Exercise - types of movement
- Lunges
- Push-ups
- Squats
- Standing overhead dumbbell presses
- Dumbbell rows
- Single-leg deadlifts
- Burpees
- Side planks
- Planks
- Glute bridge
Cooking/intuitive
eating
Intuitive eating is a strange concept for some people to grasp. What does intuitive eating mean and how can it help create healthy eating habits?
Intuitive eating is rejecting the idea of typical dieting and making peace with the foods you eat. It is you listening to and trusting your body to know when it is time to eat. With the dieting culture we’re in, people are losing weight in ways that can mess up their metabolism (chemical changes that occur in the body), cause disordered eating, and possibly obesity. Restricting calories, meaning eating less than 1200 calories a day, or doing diets like the cabbage soup diet, keto diet, and intermittent fasting all can affect one’s metabolism and can be difficult to stick to. Intuitive eating is eating what makes you feel good when you’re hungry and allows you to pay attention to feeling full.
Sleep hygiene
Sleep is very important to our overall well-being!
Some ways to have a restful night of sleep is by restricting drinking water or eating a heavy meal 2-3 hours before bed. This will prevent you from feeling restless at night and using the bathroom constantly. Another way to have a restful night is by exercising! Exercising 1-2 hours before bed will let you release
Constant interruptions to your sleep can cause you to feel tired because you were not able to stay in the REM cycle throughout. The REM or rapid eye movement cycle is the deepest stage of sleep that starts 90 minutes after falling asleep. Your brain is active while you are sleeping and your eyes are moving quickly but there is no information being sent to your brain. This is when dreaming happens.
Work/life balance
Work-life balance isn’t what you think it is. It isn’t about setting 8 hours for work, for personal life, and sleep. There will be days where one becomes a higher priority than the other. It’s about being fluid, and knowing what gives you energy versus what drains you of energy. Without having time for yourself and taking care of personal needs, the buildup of stress can weaken your immune system. A weak immune system puts you at a higher risk for getting sick.
One way to think about balance on a work day is to break your day into 3. 2 of those time slots will be work and sleep, ideally, most days the 3rd time slot is your time to use. When it is your time to use, take this opportunity to do what brings you enjoyment and makes you feel accomplished. This may mean journaling, painting, going for a walk, talking to friends/family, or simply relaxing in bed, watching a movie. Work-life balance is not only focusing on achievement of daily and long term goals, but it is appreciating the parts of life that give you enjoyment.
