It’s the most wonderful time of the year! My absolute favorite time of the year is Christmas time. Filled with happiness, decorations, delicious food, family, friends, presents, Christmas music, Christmas movies, what more could you ask for?? But, Christmas time can be super stressful! With getting gifts for everyone, all the festivities, and everything else going on, it’s hard to balance it all. So, here are some tips to help you stay sane this holiday season.
Tonight coast-to-coast Americans will be stuffed full laying on the couch, or sunk down in a chair, in their food induced comas while visions of the delicious food they ate dances in their heads. According to Next Avenue, between the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and miles of pies, the average American eats between 3,000 and 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day. That’s a lot considering the typical, moderately-active woman needs around 1,800 calories a day and the average man needs between 2,200 and 2,400 calories a day, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, that’s nearly two days worth of calories in a single meal! Now I’m not one to judge because I go crazy on Thanksgiving because it’s hard to resist all of that amazing food! But, we all gotta burn it off and return back to a normal eating pattern eventually. Here are some ways to help you burn off some of that food!
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time when Americans can stuff their faces with turkey, mashed potatoes, pie and more without being judged. Because I mean if I’m being honest, I eat a TON on Thanksgiving because how can you not?! The key is to try choose more of the healthier options instead of the bad ones. So, in honor of Thanksgiving in a couple days, here are some healthier (but still delicious) options to make for your holiday get togethers that your family will be sure to love! Here are twists on some of my favorites at my family’s Thanksgivings:
As the weather changes from warm, sunny weather and long days to frigid, snowy temperatures and short days, it can be tough to handle that quick change in seasons, it’s almost like fall wasn’t even here! With the coldest season comes the winter blues.
We’ve all experienced that feeling after getting home from a long day of work. After working all day, the couch looks very appealing to kick back and relax on for the remainder of the night. The last thing on most people’s mind is using that remaining energy to do any sort of exercise, especially after making dinner, doing homework, chores around the house and everything else that works its way into your busy life. All of that busy work alone feels like exercise enough. It’s hard enough to find the motivation sometimes to exercise, but it’s even harder in the colder months. It’s more difficult to get outside and do the things you enjoy when it’s cold, plus you have to worry about bundling up to stay warm. However, getting some physical activity in has never been as easy and convenient as it is today, by just exercising at home!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! It’s the time for costumes, spooky treats, candy, and scary movies! I know this is a health blog, but on Halloween everyone loves and deserves to enjoy a delicious treat. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some yummy treats. So, lets check out some delicious, healthy-ish, treats for you to try out and enjoy this Halloween!
With everything going on our lives on a daily basis like work, school, running errands, or whatever else it may be that’s keeping you busy, it’s nice to have an easy-to-make, yummy meal that’s waiting for you when you get home after a long day. Crockpot meals are the absolute BEST when it comes to finding time to make meals while living a busy life. You can’t go wrong with these meals that are easy, ready when you get home from work, healthy, and of course delicious!!! Here are some great recipes to try out this season!
Creamy Beef Stroganoff
This creamy, delicious crockpot beef stroganoff is a wonderful spin-off of your classic stroganoff. Its made with sour cream, steak or stew meat, and no cream of soup! I mean what’s better than a big bowl of noodles to fill you up on a cold fall day?!
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken & Veggies
This slow cooker honey garlic chicken and veggie recipe is SO easy to make, not to mention super delicious. Just throw everything in the pot, let it stew all day in juicy goodness, and that’s it! No cooking, no sautéing, just let it sit and open at dinner time for an awesome meal you’ll want to make again and again!
Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken
Balsamic chicken?! Yes please! This crock pot dish has so much flavor, you’ll come home to the amazing aroma of balsamic-laced chicken with onions and tomatoes and all kinds of delicious sauce. Gotta love a good sauce!
Now that summer is over and the cold weather is quickly approaching, its a little more difficult to do some of the activities we typically enjoy doing in the warm months. But don’t you worry! Fall is a fantastic time to still get outside (and even inside!) and get active while enjoying the outdoors as much as you can before winter hits! Here are some tips and tricks to stay active and feel good during the fall:
Enjoy the Fall Colors
Nature in the fall is full of tons of colors and beauty! So why not get outside while you can to enjoy it? Fall is not too hot, not too cold, but just right! Exercising outside feels like a lot less work, especially if you’re doing something you like to do. Look into trails nearby to enjoy a hike, bike ride, or a run. Even apple picking or pumpkin harvesting is a great way to enjoy everything fall has to offer, get moving, and have some fall fun.
Layer Up!
With the changes in seasons comes a change in climate. Going from summer to fall is sometimes quite the temperature difference, so its important to remember to dress for the weather when you’re going outside. Wearing at least a couple layers is important to keep your body from losing heat. Keep this in mind as you plan outdoor activities, and make sure to invest in breathable, moisture-wicking clothes. Although you might feel a bit chilly at first, your body will quickly warm up once your blood starts pumping so you don’t want to wear to many layers either. For those cold morning or evening runs, a hat will help keep your head warm where you lose the most heat.
Home Workouts
If the great outdoors aren’t really your thing or for days you just want a quick, effective workout, home workouts are something you should really consider. There are tons of great ways to get active in your own home for little to nothing and they’re super effective too! Using your resources online is a easy, great way to get some exercise in. There are a wide variety of exercise videos available for free online. The best places to find some good, free video resources are YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest or even streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, or Sling. Here you can find thousands of different types of exercise videos to follow along with whether it be yoga, strength training, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), Zumba, core workouts, cardio, etc. Whatever you have in mind or would like the target, it can most likely be found online. The great advantage to using online exercise videos is they are short, sweet and to the point, not to mention free. Exercise videos are an easy way to get a good workout in without it consuming your time.
Another great way to make it convenient and easy to get some exercise in, is to make your own gym at home. Although it is a bit more expensive, buying some exercise equipment such as dumbbells, resistance bands, yoga mats, medicine balls or anything else you like to exercise with, can make a little fitness center in your own home. Having these resources available to you makes for an easily accessible way to exercise and a more versatile workout selection, not to mention working out at home is a lot easier to fit into your schedule because you can do it whenever!
Gym Workouts
And last but not least, go and workout at the gym! Since the weather is getting colder, and the days shorter, its nice to be able to just go to your local fitness center and have anything and everything fitness related available to you at the tip of your fingers. To make the most out of your time at the gym, don’t just do the same machines each time you go, but take advantage of all the things your gym may have to offer:
Swimming: Swimming is one of the best activities for your body. It’s such a great no impact activity and perfect for a complete, whole body workout.
Fitness classes: Getting active with a whole group of people who have the same goal as you do can give you a whole new kind of energy that you may not get when you’re exercising by yourself.
Workout buddy: If you feel intimidated or don’t like working out by yourself, maybe ask a friend to work out with you. You’ll both benefit because you’re exercising and having someone else there motivates you to to show up.
Keep it interesting: If you tend to gravitate to certain cardio machines, you can always change things up with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), which is a great way to burn calories and get in shape fast. Or maybe even try lifting if you usually just do cardio or try cardio if you usually just lift!
The fall months are a great time to get moving because there are so many different options that aren’t always as available other times in the year. SO use these tips and tricks to have a happy, healthy fall and feel good!
As the fall seasons starts to arrive and temperatures drop, many of us are facing busy schedules, whether it be work or school, and then soon to be holiday-related tasks. As the stressors build up, the harder it is to deal with it all. The best way to handle stress is to settle into daily habits that manage your stress and wellness without worrying about it too much. So, here are 5 Ways to Kick Off the Fall Season Stress-Free:
1. Cut Out Things That Add To Your Stress
Sometimes the best way to get rid of your stress is to cut what is causing the stress out of your life. Take steps to get rid of the things that are adding to your stress so you can stress less.
Stress over homework or work, always being on social media or technology, drinking, or even just eating unhealthily are just a few of the things that may add more stress to your life. Making changes to your daily habits or schedule could make a big difference in helping you feel better and reduce stress.
2. Eat a Balanced Diet & Drink Water!
Doesn’t everyone want to just sit on the couch, do nothing, and eat junk food when they’re stressed? No? Just me? You may not even think of food and water when it comes to stress, but actually, having an unhealthy diet can add to stress.
Emotional eating and reaching for high-fat, high-sugar foods only provides a temporary sense of stress relief that just adds to long-term stress. Refined carbs, such as pastries or potato chips, can cause a spike in blood sugar. So then, when your blood sugar crashes, you might experience more stress and anxiety. Having a healthy diet can help you defeat stress over the long term. Foods such as eggs, avocado, and almonds support mood regulation and provide energy balance! Not to mention making sure you drink enough water! To find the amount you need, divide your body weight in half, there’s the amount of water you should be drinking a day. Crazy right?? When your body alerts your body you need water, it’s already dehydrated, and when your body becomes even slightly dehydrated, your stress response begins. So, just make things easier on your body and to reduce stress, drink more water!
Not that we all don’t need a bit of junk food every now and then, cuz I love me some chips, ice cream, and cookies, but think about how it could affect your stress levels or why you are consuming it. Eat better, feel better!
3. Get Active Regularly
Exercise is a FANTASTIC stress reliever that can work instantly. Your body was made to move, and when it doesn’t get that opportunity, it’s hard to stay healthy. If you think about it, physical activity itself is kind of a form of stress (a physical challenge to your body) but it also aids in releasing emotional stress from your body. A number of studies have even shown that regular exercise is associated with a decrease in anxiety and depression, as well as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. But don’t overdo it!
Even just taking a walk allows you to enjoy a change of scenery, take in nature, and clear your mind. Or trying yoga. Yoga combines tons of stress relievers such as, physical movement, meditation, and controlled breathing – all of which provide great stress relief!
4. Invest In What Makes You Happy
Studies have shown that your mindset can have a huge impact on the way your body handles stress or difficult decisions. So, think about what makes you happy, and find ways to implement it more into your daily life. After all, if you’re doing more things you enjoy more often, you’re going to be a lot more happy. Should be common sense right?
Learn to get the “necessary” stuff done quicker and don’t focus too much on the list of “to dos”. Prioritize what really matters to you and schedule out time during your weekends or evenings to do things you love instead. Maybe it is spending time with your family and friends, painting, writing, taking photos or reading. Whatever it is that you love to do, make sure you set off some time for it regularly. Because few things will reduce stress and energize you like doing the things that you love most!
5. Take Time To Relax
With everything we have going on in our lives whether it be work, family, friends, school, etc., it’s sometimes hard to set it all aside to take time for ourselves and just RELAX. Some things I like to do to help with stress and just slow down are:
Disconnect every once and awhile – Sometimes you just have to remove yourself from the world for a while to relax and not stress about the little things. Slow down and stop for a while every now and then.
Eliminate – Do you even have to do everything that’s on your schedule? Maybe your heart isn’t into something as much as it used to be. Could you say no to one or more of those things to have more time and energy for what matters most in your life?
Zoom out – When you’re the most stressed or when life is really getting to you, stop and think, “Is there anyone on the planet having it worse than me right now?” When you think about that, sometimes life isn’t so rough and it’s easier to calm down.
Just breathe – Sometimes you just have to take the time to stop and just take a breath. Release the stress, calm your mind and body down and reconnect with the moment again by focusing on your breathing.
And be here – Live in the moment! Sometimes we just get so caught up in life we forget to live in the present. Choose to spend more of your day and time in the present moment.
I really hope these tips and tricks help you to remove (or at least reduce) all of the stressors in your life to minimize stress and improve your overall wellness! Thanks for readying!!
Fall is here everyone and I couldn’t be more EXCITED! Not only is fall great for chunky sweaters, fuzzy socks, and flannels…its prime time for some amazing food, specifically some warm, delicious soup!!! Soup is my absolute favorite food to eat in the cold months, not to mention its super easy to make! Squash, pumpkin, kale, apples, broccoli, and eggplant are all in season during the fall and I am SO ready for it. I have 5 seasonal soup recipes for you all to try today that’ll make you wanna put on a cozy sweater and fuzzy socks and turn on Halloweentown. Let’s get cooking!
1. CREAMY CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
Fall is the perfect time to cozy up and eat some delicious soup. Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup is a great fall soup recipe! It’s creamy, it has that perfect amount of spice and its like a taco in a bowl!
2. WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
Let’s be honest, chili is one of the best soups to eat when its ‘chilly’ outside. (wink, wink). White Chicken Chili is the best kind of chili and this recipe is SO easy and delicious, you have to keep it in mind for the next gloomy, rainy day. Its the best kind of comfort food, you won’t be disappointed!
3. CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
This Chicken Noodle Soup is loaded with tons of healthy ingredients and full of flavor! Comfort food at its finest, this soup is perfect to cozy up with this autumn.
4. AUTUMN SQUASH SOUP
This Autumn Squash Soup recipe is sure to be a fall favorite! Squash in a soup?? What’s more fall than that? This creamy, flavorful soup is delicious, nutritious, and will definitely give you a heaping helping of fall in a bowl.
5. Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
You’ll be sure to enjoy this creamy, full of flavor Roasted Tomato Basil Soup! With no cream, sugar, or any unnecessary additives, this is a healthy, wonderful bowl of deliciousness. This tomato basil soup is not only perfect alone, but is even more delicious with a grilled cheese to dunk in it!
Well, that’s all I have for you today! Thanks for reading everyone. I hope you enjoy these yummy, cozy soup recipes this fall! Until next time, see ya!
