It's the beginning of 2021. Normally the New Year is a time for new beginnings, new goals and high expectations.
This year is on the tail end of 2020 - a year that will go down in the story of our lifetimes as possibly the most difficult. But you know what? We are here. We made it through and are here to tell the story.
For some, 2020 was a year of personal growth. For others, it was a year of struggle. For most, it was a year of both.
With the newness of the New Year, this year more than ever, we have a chance to rewrite our narrative and have the opportunity to start this year with a clean slate.
Feels refreshing, doesn't it?!?
Propello Life was founded to help make the world a healthier place one person at a time. With all the craziness over the last year, little of the narrative from our authority figures has been on improving health. Now, more than ever, it is important to focus on health and wellness so we can live our best life.
Guess what!? It’s actually not as difficult as you might think.
You don’t need to go on a 10-day detox program (or any other crazy diet for that matter) or start to follow an extreme workout program that you can only follow for a month. All you need to do is simplify your thoughts, and your actions will follow. Break everything down into its simplest form and make it sustainable.
Sustainable methods create sustainable results!
Below we dive into some of the key areas to living a healthy life, and provide some simple tips to make living healthier simple.
Nutrition
You have heard the cliché, “you are what you eat.” Sounds a little crazy, but it is true. Every bite you take is ingested into your body and broken down. Fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals… all of it gets used by your body in different ways.
If you think of what the earth naturally offers in terms of food – colorful vegetables, sweet fruits, hearty whole grains, lean protein – these are the foods that give your body the most beneficial nutrients. The more colors the better, as that provides you with the most vitamins and minerals.
Have you seen those charts about which different colored fruits and vegetables help which parts of your body? It’s pretty incredible.
Processed foods, which don’t occur naturally from the earth, may contain chemicals and additives that make them taste great but don’t give your body what it needs. We call these empty calories. They taste great, but leave you wanting more.
Keep it simple – eat food from the earth and try to “eat the rainbow.” But also keep it sustainable – no one can eat healthy 100% of the time for the rest of their lives. Choose when to treat yourself (as opposed to mindlessly eating a handful of M&M’s every time you walk through the kitchen). If you are feeling like having something sweet, grab a few dark chocolate chips. If it’s someone’s birthday, have a piece of cake. Then go right back to eating the way you know is best for your body. It’s all about balance!
TIP 1: Eat real, whole foods – foods from the earth or living on it. Minimize processed foods.
TIP 2: Eat healthy 80% of the time and enjoy those comfort foods the other 20%
TIP 3: Don’t drink your calories (keep it to water, tea, black coffee, and low calorie/no sugar drinks)
TIP 4: 50% of your plate should be veggies, 25% lean protein, 25% whole grains
Hydration
Drink water, and lots of it!
Start with a glass when you first wake up in the morning and keep it going all day. This will optimize your recovery, keep your metabolism running at it's highest, keep away headaches, and prevent you from drinking those calorie or chemical filled drinks!
TIP 1: Fill up a 20oz cup and make sure to fill it up 3 times each day!
TIP 2: If plain water just doesn’t do it for you – try it with lemon, lime, or add a scoop of our Rejuvenating Aminos!
Movement
Do something to get your body moving that you enjoy. If you are into running, go for a run. If you love to dance, find a Zumba class to sign up for. If you are into lifting weights, make it happen. Just make it something you enjoy doing so it is something that will last longer than the month of January.
TIP 1: Just move your body!
TIP 2: Your exercise should make you feel better; not worse. If you are hurting yourself, then you need to fix something.
Rest
If your body is not well rested, it will not work optimally. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night helps your body recover and heal itself, optimizes your hormones, and reduces stress. Not even to mention how much energy you will have!
Just as you might have a sleep routine to get your child to sleep, create one for yourself. Put down the phone at night, journal, meditate, take a bath or warm shower, or listen to calming music. Just set a routine that helps you fall asleep faster and prepares you for better sleep.
The next step is to optimize your sleep environment. Temperature around 68 degrees, electronics at least 4 feet from your body, the darker the better, and only use your bed for sleep and that one other thing!
TIP 1: Get 7-8 hours per night (more for children)
TIP 2: Create a routine
TIP 3: Optimize your sleep environment
Love
Love what you do, who you are with, and yourself.
Spend your time doing things that make you happy, and if that is not possible then find the good in what you are doing. Because doing things we don’t love and being with people we don’t love (including ourselves) drains all your energy; leaving you with nothing left, and making it near impossible to exercise and eat healthy!
Spend your time with people who bring you happiness and peace.
Love yourself. We found this quote that pretty much sums it all up: “Eat like you love yourself. Move like you love yourself. Speak like you love yourself. Act like you love yourself.”
As you have probably heard, “you can’t pour from an empty cup.” It is not selfish to take care of yourself and your needs. When you take better care of yourself, you have more strength to take better care of others.
TIP 1: Love what you do – work, school, exercise, hobbies, etc…
TIP 2: Love the people you spend time with – friends, family, co-workers, etc…
TIP 3: Love yourself - take time for you and your health & speak to yourself with love and gratitude
Gratitude
Be thankful for all that is good in this world. While we have seen some pretty terrible things overshadowing the last year, there are many positives that can shine through them.
Feeling thankful has been shown to improve physical, mental, and psychological health (among many other benefits).
TIP 1: First thing in the morning list all the things you are thankful/grateful for.
TIP 2: Right before bed, think about all the things you are grateful for.
Final Thoughts
Some of these suggestions are easier to implement than others. Trust me, if you are a new mom, I know you are laughing at the sleep suggestion (or frankly, maybe most of these!).
I remember someone telling me to get up before my kids to have some “me time” while the house was quiet – only my daughter woke up every day at 4:30AM and there was NO WAY I was going to wake up any earlier than I had to!
Do what you can, when you can, and put these processes into place so it is what you fall back on when everything else feels out of control.
In the end, we don’t have any control over what is going on in the world. But we do have control over ourselves.
How you treat your body and what you put into it can change how you feel as a person. May this year bring much happiness to you, and may you feel the best you have ever felt!