healthy lifestyle

Fill Your Cup

As a wellness professional, I am all about self care and the movement that it has become. However, I am a little disheartened by the “focus on me; forget about everyone else” mentality maquerading as self care that has taken over our culture. But that’s a post for another day.

With that said, I am a firm believer that you cannot pour from an empty cup. Filling yourself up with the things that make you happy and feel good are important. And remembering to take care of your basic needs such as adequate hydration, optimal nutrition, and well visits should be on all of our lists…hopefully, somewhere at the top.

As an introvert, being surrounded by a lot of people constantly is very draining. I like to recharge my batteries with solo activities such as reading, pampering myself with a hot showering/body scrub/luxurious skin creams, watching a movie or my favorite indulgence the latest episode of any Real Housewives series.

Knowing what helps you recharge is key, and it will look very different for each person. Here are a few tips to make self care a part of your daily habits:

🧡 Try different activities. If you’re not sure what helps you recharge, take this as license to try a variety of activities until you find the ones that fill you with joy. For me, I like my alone time, but maybe you’re more extroverted and a day hike with friends is more your jam. Perhaps a weekend getaway is what you’re craving. The key is to just do it!

🧡 Make it a part of your routine. Develop a schedule for activities such as skin care. I like to make Sunday evenings my time to wind down and get rid of the Sunday Scaries. I’ll make time to take a hot bath, exfoliate, and treat myself to a luxurious skin cream or face mask.

🧡 Make it non-negotiable. I can’t say it enough…you can’t pour from an empty cup. Let your loved ones know that this time for yourself, whether it be 30 minutes or an hour, will allow you to be more present for them. They will understand.

What’s your favorite way to fill your cup/recharge?

Power Incline Walk

I hope that everyone had a merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season! I enjoyed some quality time with family, all the yummy eats, and relaxation.

I’ll admit that while out of town, my fitness routine took a bit of a back seat for a few days. My rule is to never go more than three days without some form of exercise. No, this rule is not backed by science; it is simply my personal rule to keep myself from sliding down that slippery slope we all know too well. You know…the one where you miss one day, then the next, then it’s been a week and before you know it a month since your last workout.

So yesterday was the day to get back into my fitness routine, and I decided to incorporate my go-to treadmill workout when I want to break a sweat and ease back into regular movement.

My Power Incline walking routine is great for both beginners who are up for a challenge and novice fitness buffs who are looking for an active rest day. It can all be done in 45 minutes–that includes warm up and cool down!

Walking is an excellent form of aerobic exercise for most people. It’s low cost, requires no special skills, and can be done anywhere! All you need are a good pair of sneakers.

Remember to maintain good posture, eyes looking ahead, pump your arms for a full body workout, toes point forward. If you feel any sort of pain or discomfort stop immediately and consult with your doctor.

With that being said, it is important to challenge your muscles and encourage yourself. Remember, your mind will quit before your body will! You can do it!

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week. That breaks down to 30 minutes 5 days per week. Moderate exercise includes brisk walking (hello Power Incline!), cycling, pushing a lawn mower, or playing tennis.

If you try my Power Incline workout, I want to hear how it went! Drop a comment below!

Disclaimer: You should always consult your physician or other healthcare provider before changing your diet or starting an exercise program.

Recipe Review: The Chunky Chef’s Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon

I’m patting myself on the back for preparing another new recipe for my family! It’s always a weekly goal, but it seldom comes to fruition. If you’re not using Pinterest for recipes, you’re missing out, because today’s recipe and last week’s recipe have been total hits!

I knew that I only needed to have three meals prepared this week due to the Christmas holiday. I usually try to do a red meat dish once a week, then split the rest of the days between chicken and fish/seafood. Monday, I prepared Bolognese sauce with fettuccine, a side salad, and breadsticks. Since last week I prepared a dish with shrimp, I decided to try a salmon dish this week. To Pinterest I went and this simple, done in 20 minutes, glazed salmon was a gem.

The Chunky Chef’s Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon is one of the best salmon dishes that I have tried in a while. Just like the shrimp dish, this recipe is great for week nights, but it’s so flavor-packed and elevated, that you could easily prepare this for your guests this holiday season or anytime that you’re hosting–you will blow them away! I loved that it was no-fuss, and the ingredient list included a lot of items that I already had in my kitchen. Did I mention that it’s all prepared in one skillet?! Win-win-win!

The salmon was so tender, that my long filets practically fell apart as I moved them in the skillet. The honey garlic sauce was the perfect blend of sweet and savory.

I paired this entrée with Birds Eye Chicken Flavor Seasoned Rice and Vegetables side dish. Don’t let the chicken flavor fool you, trust me it pairs very well with the seasonings in the salmon. The rice dish includes carrots, broccoli, and onions. I also used their Steamfresh Whole Green Beans. Frozen vegetables often get a bad wrap, but they are actually packed full of nutrients in that they are flash-frozen at their peak; locking in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This post is not sponsored by Birds Eye; I just really like how easy it is to throw one of their Steamfresh bags in the microwave and have delicious sides in less than five minutes.

I hope that you’ll give this recipe a try. I know that I will be making it again very soon. Tell me what recipes you have tried in the kitchen this week that really blew you away?