6 Ways To Feel Great ( & lose weight if that is one of your goals)

Jan 05, 2021

Happy New Year! I know I know, it's January 5th-  I am a few days late but I have really been enjoying the holidays this year. Like more than I have in a really long time. That feels super weird to say and I even feel a bit guilty, being that 2020 has been so sad, challenging, strange, depressing and well I could go on and on with adjectives but you know what I mean and I will bet you are adding in your own words as you were reading. :) But choosing to see the silver linings has been a really good choice. More on that later. For now I am finally sitting down for some quiet time to share and blog a bit so thanks for hanging out with me! 

I don't know if you know this about me but I was a fitness instructor and health coach for 15 years. I feel like I will forever be a health coach because I love wellness and helping people live better lives. Teaching crowded sweaty rooms full of people teaching Turbo Kickboxing, Piyo, Beach Bootcamps and Corporate Fitness brought me SO much joy and totally helped me find another purpose while I raised our kids. Aaah such good times! Wow to think of sweaty crowded rooms right now is so weird...okay I digress - but do you too find yourself thinking back and wondering / hoping we get back to it all soon? I do for sure. Wow- this is what it's like sitting at coffee with me in case you're wondering. Haha!

So while we are having a coffee , i mean while you are reading this I would love to kick off the new year and share with you 6 ways to FEEL GREAT this year. You want to feel great right?? I would bet money you do because I sure do! Oh and if you want to lose weight too it will most likely happen because it's all about developing and sticking to healthy habits.

2020 did a number on all of us. Stress eating happened. Boredom happened. We wore a ton of sweatpants and leggings- some we want to now burn. We sat on the couch...okay we laid on the couch more than ever. We watched more TV in the past 10 months than we did the past 10 years.  And we wanted to enjoy things that gave us comfort- like food and a little wine. I was right there with you.

Well it's a new beautiful year so here are 6 ways you can FEEL and live better: 

1. Practice healthier habits when it comes to eating. 

First of all, don't stress about this and definitely don't beat yourself up for overindulging over the past 10 months or through the holidays. That's in the past and we are moving onward sister!

To keep it simple-eat more whole foods, eat more veggies, ditch the processed crap, drink more water and avoid added sugar! BOOM! 

It's not complicated. When we fuel our bodies with real foods we are full longer, we are more satisfied and we have more energy. So join me in making 2021 the year we do all these! Deal?

2. Be mindful of why you eat. 

Are you eating for actual hunger or are you emotional and then dealing with food? Eating when we are sad, mad, scared, bored or stressed happens. I picked up many a cookie and glasses of wine when I felt like the world was out of my control or I was frustrated about the way life was going.

By breaking the habit of eating when we are emotional we can and will feel better mentally and physically. One way to do this is to replace eating with something else- like an activity. When you start to feel stressed, go for a walk or run or even just blast your favorite song and have a dance party in your kitchen. When you are feeling scared, meditate and pray. When you feel mad, do some journaling and get it out on paper. When you are bored, take up a new hobby or learn something new. Replacing one habit for another will be a game changer! 

3. Learn to manage your stress and focus on the good.

Did you know that when we are stressed, our hormones can go out of whack. When that happens we just don't show up as our best selves and it can even promote fat storage. Manage your mood and stress by doing one or some of these activities:

  • Wake up each morning and write down three to five things/ people you are grateful for. Gratitude is super powerful.
  • Until we can all get together again, connect with friends and loved ones often. Don't wait until you get depressed, you're about to lose it or for a special occasion. Hope on Facetime or Zoom often. Doing so will definitely boost your mood, increase your happiness, give you a break from the current situation & help you deal with whatever stress is goin on. 

4. Get your zzzz's

Sleep is HUGE when it comes to our overall health. The stresses of life and the pandemic has done and continues to do a number on our sleep. Did you know that when our sleep is disrupted, it can counter our efforts to lose weight. Yep. Such a bummer. When we aren't getting enough sleep the hormone ghrelin goes up- making us hungry, reducing the number of calories we burn and promoting the retention of fat. Ugh. To feel great and lose weight make sure you get enough zzz's each night. Some tips to make this happen are: 

  • Turn off all electronics one hour before bedtime. 
  • Take a soothing bath or a nice shower in the evening. 
  • Practice a consistent bedtime routine so your body knows its wind down time. 
  • Instead of TV before bed, read a book or snuggle with your partner. 
  • As you lay your head down, name 2-3 good things from your day. 

5. Exercise because it FEELS GOOD

Yes exercise is great for losing weight but do it because you want to feel better, so you have more energy, to put yourself in a great mood, to boost your productivity and creativity and so you can reduce your risk of things like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer. Do it for those benefits and you are more likely to stick to it. 

Get sweaty for 30 minutes to 1 hour each day doing something that feels good and is fun to you. Don't feel pressured to do what others are doing and don't do the workout you dread. When you pick activities that bring you joy, you will make them a habit and stick to them. Maybe one day you want to do yoga, the next a spin/ cycle class, the next a walk with your kids, the next weight lifting and the next an online barre class. Mix it up and make it enjoyable! Whatever it is that you are in the mood for that day do it.

Let's call it your "Movement Of the Day" (MOD). Whatever your MOD is, don't just do it- celebrate it and be proud of showing up and giving it your all! That is where change happens! 

6. Have a positive attitude and know in your heart that you absolutely have what it takes to reach whatever goal you set for yourself.

You CAN do whatever you have your heart set on. You really do!!! Will you commit to making small changes throughout this year that help you feel better than the past one. Then tell yourself "I'VE GOT THIS!" Don't say it halfway or unenthusiastically. Say it LOUD AND PROUD and believe it to your core. 

Take some time today or this week to make a list of changes you want to make and new habits you want to form. Then try this: 

  • Rather than say "I want to workout more", commit to moving your beautiful body 5 days a week.
  • Schedule this time out on your calendar
  • Then list which exercise you will do.
  • Maybe even partner with a friend who can be your accountability partner. If you do this- be sure to celebrate one another's wins.Having a cheerleader is super motivating. And being one is super FUN!

Fitness and fun can go hand in hand. And when they do, magic happens! 

 

So there you have it! 6 ways you can feel GREAT and probably lose weight ( if that's one of your goals) in 2021.

Do me a favor. Actually wait a sec. Do YOU a favor.

Make yourself a top priority. Promise to stop putting yourself second or last. You can't pour from an empty cup my friend. And when you take care of you, trust me here- you will be SO MUCH BETTER for everyone and everything in your life. Deal? I hope so. I speak from experience. More on that later. But in short- I am my absolute healthiest, both mentally and physically, since making me a priority. It's isn't selfish. It's necessary.

I am SO excited for you and your year ahead! I wish you so much joy and awesome health! And as always I am right here cheering for you and supporting you every step of the way! 

xo, 

Mols

If you like this blog, I will bet you will dig these ones too: 

11 Ways To Feel Better When Anxious or Stressed

https://www.mollyrichards.com/blog/11-ways-to-feel-better-when-you-re-anxious-or-stressed

 

10 Ways To Get Out Of A Funk And Feel Better

https://www.mollyrichards.com/blog/how%20to%20get%20out%20of%20a%20funk

 

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