Hearty Habits #19: A Full and Healthy Day
Stef Patag of Noodles and Rice is so busy it makes my head spin. It’s even more amazing that Stef can still find time to live healthily.
Everyday I find 15-30 minutes to pray and meditate, early in the morning, when everyone is asleep. After this I do 15 minutes of exercise — I’d do more but my busy life right now only allows this — treadmill every other day, different things on other days, like aerobics or Tae Bo or exercises from Brungardt’s books.
I take a cup of green tea every morning and follow up later with whole grains like oats or homemade granola for breakfast or a bran muffin. I like non-fat Greek yogurt with some Greek honey, with breakfast or as a snack — for calcium. I try to get in 8-10 glasses of water a day.
For fruit and veggies, I try to shoot for 7-9 servings day — it’s purposely a high number to keep me reaching. So if I only make it to 4 that’s still better than the 0-2 that I used to eat when I didn’t have that goal — to achieve this is not as hard as it sounds, but it does take preparation — try for 2-3 fruits/veggies per meal, then only add on other stuff like proteins and carbs until that feeling of fullness sets in. When you’ve already had that many servings of fruits and veggies you’re usually already halfway (or more than halfway) to full.
I do take supplements — a multi for women, plus woman’s oil, a B-complex on stressful days and ACE-Zinc (the antioxidants) when i feel a cold coming on — Traditional Medicinals teas are great for these too!
And it doesn’t happen all the time but I try to take a nap every day — 15 minutes of power napping does me wonders and makes me a better mom and person all around.
I take time to relax with the hubby and kids, even if on most days that just means a 5-minute cuddle on the couch, or sitting with the kids and a read-aloud. In the evenings after the dishes are done, hubby and I share a small piece of dark chocolate — dairy free and rich in antioxidants!
I also get a massage a few times a week from my very willing kids — 25 cents a massage, about 5 minutes, oh and it feels so good when those little fingers are doing the work. I get a complete physical once a year and go to the dentist twice a year. And I have friends and family that know and love and support me, no matter what i need.
Last but not least; I try to pay attention to my stress level — when I’m getting stressed, it’s time for a break, whether that’s just going to hug a kid or going into the bathroom to scream, or going out to food-shop (my therapy, as opposed to shopping for clothes or shoes, which stresses me out more and which I prefer to do online), or just curling up with a book in bed — usually the Bible, or some kind of spiritual reading, or a book/toy catalog.
Things I need to work on: I don’t sleep 8 hours a night but it’s always a goal: to be in bed by 10 ten and get up at 6. I need to take more nature walks with my kids — food for the mind, heart, body and soul.
Whew! I don’t know how she does it. ;)
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