top 8 h&w tips to feel good this summer
Making h&w a thing….health and wellness.
BUT SUMMER AND ALWAYS….OK. This post was inspired by a lot of my clients !! Working out and eating healthy / maintaining healthy amounts of body fat and muscle mass is simple BUT DIFFICULT. It can be overwhelming if you’re just started to focus on your health or maybe you are already, but need a little bit more guidance. I put together some of my favorite tips to help you feel good and get you into a healthy bod and mindset.
SLEEP. This is crucial. Sleep is our body’s recovery. If you aren’t getting enough sleep you will not only feel drained when you workout, but your brain will not work as efficiently and to put it simply…you are throwing off your entire life when you are EXHAUSTED. Some people need more sleep than others, but I generally recommend a sweet spot of 7 hours (6-8 works great, too). The truth is…if you’re not sleeping and recovering, your workouts will not be efficient and it is very difficult to lose body fat, build muscle and increase performance.
Water. This is step 2 (probably tied for step 1). The standard amount of water to drink is typically your bodyweight in lbs divided by 2 and drink that in oz. If you are working out, you will need more than that. I typically drink a HUGE glass of water when I first wake up, then drink throughout the day, but always make sure to drink 1-2 bottles of water during my workout too. Before bed I have another huge glass. I love a huge cup with a straw built in..makes it so much easier to hydrate. ABDW. Always be drinking water.
Consistency with working out. This is how you see results…..next question!!!! I recommend an absolute minumum of 3 x a week but 4-5 is better. (with variation because, again, recovery is crucial). I love (personally) doing a 4 day lift mixed with walks and pilates and or yoga 1x a week.
Nutrition, obviously. All of these tips are IMPERATIVE to a healthy body/healthy life, but this will be essential to feeling your best.
I recommend taking a protein supplement 1-2 x per day if you’re lifting and/or working out. The average people I see (clients/consults) do not get enough protein. Protein helps build, maintain and recover muscle, so if you’re not getting enough, you won’t get “toned” as people like to say LOL. Typically you can eat 1g per lb of bodyweight in protein, BUT sometimes that’s a little bit high. I (personally - do not just do this because I do it. It might not be best for you), but personally I feel and look my best when I’m eating closer to 150 g of protein per day. I try to hit a mINIMUM of 100g. That’s on a lighter day. Right now for protein supplements I use primarily Vital Proteins right now, but also love Women’s Best. ALSO a serving size of protein (meat) is about a palm size..this will equate to about 25 ish g of protein.
Eat whole foods. Try to avoid processed foods. This is a no brainer. Fruits and vegetables at every meal. Carbs are ok, you don’t need to go keto to lose weight……I’m just SAYING. — think brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, Ezekiel bread, veggies/ fruits etc. Your brain NEEDS carbs to function. Our brains primarily rely on glucose for memory/thinking/and learning. So STEP UP YOUR COMPLEX CARB GAME !!! Your plate should be full of fruits/veggies, complex carbs, healthy fat and a protein source.
Limit alcohol…. this is difficult, I know, so if you’re drinking, have a glass of water with every beverage. And on days you are raging (because let’s be honest everyone needs a lil fun and rosé), eat extra veggies, fruits/ protein etc.
Take a probiotic. I’ve been using this one - recommended by Melissa Wood (yes I am obsessed). It’s super easy to just drop in your water (2 birds w one stone ..hydrate and probiotic) or add to your smoothie/ coffee.
Don’t be afraid to eat. And don’t be one of those people eating 1200 calories. Please. Eat closer to 2,000. 1200 is for small children. You are probably a grown adult reading this so PLEASE PLEASE EAT. You can’t function properly and have a healthy metabolism if you’re starving yourself. PERIODT. Ps. everyone’s body is diff so everyone needs different calories thx. And also if you don’t eat enough you wont see progress physically. (and prob mentally too)
Surround yourself with people and things that don’t stress you out. Focus on your mental health. Say no to things that alter your homeostasis. LOL I always say this as a joke, but you don’t need your nervous system acting up over small minded people or people you don’t vibe with. Be nice to yourself. You’re HUMAN. Be kind. ok ..next tip.
Add rather than eliminate. I personally don’t do well on “diets” and don’t suggest them to my clients. I have my clients focus on abundance aka adding in more greens on a pizza night - this is one of my fav tips - instead of eliminating pizza night. You can also make meals at home and typically they will be healthier !
Rest when you need to rest. Try to get in tune with your body —once you start working out more, fueling your body more efficiently, etc , you will start to notice when you’re feeling “off.” Recovery is essential for progresss!!!! Stop spiking your cortisol for nothing. THX.
Have non-negotiables - for me it’s little things like, get outside 1x day/put on my lip mask before bed/ have 1 smoothie a day/ have my probiotic etc. These are things that you do EVERYDAY as a part of your routine to feel good.
Hope this helped and you enjoyed the read xx.