Since the New Year is around the corner and we’re all going to be making some pretty cool resolutions, I thought I’d make a masterpost about wellness! These are all apps, youtube channels and tips that I ~personally~ follow to keep my mind and body happy so hopefully they help someone else too!
Idk about you but mindfulness and meditation really help me. Most of the apps only have a trial period or a very limited range of free meditations, but I’ve got two favourites.
If you want a free option, I HIGHLY recommend Stop, Breathe & Think. It has an extensive range of free meditations, and a “check in” option. It’s also a non-profit app so if you do pay for upgrades, the money goes for a good cause. And you get in-app stickers when you hit certain goals which is really motivating and awesome tbh.
If you *can* pay for a meditation app, then Wildflowers is the one to go for. It also gives you a month-long trial period if you’re keen on trying it out first.
I also really like journalling. You don’t need anything fancy. Just a notebook (literally any notebook) and a pen and writing your thoughts. Don’t overthink it.
I only recently started going for kickboxing classes, because the opportunity came up, but for over a year I worked out at home. I liked to keep track of my workouts in my bullet journal, and reward myself when I’ve been working out consistently with the occasional new workout shirt or tights. When I started out, I only purchased a yoga mat and one set of cute workout clothes to get going.
I personally really like the Nike+ Training Club app. You can select the intensity of the workouts you do, what you want to target and it links up to Google Fit.
I use Google Fit to track my steps and activity, but it does drain your battery so be careful!
I enjoy running as well, but don’t do it as often as I used to because of safety, but when I do go running I recommend a good playlist (there are thousands available online. Find one you like and use it!), and RunKeeper.
Then there are some YouTube channels that motivate me! My *favourite* channels are:
~Kalyn Nicholson - check out her Fitness Friday playlist in particular!
I also do yoga occasionally by following Yoga With Adriene’s videos. I really appreciate her philosophy of “find what feels good” and working with your body.
Eating healthy means different things for different people. For some people, this means going vegan. For other people, it means eating more protein than carbohydrates. And for some people, just eating balanced, home-cooked meals is enough. Food is good for you!! Eat what makes you feel good while you’re eating and after you’re done and what gives you energy! That being said, there are some simple guidelines to eat a little healthier.
~You don’t *need* to drink 8 glasses a day (seriously - it’s a myth). But, drinking water or herbal tea when you’re thirsty instead of sugary juices and sodas is far better for you.
~Try to reduce the amount of refined (white) sugar you consume. Even if you can’t cut it out entirely, slowly phasing it out over time can make a difference.
~Highly processed foods and breads! Some of that stuff can be really bad for you. If you’re eating it once in a while, it’s okay, but try to eat home-cooked food as often as possible!
~Your tastebuds and body DO adapt over time. Seriously. I used to drink three teaspoons of sugar in everything now I’m down to one and anything more than that is far too sweet? If I eat unhealthy fast food I feel a lot heavier and more sluggish compared to when I’m eating healthy (also S/O to Nandos for not making me feel sick I love your flame grilled chicken)
~READ THE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION ON LABELS. Quite often, “healthy” foods like granola and yogurt contain a whole lot of added sugar? Just because something is marked “low fat”, “sugar free” or “gluten free” does not make it healthier automatically. I would HIGHLY recommend Mind Over Munch’s videos on what those labels mean and how to make healthier choices.
~Work on replacing unhealthy options with healthier options over time rather than suddenly changing everything! Start buying nuts and fruit instead of potato chips to snack on. Drink half a glass of juice/soda and half a glass of water. Buy the fruit, vegetables and nuts that you actually like eating and is in season instead of whatever is trendy at the moment (I like broccoli, cauliflower, butternut and zucchini, so I’m going to try and make dishes with those things instead of mushrooms, which I hate. Also kale looks so gross why would I want that when I could have lovely spinach instead??).
~Don’t underestimate the power of Pinterest. Create a wellness board and pin everything that you want to try out! Then *actually* try it out when you need motivation and new ideas
~Find the right intention for your wellness and stick to it. I try to stay away from negative body image thoughts and concentrate on the things my body can do when I work out rather than how it looks. I focus on how much more energy I have when I eat the right food for my body compared to when I don’t.
~If you find yourself slacking, don’t give up! Start fresh the next day! You can do it!
~Be patient!! Wellness takes time to develop!
I hope that you find this post helpful! I’d like to emphasis that I am NOT a nutritionist or doctor or any kind of expert - this is just what works for me and will hopefully help someone else. Best of luck and happy new year!!!!
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