CartI don’t know about you, but my life is crazy busy and at the time of the holidays it is even more busy. We spend much of the time traveling back and forth between family and friends to try to see them all and unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out, but at least we tried.
And if you are anything like me, during those hectic holidays, you’ll likely to stress more, party more, eat and drink more, and get less time to sleep, exercise, and relax than during any other time of the year. Right now, I am left feeling overstuffed, overstressed, overtired, and overwhelmed. So…. let me share with you how I plan to reset, replenish, refresh, and relax my way to a post-holiday rejuvenation.
From overeating, I feel bloated, heavy, lethargic, and kinda bummed-out that I feel so gross. So to adjust my mood, I am going to eat foods and drinks that have a cleansing effect. During the day sipping on ginger tea can aid my digestion which is going to help the bloated feeling from overeating. To calm my nerves of all the stress, before bed I’ll have a glass of chamomile tea. This can help calm me down so I can relax and sleep better and first thing in the morning when I wake up having a glass of warm water with a twist of lemon will help stimulate my digestion.
Eating foods rich in fiber such as apples, bran, beans, almonds, and spinach, can keep things moving on and out of my system. I think of them like scrub brushes, cleaning out the pipes and they are oh so good! My favorite salad consists of baby spinach leaves, diced granny smith apples, Gorgonzola cheese, and sliced almonds. The dressing is only fresh squeezed lemon juice, a little honey, and pepper. In one word, DELICSIOUS!
Next, I’m going to opt for fresh and lean. The key, unprocessed foods like fresh veggies, fish, and whole grain breads. By eating fresh unprocessed foods it will help reduce my sodium intake. Consuming a lot of sodium can make you retain water and give you that yucky bloated feeling.
My next focus will be to replenish my skin. The lack of sleep and too much alcohol are the kinds of things that can make my skin to look less than luminous. I want my glow back! You ask, how am I going to do this? Lots of water, I have a weakness called Diet Coke. This weakness does not help me get my glow back even though it tastes oh so good as it goes down my throat. I need to make sure I get at least 8 glasses of water a day. Then I can reward myself with a Diet Coke (maybe).
I am someone who suffers from those nasty dark circles under my eyes no matter how much sleep I get, but lately I wake up feeling like I have two black eyes! Getting enough sleep will sure help banish those circles under my eyes.
Let’s be honest, in all of the rush during the holidays my fitness regimen definitely got sidetracked. Actually it got sidetracked before the holidays because I got married. Now is the perfect time to reevaluate my workout routine or lack thereof. Welcome 2012! A new year, a new me! It is time to start moving again! Perhaps a yoga class or spinning class?
The hardest thing for me is to sit still. I crave peace and serenity because I never do it. I am always on the go. I NEED to relax my mind. This is my big goal for 2012. It sounds easy; maybe it is for you, but not for me. I need to remember to take a few moments every morning to do some gentle stretching and take some deep breaths and find a quiet place to sit and appreciate the stillness of my surroundings. Breathe into relaxation to free my mind and to have a fresh start for the day. I will be set up for success! So, bring it on!
~Jennifer Beachy, CMO
