Four Habits for a Healthier You

I’m really not one to make New Year’s resolutions, but any type of significant change in life kinda forces you into developing certain (better) habits – whether it’s rooted in your career, family or health.

I’ve touched on this a bit, but my new teaching schedule at SoulCycle requires me to teach 13-19 classes each week. As a result, two things have drastically changed: My sleep schedule and my diet.

These habits go hand-in-hand for me as they’re both are crucial to keeping energy levels up and making my body run, well, the way that it should.

So, that being said, today I wanted to talk about the four habits I’ve been getting into since the start of the New Year:

// EAT REAL FOOD.

A huge part of this is simply making more meals at home, so I’ve been much more disciplined in going to the grocery store.

(… And my favorite smoothie bar, Real Good Juice Co.)

Guys: If losing weight is one of your goals – this is the way to achieve it. Fitness is important, yes, but at the end of the day you can’t out-exercise a bad diet.

If there’s interest from you guys, I’m happy to expand on this more in a separate blog post. Just let me know by commenting below.

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// PRACTICE (MORE) GRATITUDE.

Whether we like it or not, our lives are really dependent on external forces. When’s the last time you opened up Facebook and something you saw shifted your entire mood?

I, too, can be the queen of comparison (never a good thing), and no matter how self-motivated or driven you are, outside opinions are constantly influencing our lives.

This practice has become a bit more intuitive to me by being able to see people have their own physical and mental transformations through fitness.

Ultimately, it comes down to this: Being someone who exudes grace and gratitude turns your life into a two-way street.

So, if you think about it, you can create your reality. Put out what you want more of in the world and it will come back to you ten-fold… Or said another way, quit wasting your mental energy on stupid shit.

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// SAY NO. PERIOD.

Managing your own workload is really hard – especially if you’re the ambitious type. (You’re nodding, aren’t you?)

But, you know, saying no is essential — and to clarify, let’s all agree that “no” is a full sentence. None of this “No, I’m sorry, I just…”

Quit it.

I heard a quote the other day and it’s so true – life is like a gas-burning stove, you can’t have all four burners on high.

Everyone has limits, and being able to know yours (and stick to your guns) is integral to maintaining them – and your mental health, as a result.

Life is too short to be spent making lists and shit, you guys.

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// GET MORE SLEEP.

… Last but certainly not least.

Being a small business owner is amazing, but truth-be-told: We tend to not sleep very much. Lovely ladies who work full-time and manage their blogs – I know you feel me on this.

More often than not, I teach late in the afternoon/evening – and then again early the next morning. Most days since the beginning of the year, I’m up before 6 a.m. As a result, sleep (or lack thereof) has become a bit of a concern for me. You know those nights where you look at the clock and you’re like, “Okay, if I fall asleep right now, I’ll be able to get six hours of sleep.”

The worst, no?

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My “sweet spot” for a good night’s sleep – the amount I need to wake up feeling actually refreshed – is seven hours. Knowing this about yourself is a good gauge/way to get yourself into a sleeping pattern.

They say it takes 28 days to form a habit – and truly restorative sleep is one of the main habits I’ve been consciously working to create. But on those occasional nights when I know tossing, turning and sleeplessness is inevitable for me, I’ve been taking ZzzQuil, an over-the-counter sleep-aid you can find at the grocery store of pharmacy (from the makers of Vick’s).

Basically, it’s a non-habit forming solution that helps you snooze soundly and wake up refreshed… I usually fall asleep within 30 minutes of taking it (and to note, I do not use it regularly).

If you want to give ZzzQuil or any of Vick’s other products a try, click here and grab a coupon. For more tips on Bringing Your Best (a campaign I’ve been participating in on behalf of ZzzQuil), check out the blog posts from these gals:

The Balanced Blonde | Bows & Sequins | Lauren Kay Sims | Video

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Photos by Hallie Wilson & Iron & Honey

Thanks to Vick’s & ZzzQuil for partnering on this post