 10,000 steps everyday. This is an arbitrary number. Some days you will take less steps and some days you’ll take more. Don’t worry about a specific number, just move your body most days!

How much water should I drink in a day?

Unless you have a medical condition, there is no specific amount of water you should be consuming everyday. It will vary based on weight, sex, temperature, activity level, etc. There are SO many factors that will alter the amount of water you consume!

Do I need to avoid dairy and gluten?

No! You do not need to avoid dairy and gluten. If you are allergic to dairy, yes avoid it. If you have celiacs disease, yes, avoid gluten. And unless you’ve been told by a healthcare professional you are likely to be a-okay to enjoy the dairy and gluten-filled foods you love.

Should I be drinking green juice?

If you are having a balanced diet you do not need a greens juice or greens powder. These are supplements meant to fill any gaps you may have in your diet. If you are having enough fruits and veggies these products will just be a waste of money!

Do I need to take supplements to be healthy?

If you are concerned about not meeting your recommended intake of nutrients you may want to consider a multivitamin. This will help ensure any vitamin and mineral gaps in your diet are filled.

If you have a certain condition or disease you may be prone to a deficit or be in need of additional nutrients. Speak to your healthcare provider prior to beginning any supplement.

Key Takeaways For Adopting A Healthy Lifestyle

• A balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, socialization, and avoiding harmful habits are all components of a healthy lifestyle.
• There are nearly endless benefits from adopting a healthy lifestyle.
• You don’t need to cut off all of your favorite foods and activities cold turkey. By continuing what you love in moderation is the key to long-term success!
• These components mentioned may not be suitable for everyone.
• Trending health topics can be pretty persuasive, always consult a healthcare professional prior to following online advice.

Craving More?

Do you have other questions about common health trends and what is truly healthful? Check out some of the other articles and you just may find an answer to your question. If not, feel free to send me along an email or leave a comment and i’ll do my best to get back to you!

Also check out if I’ve answered your question on Instagram!

• Do Carbs Make You Fat?
• Fiber: An Important Carbohydrate
• Do Diets Actually Work?
• The Truth About Late Night Snacks

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Citations

1. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm
2. https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2020posts/why-sleep-is-so-important-to-your-health.html
3. https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html#:~:text=Loneliness%20was%20associated%20with%20higher,risk%20of%20emergency%20department%20visits.

Disclaimer

This is not intended to be medical advice. Always follow instruction from your healthcare provider.

This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may make a commission at no cost to you. Please see my full disclosure policy for more details.

Keeping well in the winter compared to the summer looks quite a bit different. In the winter months it’s important to stay warm and ensure you’re getting enough vitamin D. In the summer, these wellness needs change.

1. Make Sunscreen Application a Part of Your Morning Routine

The sun is out and the rays are harsh. In the summer you need to make sure your skin is always covered! Even if you are just walking from your car to the store and back there is time for the sun to damage your skin.

The best way to make sure your covered is by making sunscreen a part of your morning routine. This could be through your everyday morning makeup or by adding in a face-safe sunscreen.

Many moisturizers and other makeup products have SPF built in to them. (Go check your go-to products!) If your’s does it’s likely for a very low SPF coverage, but it’s better than nothing!

Another option to ensure you’re covered is to add one more step to your morning routine. CeraVe is a trusted moisturizer brand, but this one is only $11 with tint and 30 SPF. Apply this before any makeup, or just when you wake up, to help out your skin throughout your day!

If the sun is strong it is best to remember to reapply throughout the day. Another option is to use sunscreen on your full body!

2. Get Your Vitamin D

You’ve probably felt your mood improve as summer approaches. There’s many reasons for this but one argument is for the increase in vitamin D.

Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption. AKA it’s good for your bones!

A fun fact is that before we all stayed indoors most of the time vitamin D used to be a hormone! It was very easy to get and maintain sufficient levels.

It was even found that you only need about 5-30 minutes 2 times a week (depending on UV level, smog, clouds, and other factors) to top off your supply!¹

Anyways, when the days get warmer you tend to go outside more. Along with wearing your sun protectant, soak up the sunshine! The sun is providing you with vitamin D.

3. Stay Hydrated

During the summer you lose more water than in the winter. This means you need to make a greater effort in replacing it. If you’re sweating you need to replace even more!

Discover what your favorite way to drink water is. Do you prefer it room temperature or ice cold?, through a straw or from a cup?, sparkling or flat?

Keeping a trusty water bottle on you makes this easy. After carrying it around for a bit, it will become habit. Soon you’ll be mindlessly taking sips throughout the day without even realizing it!

If drinking your water is difficult you can always try eating it! It counts just the same. Certain fruits and veggies are crazy high in water-perfect!

When your water intake isn’t cutting it try including some melon (watermelon, cantelope, honeydew), oranges, kiwi, cucumber, and lettuce in your day. These are all more water than actual fruit and veggie.

4. Use Sunglasses

The sun can cause more damage than just to your skin! If you don’t protect your eyes from the sun it is possible to get photokeratitis. It’s basically sunburn on your corneas- yikes!²

To avoid this never look at the sun. Beyond this, you can protect yourself by using quality sunglasses.

Not only should you use sunglasses at the beach and on sunny days but also when it’s a cloudy day. Unexpectedly, it’s still possible to damage your eyes during these times!

5. Be Kind To Yourself

When warmer days come about you will be spending more time in less clothing. It’s difficult to wear heavy jeans and thick sweatpants when it’s scorching out.

You’ll end up spending your days wearing shorts and a bathing suit when you go to the beach. Being more exposed can be uncomfortable. It’s normal. Give yourself love and positivity. Wear what makes you comfortable and surround yourself with supportive friends!

If this season makes you want to ‘shred for summer’, lose a couple pounds, or need support to fully promote body positivity, let’s chat. I can help you reach your goals whether its gaining or losing weight, maintaining a healthy mindset, or any other issues.

6. Keep Your Food Safe

You eat outside at the beach or barbeques. This is so fun and exciting, but you still have to ensure your food is safe! It’s easy to leave your food outside for too long then returning to it later. That’s not safe!

The FDA says that foods are in the Danger Zone if in temperatures between 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours.³ This means to put your food in your cooler when you’re not currently eating it. If you’re worried about if something has gone bad while on a picnic it’s best to err on the side of caution and throw it out!

Now that I’m talking about a picnic are you starting to crave picnic foods? Make my Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing. It’s a cold pasta salad, making it perfect for a warm summer day!

7. Plan Activities

Summer is the perfect time to be active. There is so much to do so try to make plans with friends or family at least once a week. This helps keep you social and active, win-win!

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If you found any of these ways to stay well this summer helpful be sure to leave a comment about which one! Also, be sure to share this article with a friend so they can stay well this summer, too!

References

1. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfession5. Office of Dietary Supplements – Vitamin D. Ods.od.nih.gov. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/. Published 2022. Accessed April 10, 2022.
2. Photokeratitis: Treatment, Healing Time, Causes, Symptoms & Prevention. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15763-photokeratitis. Published 2022. Accessed April 10, 2022.
3. Handling Food Safely While Eating Outdoors. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/handling-food-safely-while-eating-outdoors. Published 2022. Accessed April 10, 2022.

Defining Diet

When you hear the word diet you probably think of: restriction, deprivation, and hunger. In most pop-culture cases this is true. But, diet has another meaning. Diet is simply what you eat. For example if someone asks you what you eat in a day that would be considered your typical diet.

So yes, diet can be associated with weight loss but it can also describe what you typically consume!

So, Do Diets Actually Work?

A calorie or macronutrient restricted diet can lead to weight loss. But it is short-lived and often times not a balanced and healthy way of eating.

Do diets actually work? Yes. But only in the short-term and with continued work.

So, diets do not actually work. Your weight loss is likely water weight that will soon be regained and the restrictions the diet placed on you have to be continued indefinitely for the weight to not be regained!

It’s estimated that 80% of people that lose weight will regain it and even gain even more than they originally were due to the cycle of dieting they’re stuck in.

The Diet Cycle

The diet cycle is one that is inevitable when restricting.

Starting at the top are the different factors that lead to the desire to lose weight. This can come from societal standards, peer pressure, social media, and really it can come from anywhere.

From there you begin a diet. This can be something you’re BFF told you about, the one that the celebrities are using, or something you found on Pinterest. No matter what diet you select, it’s a dead end street.

The diet limited the foods you can have. Let’s pretend it made you cut out all the chocolate from your life (a true tragedy). But, because you can’t have your favorite chocolate you’ll becon to crave it…HARD.

So of course, you have some. Then some more. Then more than you even wanted because you know you won’t be able to have it again soon!

Next up: regain the weight.

Guess what, you’re back at your starting weight but now you’re more frustrated.

Want to take a whack at what happens next?

This is the diet cycle that many are trapped in.

Fad Diets

Fad diets are ones that have a period of popularity then tend to die down over time. Think of the low-fat diet, low-carb diet, keto, and Atkins to just name a few.

They usually will limit the amount of calories you can have or limit a certain macronutrient(carb, fat, protein).

A low-fat diet and low-carb diet are self-explanatory. The keto diet emphasizes fat with a moderate amount of protein, and a low amount of carbs. The Atkins diet was the area of low-carb but does not stress fat as much as the keto diet does.

Before we go any further, know that any person or plan that restricts you in such a way is not healthy and no sustainable for the rest of your life.

The Issue with Weight

Weight is a social norm that changes with the trends. At one point having curves and large breasts like Marilyn Monroe was the ideal body shape. After that long and thin legs was a standard in the 60’s. Today’s ideal body is slender with a high waist.

You can’t even make some of these changes naturally!

With media emphasizing a smaller size depicting what is beautiful it is affecting everyone that doesn’t naturally fit that mold.

The best way to feel good about yourself is to start by being more self-accepting. This means being grateful for your body and all that you can do.

Annoyed with thick thighs? They’re strong.

Sick of a belly? I’m glad you have a stomach, it’s a vital organ!

Before making any weight changes have a deep conversation with yourself to discover your true intentions for these changes.

Set Point Theory

The Set Point Theory suggests that your body weight is relatively predetermined by an internal feedback control mechanism.¹ Basically, you are made to be around a certain weight.

You know those people that can eat a mega-amount of food all the time yet not gain weight? Their set point is likely low.

This doesn’t mean changing your weight is hopeless.

You can be more mindful and put more thought into what you are doing and eating to make impactful changes.

Non-Diet Dietitian

If you want to lose weight but you want to avoid the diet cycle, work with a non-diet Dietitian. Not all Dietitians will label themselves this way but if you ask to work with them in this style they will surely accommodate.

A Non-Diet Dietitian will work with you to reach your goals through other avenues beyond your classic diet.

You can expect to work on your perception of food and your body rather than trying to minimize its physical size.

Ways to Measure Health Changes

Health is not just measured by the number on the scale. If you have a goal of losing weight but want less of an emphasis on dieting you can measure your progressing by:

• Changes in the way your clothing fits
• Listening to your hunger cues
• Understanding nutrition basics and how to build a balanced meal
• Allow yourself to enjoy your favorite foods without the ‘guilt’.
• A beneficial change in lab values

Many times you are told to to lose weight to help you cholesterol levels. This can be a great motivator to make some lifestyle changes. You are able to see an actual drop in your lab values.

Bonus– you are losing weight and reducing your risks for diseases at the same time!

Ways to Lose Weight without Dieting

If you’re on board with never dieting again, THANK GOODNESS!

If you still feel you could lose a few pounds to be in a healthier body then it is completely fine to want to lose weight. You just want to have the right intentions and to go about it in a mindful way.

You could start by including mindful movement in your day. This could be a nice morning walk, a mid-day yoga flow, or a fun workout class you’ve been wanting to try.

Another way to lose weight without going on a diet is by making small swaps in your daily intake that you still enjoy. Making a change that you dislike isn’t sustainable nor is it going to make for a positive mindset towards your goal!

Want to Work With A Dietitian?

If you have reached a point where you need some support and accountability, let’s work together!

We can schedule a short 10-15 minute phone call to see if we would mesh together well. This connection is for both of us. I need to understand your goals and where you are in your journey and you can learn a bit more about me and decide if you want to continue on with 1:1 sessions!

1. Harris, R., 1990. Role of set-point theory in regulation of body weight. [online] Available at: <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2253845/> [Accessed 28 March 2022].

Have a question? Leave a comment down below or send me a DM on Instagram!

What’s Different for Sports Nutrition and Normal Nutrition?

What someone may typically eat compared to when they are eating for the sports performance with differ in many ways. It can even vary between the type of exercise they will be doing.

Even an at-home workout can’t be discounted. Nutrition is important for any athletic performance, no matter how important!

If you are not ready to join a gym check out my article on Online Workout Programs For Any Fitness Level. It has some great options to start your fitness journey!

The Basics

Just as a typical diet should be balanced with protein, carbs, and fats, so should an athletes diet. Depending on your goals will make for what percentage of each macronutrient you will want to consume.

Protein

Protein helps the body build strong bones and build-up muscle. Protein is very important but it’s been pretty ‘overhyped’.

The normal amount of protein someone needs is 0.8-1g of protein per kilogram(kg) of bodyweight. That means a 150lb (68kg) person needs 55-68g of protein.

Now, an athlete and someone with a goal of building muscle will want to be having more towards 1g of protein per kg of weight.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are the macronutrient that provides energy. Don’t you want to have all the energy possible for your sport?! They are important for everyone but extremely important for athletes.

*Spoiler alert*

Eating less carbs will just lead to muscle depletion and fatigue!

Fats

Exercising can lead you to losing more weight than you would like. Including fats in your diet ensures you stay satiated and keep your body in strong, working condition.

Water

Hydration is vital to performance before, during and after a workout. Fluids are easily lost while sweating and breathing. Don’t let your hydration be the factor stopping you from a PR!

Pre Workout

Depending on what you will be doing, the intensity, how big of a portion, of what, and how your stomach tolerates food and movement will make for when it is optimal timing to eat.

The only way to find what works for you is by experimentation. Try to keep a journal where you write down what and how much you consume before you do a certain workout. Then, afterwards, write down how you felt during it. Did you feel energized? heavy? weak?

Keep doing this until you find what makes for the best performance for you.

It is ideal to eat a snack 1-2 hours before beginning exercise or a meal more towards 2-4 hours before exercise.

During this snack or meal it is important to have carbs and protein. The carbs will give you the energy to workout and the protein will be good for your muscles.

Some options to have pre workout are:

• Greek yogurt parfait with granola and fruit
• Egg and toast
• Cottage cheese and crackers
• Crackers and cheese
• Smoothie
• Protein bar

During The Workout

Most athletes will not be eating during their workout unless it is an extended session. In this case it would likely be more ‘quick carbs’ like oranges or calorie dense gels like Gu.

Some may drink a protein shake during their lifting session if they are working out early in the morning.

For most athletes, the only thing they will be consuming during their workout or performance are fluids.

It can be easy to forget to maintain your hydration status but even and 2% deficit of your body weight will lead to a decrease in athletic performance and even result in a cognitive deficit!¹

How much water you should be drink depends on the intensity of workout. Generally, 4-6 ounces of water should be had every 20 minutes for a vigorous workout. This means in an hour workout an athlete should have about 12-18 ounces of water. This is just a blanket statement, if you feel you are thirsty and need more water- drink up!

Most think that an athlete needs to be drinking Gatorade to maintain their fluid and electrolyte balance, but really an electrolyte drink isn’t needed unless the session is going to be at least 60 minutes and vigorous. This may be running for an hour, playing a full soccer or basketball game.

Post Workout

Every hear about people having chocolate milk after a workout? That’s because an ideal post workout meal or snack would ideally have a 3:1 carb to protein ratio. Guess what? Most chocolate milk’s have this ratio.

Working out takes a lot out of your carbohydrate stores and if those aren’t refilled your body will dip into your bone to borrow some protein to keep itself going. You are going to want to have about 0.5-0.7g of carbs for every pound you weigh afterwards.

This means a 150lb athlete should aim to have 75-105g of carbs after their workout. This could easily be about 2 slices of peanut butter banana toast.

Other great post workout options are:

• Turkey sandwich
• Protein oatmeal
• Low-fat chocolate milk
• Protein smoothie

The Takeaway’s

• Know what and when you should be eating
• Always stay hydrated
• Carbs are what will fuel your workout
• Protein build muscle

No matter if you are a professional athlete or a figure-it-out-yourself-gym-goer, you can improve your performance by understanding what and when you should be consuming.

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References

1. How to Maintain Maintaining Proper Nutrition for Sports Performance. Verywell Fit. https://www.verywellfit.com/fitness-sports-nutrition-4157142#toc-hydration-and-sports-performance. Published 2021. Accessed December 29, 2021.

12-3-20 Origin

The 12-3-30 workout is a treadmill workout first created by influencer Lauren Giraldo.

All it means it to walk at an incline of 12, speed of 3 miles per hour, for a duration of 30 minutes.

There really isn’t a secret to it. Doing the workout won’t make your body look like her’s. It is just a routine she found she enjoyed, was quick, and got her sweating. The perfect trio for any workout!

She actually first began showing it off on her self-named YouTube channel, Lauren Giraldo, back in 2019 but it has recently resurfaced on TikTok. With ‘mental health walks’ and ‘hot girl walks’ emerging through the pandemic it was only inevitable that an indoor walking routine would become popular when it got cold outside.

12-3-30 Benefits

This is a great start for beginner and intermediate athletes. The speed may be on the slower end but the incline will sure to make your thighs and butt burn.

Be sure to not hold on to the treadmill while walking. This reduces the amount of effort your legs and body need to exert!

This is a cardio workout. That means you shouldn’t only doing this if you have strength goals. Some of the benefits of 12-3-30 align with those of other cardio workouts. It can help:

• Activate multiple leg muscles
• Improve cardiovascular health
• Get a sweat going
• Active recovery

12-3-30 and Weight Loss

Just as always, this won’t be a weight-loss miracle. Weight-loss can be had when you eat fewer calories and increase your movement.

This may be the workout that puts you over the edge of weight-loss, but I can reassure you it isn’t because it’s special.

Be sure to start your day off right by having a nourishing breakfast. And a balanced breakfast doesn’t have to include oatmeal! Here are 22 Healthy Breakfast Ideas That Aren’t Oatmeal. You’re sure to find something you’ll love and help you reach your goals.

I Tried the Viral Workout and Guess What?

I did more than just explore the viral workout, I tried it. Guess what? I loved it. It’s simple if you own a treadmill or aren’t too familiar with gym equipment, it raised my heart rate, and made me feel accomplished afterwards. All-in-all I would say it’s a good way to keep moving more than your standard walk-on-the-treadmill.

Keep in mind, I am no exercise professional but I could see how it may be more difficult for some in certain capabilities and issues.

If you are more new to working out I would recommend starting out with a lower incline and shorter duration. There’s no shame in making the adapting the workout to what’s best for you!

Those with back problems may also find this workout a struggle. You are at a large incline for a decent amount of time. Definitely a chance for a complication to arise there.

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Don’t Forget!

Before you log off and hop on the treadmill remember a few things:

• Try not to hold onto the treadmill
• Stay hydrated!
• Adopt the workout to your needs

If you give the workout a try be sure to leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @piece.of.lulu!

Ways to Journal

If you’ve never journaled before you’re probably picturing someone using leatherback notebook and a fancy metal pen and sitting next to a roaring fire and figuring out a major life decision.

Well, that could be happening somewhere, but not usually.

Journaling just needs you and a way to put down some words. This could mean types on a Word document, quickly written on a scrap of paper, or in a dedicated journal.

Any way you get get your thoughts down is a perfect way!

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1. How are you feeling in this moment?
2. What is something you can do to improve tomorrow?
3. Who is one person you are grateful for?
4. If you wrote yourself a love letter, what would it say?
5. Are you putting yourself first?
6. Do you have time for your hobbies?
7. Are you waking up excited for your day?
8. Remind yourself why you are enough.
9. What do you truly want out of your life?
10. Can you stressors be broken down?
11. What is standing in the way of your happiness?
12. Describe the last time you felt genuinely happy.
13. Make a list of self-care acts you can do when you feel in need.
14. In what way can you improve yourself?

What Hurt Your Mental Health?

Using journaling prompts you can find unexpected reasonings. Prompts provide questions you would have probably not asked yourself. Meaning, you’ll end up with unexpected solutions too.

Your mental health plays a role in everything you do and feel. If you believe your mental health isn’t in it’s best shape keep putting in the work until you’ve reached a better space.

How Much Should You Write?

This isn’t school. There’s no minimum or maximum word count. Simply write until you got out everything you needed to get out.

This could be one sentence or 10 pages! There’s no need to compare to what others are writing.

You can find countless challenges for any health or fitness goal you have but really, those are just chock-full of arbitrary workouts and fad diets.

What’s The Point of a Monthly Challenge?

Monthly challenges make a big wave during the beginning of the new year then again right before the summer months.

Some challenges will make some massively impossible claims like ‘lose 30 pounds in 30 days’ and ‘transform yourself in 30 days’. If this was possible that would be awesome! But, sadly, not too much can change in just a month.

The point of this Free Health & Wellness Workbook is to test out 28 small changes and activities to discover what would be beneficial for you!

Want a Sneak Peek?

You can click the workbook above to see the full month of mini challenges or I can give you a little sneak peek at what you’ll be challenged with.

• Unfollow 3 people on social media
• Look in the mirror and compliment yourself
• Write down 3 things you are grateful for
• Try a new recipe

You’ll be implementing small and actionable challenges that will help your health and wellness!

At the end, the reflection section help you pinpoint the challenges you benefited the most from and will carry with you further!

How To Start The Challenge

You don’t need to wait for a new year or even a new month to begin! Any day is just as good as ever to start.

1. Click this link to get your free Health & Wellness Workbook
2. Look through the upcoming month
3. Mark your calendar and get ready for your first day!
4. Once the month is done, complete the reflection questions

Keeping Up The Momentum

Doing anything for a month can be taxing. In order to avoid burnout find an exciting way to keep yourself accountable.

You could have your partner ask you at the end of every day if you’ve done your daily challenge. Or you could get them to do it too! This way you guys can bounce motivation off each other.

Another way to keep up accountability is to keep a journal to write down how each challenge went and how it made you feel. If writing isn’t for you, you could even take a photo of you doing the challenge!

I hope these small health and wellness challenges over the next 28 days help you to discover what will help you improve yourself!

Let me know in the comments below or by tagging me on Instagram (@piece.of.lulu) to let me know how your month is going

Outdoor Activities

You can still workout outdoors in the winter months. Sometimes it’s even more enjoyable than a scorching hot day! If the weather permits continue to go for outdoor walks and jogs. The winter months can even mean a chance to do some different types of activities. Give ice skating, sledding, snowboarding, or cross-country skiing a go.

Winter Activewear

Deciding what is best to wear outdoors in the winter takes a bit more thought than just throwing on a tank top and a pair of athletic shorts.

The best way to dress is in layers. This means wearing a few different layers of clothing that can easily be removed to adjust to your level of chill and exercise level. The first layer should be a thin, sweat-wicking material layered on with additional warm tops.

Look at the tags of your clothing to conform they aren’t cotton. This material will absorb your sweat and any moisture you come in contact with. This can result in holding the cold to you. Worse, there’s a greater chance of hypothermia.

Keep Hydrated!

A sports drink with electrolytes like Gatorade or Powerade (there are also now powders and tablets as an option) is great at restoring mineral levels, but not necessary unless exercising for at least an hour.

These options have sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Good news, you don’t actually need a branded sports drink. You can restore your levels with normal everyday food.

Dehydration begins before you’re even thirsty. Be sure you are drinking plenty of water throughout your day, especially before, during, and after your workout.

The Cold, Hard Truth

Getting outside can be intimidating, but at least there’s some additional benefits!

With the winter comes seasonal depression. This isn’t something to be ashamed of. It happens. Exercising, especially in the exhilarating outdoors and help fight those winter blues.

Not only this, the winter activities can actually help your immune system better defend against the flu and other viruses that may be going around.

If you can manage to get outdoors while the sun is still shining you get to absorb vitamin D, which is always good to be getting more of!

As with all exercise and activity, you still are releasing endorphins AKA the happy hormones!

Indoor Activities to Stay Active in the Winter

If outdoor activities isn’t an option for you for part of the year it just means it’s time to switch it up. There’s always something you can do!

Go for a walk in your local mall. It’s likely you’ve seen an older crowd doing this before and they’re onto something! A mall is a large indoor area that is free to roam. Classifying yourself as a mallwalker can become a badge of honor showing you are staying active.

If walking isn’t your thing try an online video. Just as previous generations had VHS tapes and DVDs to workout to we now have YouTube to provide all the free classes one could want! A homeworkout can get you sweating as you would outdoors or just get you moving!

If the budget is a bit larger and space isn’t an issue consider investing in a piece of larger machinery. A Peloton is an indoor cycling bike but cost about $2,000. If the price is a bit steep there are other great options with a smaller price tag.

You can find a perfectly good treadmill delivered for free with Amazon Prime at a fraction of the price. If you would prefer to purchase a set of dumbells to include weight training in your day, be cautious. Typically the price is for a single dumbell, when you would usually need a pair.

Have you ever heard of ClassPass? It is a website and app where you can purchase credits then use those to take classes at different facilities throughout your (and other) towns. This way you can try your hand at an abundance of classes. I recommend giving a TITLE boxing class and barre class a try!

You could also try:

• Bowling
• Yoga
• Stretching
• Roller skating
• Local class
• Housework

Do you have any other ideas? Leave them in the comments below so others can try them out too!

While keeping active you also want to maintain your vitamin C levels. Read my article, What Even is Vitamin C?

Just because you’re staying home doesn’t mean it won’t be a good workout. So, remember if you are just starting to go slow. If doing the full class is too much for you at this time, just stop. Slowly work your way up, just as you would if it would be in-person!

Keep a water bottle near, put your hair up, and have on some comfortable work-out clothes!

1. Every try pilates? It’s a more mind and body connection that helps with stability and core strength. Ali is a trusted pilates instructor that offers virtual classes. She even has a FREE 10 day trial so you can see if it’s right for you before purchasing!

2. Bianca Russo Fitness is an online coach with personal 1-on-1 training. It is also a business with an emphasis on LGBTQIA+ and all body types and sizes.

3. MadFit on YouTube has SO MANY workouts for any type of exercise you’re looking for! She has everything from a fun 10 minute dance workouts to 30 minute full body workouts. You’ll definitely find a video you’ll love- plus, they’re all free!

4. Looking for something different? Try ballet. Ballet Beautiful are online ballet videos. You can even do them as a ‘group’ or individually!

5. The Peloton app isn’t just for those with the Peloton brand bikes. Their app has On-Demand classes for running, strength, stretching, and of course cycling.

6. Before, ClassPass was mainly for all different in-person exercise and wellness classes but now they offer different online videos! With this you receive a different amount tokens based on the type of membership you have. Then, you use them to participate in the classes!

Some online programs that I would stay away from are ones connected to Beachbody and ones that push you to purchase any products or supplements.

Movement is great for people off all fitness levels. Aim for 240 minutes of intentional movement per week!

If you are working out with the intention of weight-loss be sure to alter your diet, too. You can only work out so much. Check out my article with 4 Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas. Eating a healthy breakfast sets you up for continuing your healthy habits throughout your day!

If you have any other online exercise programs you love be sure to share them in the comments below for others to try out!

What is A Multivitamin?

A multivitamin is a dietary supplement. It is often used in a pill or gummy form but they also come as a tablet, powder, or liquid. It has a plethora of different vitamins such as: Vitamin C, Vitamin B Complex (B1, B2, B3, B5, B7, B9, B12), Vitamin A, Vitamin D2 or D3 (different types of Vitamin D), Vitamin K, potassium, iodine, selenium, borate, zinc, calcium, magnesium, beta-carotene all in a single pill.

Do Multivitamins Work?

Yes! And no. Because a multivitamin is considered a supplement it’s ingredients are not regulated. Be sure to use one that is third party regulated. If not, their product may not even have anything in it!

A multivitamin with the vitamins you need will help.

Third Party Testing

In order to be reliable, you want to purchase a multivitamin that has been tested by a third party. This third party will test the multivitamin and provide reassurance that there is everything (and in the correct amounts) as the label describes.

In order to trust what you are taking is actually what the abel says, find a multivitamin that has one of these labels on it! If you have a full supply and still take a multivitamin, the additional vitamins will be urinated out.

Who Should Take A Multivitamin

Anyone can take a multivitamin. If you are getting enough of your needed vitamins and minerals from food than you don’t need one. The thing is, it’s hard to know because what you’re eating is always changing.

If you are eating a balanced diet, it is likely you are perfectly fine without a multivitamin.

What Multivitamin You Should Take

Each multivitamin will be slightly different. Each brand will include different vitamins and minerals and use a different dose of each. Usually a multivitamin will be targeted towards a certain population based on research on what they are deficient in.

Women typically need more iron supplementation (because of blood loss during menstruation) than men, so women-target multivitamin would have greater amounts compared to men-targeted ones.

Multivitamins for the elderly will be sure to include B12 and calcium while women who are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant soon will want to take a prenatal that is sure to have their needed folic acid, calcium, and iron.

Balanced Eating

Having a well-balanced diet doesn’t mean each meal needs to be perfect. A balanced diet is one that is well-rounded over a period of time. By eating different colors of fruits, veggies, high-quality protein, healthy fats, and whole grains you’ll likely be getting all the nutrition you need.

Maybe for one meal you want a bowl of cereal for breakfast. There isn’t a ton of nutrition but throughout your day, week, or month it is likely you will.

Overall, do not simply select a multivitamin targeted at you. Be sure to read the label and select one that has the vitamins you need. Also, multivitamins are not a replacement to a well-balanced diet. Adding the right multivitamin to your balanced eating is the best way to go about achieving the nutrition you need.

If you are confused, don’t worry! Speak to your doctor, or better yet, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. They will be able to assess your lab values and help recommend a multivitamin (if you even need one) that is right for you.

Looking for more nutrition and balanced eating information? Check out some of my other articles!

• Surprising Sources of Protein
• What Even Is Vitamin C?
• Everything You Need To Know About Eggs