Three Things I Always Do
Michele Russ
When I began writing this blog back in October, I had no idea how much fun it would be and how much I would learn in the process. One of the many things I’ve learned is how deeply curious we are as humans. Many of you were curious to know what a health coach never does. We had quite a few new readers that week and I believe it was curiosity that drove many of you to take a look. I’m so glad you did! To satisfy your curious nature again, I’m sharing three things I always do. These are habits of mine that I make a priority. Even when I’m stressed, when I’m traveling, and when I’m insanely busy, I almost always find a way to fit these habits in.It may not always be perfect, but I do my best and get back on track as quickly as possible when slip ups happen or situations derail me. So for all you curious minds out there, here are three things I pretty much always do
“Small healthy habits that you can repeat regularly will support you much more than overly ambitious habits that you can only accomplish once in a while.”
Move My Body. Whether it’s walking my dogs, practicing yoga or hiking nearby trails, I get movement into my body nearly everyday. I consider this an essential part of my self-care routine. Most often, I truly enjoy this part of my life. But there are certainly many days that I’ve exercised, even when I really didn’t want to or had little time to fit it in. I’ve walked my dogs in miserable rain and snow. I’ve practiced yoga in the narrow space between beds in crowded hotel rooms. I’ve completed 7-minute workouts when that’s all I had time for. A few years back, I injured my foot and had to wear a walking boot for 2 months. My neighbors can vouch for me—I was hoofing around the hills in our neighborhood in that bulky boot nearly every day. I also found that I could velcro the boot to the pedal on our stationary bike and got some sweat sessions in that way. My workouts aren’t always super demanding, but I do try to get my heart rate up at least a little and focus on building strength 2-3 times a week. This is what works for me and there are very few circumstances that prevent this from happening. I feel so much better when I exercise, and that’s motivation enough for me.
Stop Eating After Dinner. I’m not sure exactly when I started this habit, but it’s definitely something I do on most nights. In the past, I would wake up in the morning feeling like I still had a belly full of food, and it just didn’t feel right. I sleep better, have more energy and my digestive system seems to work more efficiently when I give it a longer rest. I don’t stick to any strict intermittent fasting rules or times, but I do allow a good 12 hours or more between my last meal of the day and breakfast the following morning. Of course, there are times that I’m out for a late dinner or on vacation and a midnight snack happens, but these are rare occasions and I feel better for it.
Cook the Majority of Our Meals. I’ve always taken pleasure in cooking a delicious meal and gathering around the table with loved ones, but as a mom, the dinner routine definitely became a chore and a grind. One picky eater, a husband who worked late nights, and kid’s activities to attend made this difficult (and less satisfying) to do. I learned to cook quick meals like pasta and steamed broccoli or used my crockpot on busy days, and I managed it most of the time. Now that my kids are grown and my husband is on a restrictive diet (gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free), the meals I make are a little more labor intensive and I can’t resort to a quick pasta dinner. I don’t always want to cook. I don’t always have the perfect ingredients on hand, but I’ve learned to keep my fridge and pantry well-stocked and put something healthy together on most nights. I spend time chopping tons of veggies, simmering an abundance of soups, and roasting anything that can be roasted. It saves us money, I know exactly what’s going into our bodies, and we’re definitely eating healthier. During the pandemic, we’ve also splurged on some great take out meals to help support our local restaurants, but most nights it’s home cooking for sure.
Since you still may be curious, I want to let you in on one more of my regular habits. I eat a little bit of dark chocolate every day. My current favorite is Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. They are amazing and a little addictive, but two or three of these in the afternoon are a small indulgence that I allow for in my diet with pleasure!
These may not be the bombshell secrets you were hoping to hear, but I consider these habits self care practices that help keep me feeling my best. When you focus more on consistency rather than on high expectations, you may find similar habits that support you too. Small healthy habits that you can repeat regularly will support you much more than overly ambitious habits that you can only accomplish once in a while. Lean in to your curiosity and experiment with different approaches that support your healthy lifestyle. As Stephen Hawking said, “Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.” So keep going and establish your own healthy habits. I’m curious to know what works for you!
Michele Russ is a certified Health & Wellness Coach, yoga teacher and general health enthusiast.