While we may not have all the time in the world with back-to-school creeping in, last minute vacations before summer is officially gone, and dealing with the ridiculous end of summer heat (at least where we’re located), as Busy Moms we still have daily opportunities to get Quick Wins for our health and wellness that don’t require an entire rearranging of our lives to get them.
So, here’s my list of five Quick Wins you can implement TODAY with little to no extra effort or going out of your way to make them happen.
Eat a Piece of Dark Chocolate Every Day. I know it’s
not everyone’s favorite, and to be honest it can be an acquired taste. I didn’t
like it years ago, either. But if you get 70% or higher, you’re giving yourself
a mini-health boost with vitamins and minerals like copper, manganese, zinc,
potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, and almost all the B
vitamins. From CHOCOLATE! And an added bonus, your kids probably
aren’t going to want it because it’s not as sweet as milk chocolate so you can
have it all to yourself! It’s also really easy to stir it into a Greek Yogurt
parfait, or add it to Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal.
Do Counter, Stair, or Wall Push-Ups. Again, not the most
earth-shattering fitness tactic, but when you’re pressed for time, have kids hanging
off your legs, or you’re just plain exhausted, this is a super quick and it
really feels like a victory amidst the chaos.
Listen to a Sleep Meditation or Music. I know it sounds
silly, but I’m telling you, I’ve actually been getting better sleep (which is
hit or miss because of Perimenopause) when I play one of these at night. If you
already do this, keep it up! If not, maybe give it a try. I was skeptical, but
it usually knocks me out fairly quickly. I may not STAY asleep (again,
perimenopause sucks), but it’s helped me fall asleep faster than anything else
I’ve tried in a long time.
Drink Your Water. It’s trite. It’s cliché. You’ve
heard it a million times. I know. I have too. But….it DOES bear
repeating. Drink your water. Especially in the summer heat. You’re dehydrated
whether you know it or not. And this is an extra tip – take it or leave it –
but add a flavor packet to make it more bearable if you really don’t like
drinking water. Again, I KNOW this is controversial and other health
professionals may raise heck over me “promoting” it, but if adding a single
flavor packet will get you to drink an extra 20oz of water, I’ll take it.
Try Box Breathing. The technique is breathe IN
for 4 seconds, HOLD for 4 seconds, breathe OUT for 4 seconds, HOLD
for 4 seconds….and repeat the pattern to reduce your stress and anxiety. It
helps you relax, it really does help with your stress, it soothes your nervous
system (a real thing that involves a lot of hormones and neuroreceptors between
your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system), and it helps you focus
when the brain fog is strong. It works any time, anywhere, and doesn’t require
rolling out a mat, changing clothes, or contorting your body into pretzel-like
positions (just a joke! I’m working on yoga myself!).
Those are my five Quick Wins for this week. Again, not earth-shattering stuff, but during the hectic times when you feel like your health goals aren’t being met, or you’re struggling to keep up, these little wins can boost your confidence and give you that sense of accomplishment and celebration you need to keep going strong!
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