12 Top Tips To Make Eating Well Easy
- Buy fresh produce from a farmers market once or twice a week.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Plan your meals once a week for the coming week.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Write a list of the ingredients you will need and shop for these items, nothing else.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Make your lunch and your kid’s lunches the night before and store in an airtight container.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Mix up homemade salad dressing and have some in a jar in the fridge.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Make a large bowl of salad twice a week. Use this salad mix for dinners and lunches.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Once a week have a prep day and chop up vegetables and salad ingredients and make snack foods.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Cook more than you need for one meal and keep the remaining food in the fridge for lunch the next day or another meal.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Carry a little container of nuts, fruit, boiled eggs or meat patties to make sure you always have a healthy snack with you if you need it.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Eat on small plates.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Drink water 20-30 minutes before every meal. A lot of hunger is dehydration.[dt_gap height="10" /]
- Eat vegetables with every meal.
11 Simple Gestures to Create Happiness
Sometimes, it's the smallest things that can have the most meaning. It's those small gestures from the heart, the little things we do, without expecting anything in return, that bring love and light into the lives of others. We don’t know if someone is having a bad day, suffering inside and in need of a little kindness. It's in those dark moments that we most need a kind word, a hug, an arm around us, or a kiss upon the cheek. Spread a little sunshine and reach out to someone today, and show the people around you that you care.Here are some simple ideas:
1. Give a stranger your still valid parking ticket when you leave the car park. 2. Let someone stuck in the wrong lane into your lane when waiting in traffic. 3. Smile at a stranger. 4. Hold the door open for someone you don’t know. 5. Pay for a coffee for the next person in line. 6. Help carry the grocery bags for a struggling mum with a baby and young kids. 7. Offer to help give directions to someone who looks lost. 8. Leave a loving or funny note in your child’s or significant others lunchbox, under a pillow or on their laptop. 9. Ask someone you don’t know that well if they are ok, or if they would like to get a coffee. Make a time and place, not just a random sometime. 10. Hug someone who looks like they need a hug. If you don’t know them well, maybe just a kind touch on the shoulder. 11. Give your time, not money or stuff to the people you love.Remember, it doesn’t have to be a grand gesture; the smallest thing can touch us the most. What small gestures of kindness can you do today?
I have done all of the above gestures to friends, family or strangers, and I’ve been on the receiving end of some lovely acts of kindness too, that put a smile on my face. I’m a health and wellness consultant and I genuinely love helping people. If you need help, drop me a line, hollysquareone@me.com, I'd love to get to know you, and help in anyway I can. X
10 Ways To Eat Healthily Without Breaking The Bank
It can be challenging to keep your grocery bill down, but you can eat healthily and organically with smart shopping, baking, food planning and preparation.
1. Shop around the outside edge of the supermarket, as this is where the healthy natural food is. Processed packaged stuff is in the middle aisles. 2. Shop at farmers markets. I find the cheapest way to keep your food bill down is to buy your fruit and vege locally at farmers markets and in season. Great for you and great for the planet. Markets are great places to go to as well, especially in summer with live music and a nice community vibe. 3. Head to the butcher or fish market for protein. You can get good quality and good deals if you shop somewhere regularly. 4. Once a month head to the supermarket or organic store and stock up on your other items. 5. Another great way to keep your food bill down, is to grow your own veggies/herbs. This is great to do with your kids, as they get a kick out of eating something they helped grow. Its good fun for you too! There’s something really satisfying about putting your hands in the earth and tending and harvesting something you grew yourself. 6. Buying online is also a great option. Butchers deliver and so do supermarkets so no temptation to buy what you don’t need. 7. Check out organic fruit and vegetable delivery. Its exciting to get a box of goodness delivered to your door. I look forward to the goodies each week. (I really need to get out more I know) ☺ 8. Shop smart and buy items in bulk that can be stored. Buy and freeze any meat and vegetables on special. 9. Don’t buy convenience foods. Plan and prepare food from scratch each week. This saves money and is better for your health AND waistline. If you prep ingredients on a weekend you can put a meal together really easily during the week.! Chop meat, vegetables and salad ingredients in preparation. Cook and bake snacks. Cook twice as much as you need and freeze the other portion for another meal. 10. Use a slow cooker; these are great time savers for busy mums. Do all the preparation early in the day, pop it in your slow cooker and you have a delicious dinner ready when you get home from a long day working or chauffeuring kids to after school activities.
5 Easy Ways to Living Well
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New Year is when we all like to resolve to make changes, i.e. get in shape, get more sleep, work on our relationships and business/work etc. But what about your home? When you de-clutter your environment, life becomes more functional, peaceful and enjoyable.
I recently sold my house and couldn’t decide what to do with all my “stuff” so I put most of it in storage and just kept the essentials and things that I really liked and moved into rented accommodation.
At first I was hesitant about “losing” my things but here’s what happened. After 6 months, I don’t miss those things, and I can’t even tell you what is in half those boxes. Therefore, in a few months I’m going to sell all that stuff or give it away and I feel a lot lighter for the decision.
So, what can you do to downsize and start the New Year a little lighter? Here are five ways that may work for you:
1. Create Space
Look around at your actual living space. Does it feel cluttered? Does it take a lot of time to clean all that stuff? Does the energy in the room drain you? Less is better. Try to declutter shelves and mantels. Select your favourite items, the ones that have the most meaning to you, and take everything else down. Stick your kids “best” artwork in a frame and change the pictures regularly rather than stick a whole lot on the fridge.
2. Put it away for now
Making changes can be hard. We all have some really nice things that are hard to part with. So, if you aren’t ready to give your precious things away, box them up and put them in storage or in the garage. Then tell yourself you can only take out the items you truly miss or need to use. If, after six months, you haven’t touched the items in the boxes, sell them or give them away. You obviously don’t need them.
3. Get rid of double Ups
These are items you have more of than what you need. Do you have many kitchen items, plates you have “inherited” from Aunt Betty and items you were given or you had to have at the time because it was a bargain. For example, glasses or coffee mugs. How many glasses or mugs do you need? What about bags, old clothes, kitchen appliances? It’s amazing the things we keep that we “might need someday.” I’m here to tell you that you won’t miss it when it’s gone.
4. Get rid of “old stuff.”
These are the items that you have around the house that you might not even know you have since you haven’t used them in years. Look in your makeup bag or drawer, your bathroom cabinet and your wardrobe. Are there items in there that can be sold or given away? What about those clothes that you will fit into someday? Keep what you really love and use.
5. Everything You Need You Have
My new mantra is “Everything I need, I have.” My home has everything I need, my family and a few possessions. Create peace and beauty with flowers or candles or music.
What else do I need, really? When I focus on the things I have been blessed with, the need for a lot of new stuff is unimportant.
So next time you want to buy that new must have kitchen appliance or on sale item you don’t really need think, “Everything I need, I already have.” Admire it, then put it back.
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7 Tips To Reduce Your Stress And Your Weight
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Everyone is busy these days. You could be a busy executive or a busy stay-at-home mum. We all try to do everything well and fit a lot into our day. We tick things off our to do lists only to add in twice as many things we “need’ to get done, especially around this time of year. We rush around trying to get all our lists done so we can relax for our Christmas break. Exhausting!
Can this stress, caused by the pressures of a busy life be contributing to your weight?
The answer is a resounding yes!
1. A common coping mechanism when we are stressed is to eat, and to eat certain foods or drink alcohol to ‘unwind.’ If you’re a stress-eater, you’re unlikely to be reaching for a salad to feel better. You’re much more likely to think I need some chips or chocolate or a glass of wine to cheer me up. When you eat these foods there is a rise in the brain chemicals that make us feel more relaxed and happy. If stress is a regular occurrence and you become chronically stressed and overeat or drink weight gain is inevitable. 2. There is also a physiological effect of stress. A number of hormones are involved but the principal one when it comes to weight, is cortisol. When you’re stressed, cortisol rises and this can have a negative effect on your weight as it increases your appetite, making it more likely you’ll overeat. There is also a link between high cortisol levels and storage of body fat, particularly “visceral” abdominal body fat.So what can we do to try to lower cortisol levels?
We can’t live entirely stress-free lives and neither would it be entirely beneficial to, as we need a certain amount of stress for motivation to get things done. If you have a deadline coming up a bit of stress is needed to focus your mind and get you completing tasks. We want to lower our stress levels if they are getting so high that it’s affecting our health and to recognise when the balance is tipping in the wrong direction. If you’re irritable with your partner or your kids, feeling overwhelmed constantly, finding it hard to slow your mind and enjoy the moment or turning to food or alcohol as a coping mechanism then it’s probably time to think about how you are currently managing your stress.7 Tips to Manage Stress
Sleep
Aside from having an independent impact on weight control, sleep is also important for stress management. However, stress may be stopping you from sleeping well. Aim to get eight to 9 hours on most nights and get to bed by 10 pm. You will notice the difference. When you have a good sleep everything is easier, you stay calm and tasks or stressors are easier to handle.Laughter
Laughing is good for us physiological and psychologically. Get together with friends or family who make you laugh, play silly games with your kids, watch a comedy or dance around your living room singing into your hairbrush ☺ Your brain chemistry shifts, your blood pressure comes down and stress disappears. Laughter is great for the soul and stressors are eased or forgotten.Fish oils
There have been a number of studies showing that taking fish oils improves body composition (i.e., increases muscle mass while decreasing fat) and the effect seems to be due at least in part to a decrease in cortisol. I find fish oils help to regulate my mood and help create calm. I recommend taking a daily supplement and consuming oily fish at least twice a week.Time Out
When we’re stressed it can be hard to see that the most effective thing to do is to take a break. Going for a walk where you get fresh air, some sunshine and space to think through and organise your thoughts can be just what you need. When we take breaks and come back to work, that problem or writers block seems to disappear.Friendships/Relationships
Catching up even briefly for an hour with a friend for coffee and a chat or combine the catch up with exercise and a walk is great for reducing stress.Yoga
Yoga and stretching have many benefits and can be practiced by just about everyone. Choose between more meditative forms that focus on breathing and flexibility, or stronger styles like Power Yoga that are more full on workouts.Meditation
This doesn’t need to be full on, you can practice mindful meditation that you can use in any five-minute slot of the day when you need to just take a moment to breath and calm down. There are a number of excellent studies in support of meditation to bring down blood pressure, manage stress and promote calm.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
15 Tips To Looking Gorgeous And Party Ready In Just 7 Days!
“Woohoo, party!” is your first thought when that invite hits your inbox. Then you remember that a few too many deadlines, late nights, skipped meals, and after work drinks have left you feeling and looking less than your best. Have you been so busy working your workouts have gone out the window? Is that little black dress a little too tight? I am a true believer in that leading a healthy lifestyle and eating clean will equal weight loss, and that you should not lose weight fast. There is no such thing as fast and healthy sustainable weight loss. However, if you are short on time to make changes, these are healthy tips that you can do to lose weight and look great in 7 days time. All of these tips are sustainable and you can do them for life to improve your health and look amazing at the same time. 1. Drink plenty of water this week. Have two litres of water a day. Have lemon in hot water in the morning. Lemon water is great for your digestive system, helps reduce hunger cravings, and promotes clear skin, to name only a few benefits. 2. Have ginger tea each day (ginger root in warm water) instead of coffee. Ginger calms and relaxes. 3. No processed foods, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, or sugar. Both the salt and the sugar in these items will cause you to bloat and hold onto water. 4. Keep all starchy carbohydrates out of the last two meals of your day. These include potatoes and sweet potatoes. 5. Avoid alcohol this week. Aside from the empty calories, drinking lowers your inhibitions, making it that much harder to resist when the chocolate biscuits call your name at midnight. 6. Keep moving. You aren't going to get ripped abs and a tiny pert butt in one week no matter how hard you work out, but all-over stretching and firming methods such as Pilates or Yoga can help you look and feel healthier and fit. 7. Do 4 x HITT (High Intensity Interval) workouts this week plus 2 Strength Workouts. 8. Eat fresh, organic, and as raw as possible. 9. EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) help your skin glow, so make sure you include raw nuts, seeds, avocados, and healthy oils into your diet. Take a tablespoon of cod liver oil daily. 10. Include vegetables with every meal. 11. Avoid gluten and dairy. 12. The only fruits to eat this week are berries, lemons, melon, or grapefruit. These are low in sugar. 13. Eat lean protein and include two fish meals in your week. Include salmon or oily fish. 14. Do a Stretch or Yoga workout the day of your event. 15. Don’t eat later than 8pm. Chowing down at night will leave you puffy and sluggish the next day. Plus, it could interfere with your sleep…The Night Before
1. On that note, make sure you get between eight and nine hours of sleep a night so you feel great, look great, and have heaps of energy. Even just a couple of nights of good sleep will make a big difference. 2. Shampoo your hair and then apply a little coconut oil to the ends, massage it in for a minute, and leave overnight. You may want to pin your hair up or use a cap. 3. To make your skin glow, mix up sea salt and coconut oil and exfoliate your entire body in the shower the night before the party for smooth, gleaming skin. Then use natural or homemade body butter the next morning all over your body. Use these tips and come party time you will look and feel amazing! Enjoy the party!
WOW – Workout Of the Week
Your Workout Of the Week is a Tabata workout. High intensity but only 4 minutes! Give it a try this morning. Great workout to do outdoors by the beach like me, or in a park. Have a fab day. You've got this! X
4 Stretches You Need To Do Today
Sometimes we just don’t have time to stretch. We rush through our workout and say to ourselves, “I will stretch later”, and then later never comes. The best time to stretch is straight after that strenuous workout, when your muscles are warm and you benefit from increased blood circulation, but these quick stretches are great anytime you feel like you need to lengthen the body. Maybe you are feeling a little tense and tight from sitting all day or running around from errand to errand with the kids. If you are short on time, take a light 5 minute jog on the spot and try these 4 stretches. You might get strange looks at work, but hey, either shrug them off or head to a park at lunch time and reap the rewards of a calmer mind, and relaxed, injury free body. :) When you stretch after a workout, you benefit both physiologically and psychologically. When you work out, lactic acid builds up in your muscles and this can lead to muscle fatigue and soreness. Stretching after a workout helps to reduce that soreness. For the mind, stretching after working out gives your mind a chance to tune into how your body is feeling. You breathe through a stretch and pay attention to your body. How am I feeling? Do I need to stretch a little further here or more there? The mind-body connection is important for stress relief and relaxation. Stretching has been shown to calm the nerves and relax the mind.1. Hip Flexor Stretch
Improves flexibility in hips and quadriceps, and releases a group of muscles called the hip flexors. Come onto both knees and step your left foot forward. Keep your left knee over your heel and your right knee directly under your hip. Reach your right hand up toward the sky or ceiling, then reach slightly over to the left side and lean back slightly. Keep both hips facing forward and engage your glutes by tilting your pelvis forward. Stay tall by lifting up through the crown of the head. Hold the stretch for 10-30 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.2. Lying Prone Quadriceps Stretch
Opens hips, realigns posture, and increases flexibility. Lay face down (prone) on a mat or floor. Flex your left knee, attempting to touch your butt with your foot. Reach behind with your left hand and grasp your left foot. Pull your ankle or forefoot to your rear end. Hold the stretch for 10-30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite side.3. Hamstring Stretch
Stretching the hamstrings can reduce the stress felt in the lower back and aid in improving posture. Stay lying on your back with your legs extended and your back straight. Keep your hips level and your lower back down on the floor. Bend your right knee and place your right foot on the ground. Bend your left knee and draw it into your chest. Slowly straighten your left leg. Placing your hands on the back of your thigh or calves, pull your leg towards you gently while keeping both hips on the floor. Keep your head and neck relaxed on the ground. If your flexibility allows, you can increase the intensity of the stretch, by straightening the knee of the leg on the ground. Inhale deeply and exhale, and hold for 10-30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.4. Lengthening Spine Stretch
This is a basic and effective stretch. Lie on your back with your arms stretched out overhead. Think of your head and toes as the two ends of a rubber band. Lengthen and extend from your fingertips to your toes, to create spaces between your intervertebral discs. This stretch lengthens and realigns the spine, increases flexibility in the hips and lower back, and stimulates the digestive system, leaving you feeling energised. If you need any help with more stretches, amazing 5- 20 min workouts, recipes, education, expert advice and health and fitness tips check out the Online Gym and try it for free.