In this day and age, wellness can feel overwhelming and frankly, unattainable without an unlimited budget and resources. While some of the newest tech and wellness gadgets are fancy and fun, I want to bring it back to the simple things that make a real difference.
These are habits that I do daily and if I don’t, I notice a difference. They’re also the most common tips that help our clients too!
For today’s blog post, we’re diving in to 5 impactful habits that are simple and you may have forgotten, but that make a big difference.
Before you roll your eyes and say I know, I know, I encourage you to take a minute to reflect on whether you’re really doing this properly. I find 25-30g of protein with breakfast the amount that keeps me full until lunch and really feels satisfying. The only exception to this rule is eggs: while 2 eggs only have 13-15g of protein, as part of a breakfast, they satisfy me similarly. In our recent Balance Your Blood Sugar Program, this was a tool that participants used to start their day off balanced.
Why do I remind you of this when I talk about protein allllll the time? Recently, someone mentioned to us that they had increased their protein intake by adding a tablespoon of chia seeds to their breakfast. While adding chia seeds is a fabulous addition and great fibre and healthy fats, it isn’t a front runner on protein. If more energy, better blood sugar, better mood and increased focus are your goals, really look at the grams of protein first thing.
FYI - If you’re an athlete or pregnant, these numbers will be even higher.
When you go to make dinner, make double and package it up for lunch the next day. This is one of the best pieces of advice if you’re looking to eat home-cooked meals more and save on eating out. It’s so simple but warrants a reminder. In our weekly meal plans, we’ve set it up that you’re eating leftovers for lunch so that you don’t have to spend any time on lunch, but still get the balanced meal your body needs.
Again, this is simple and yet easy to forget. Leafy greens are nature’s multivitamin. They are rich sources of vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium and B vitamins, to name a few.
Here are some ways to get your daily leafy green intake:
Of course, another way to achieve this is with our custom meal plans – we create a custom 4-week meal plan for you and your family, taking into account whatever your health goals are, and what your food likes and dislikes are.
We all know exercise is good for our physique, but I really like to think about exercise as even more than that, and so beneficial for energy, mood, and mental health. Even just 5 minutes of aerobic exercise has been shown to have anti-anxiety effects. 5 minutes!
I like to use movement / exercise at my lowest energy times of day (mid-afternoon). Of course, I have the luxury of making my own schedule for the most part, but many of the organizations we run corporate wellness programs for support their employees in taking needed breaks to prevent burnout and keep their mood and energy feeling good. The onus falls on you to make time for exercise.
I am guilty of this so when I suggest this, it’s because I know the impact that it has on my sleep. It’s not pretty. Phone-free bedrooms are a fantastic habit, but if you’re not quite there yet, try plugging in your phone far enough away that you can’t reach it from bed. Blue light suppresses melatonin production, in turn messing with your sleep. I try to get off my phone at least 30 minutes before bed and notice I sleep better when I do this.