5 Ways to get Healthy and Fit today.

Initially, when the pandemic hit, it seemed that the majority of us were drinking more alcohol, eating unhealthy foods and our stress was at an all time high. I know for some people this is still the case. Everything you see on tv or read about in the media is telling us that to stay safe we need to socially distance, wear a mask, and avoid large gatherings, as well as washing your hands and keeping up with good hygiene. While I do agree with ALL of that and I do my part to follow those guidelines, I think we need to talk about other ways you can stay healthy and build your immune system. You should want to do this pandemic or not but sometimes it takes a pandemic for people to get their butts into gear and get healthy.

When you hear the words healthy and fit, I am sure your mind shows you a fit person, that is thin and everything is wonderful. But there are so many more benefits than what you see on the outside. They're so many people that can look healthy on the outside but on the inside they are not. So let's focus on what you can do NOW, do TODAY to get you started on a wellness journey.

1. Sleep better

Sleep and weight loss go hand and hand. Once you start fueling your body with the proper foods and exercising more, your sleep will improve. When you don't get enough sleep your hunger hormones go out of whack. Do you notice on days you don't sleep well or enough you crave more carbs? We want to keep our hormones balanced and happy and the first step is aiming for 8 hours of quality sleep a night. 

2. Lose weight to balance hormones

Let's stay on the hormone path for a minute. “Fat is not just decoration,” says Kyrin Dunston, M.D., FACOG, who also lost 100 pounds and kept it off. “It’s metabolically active and produces hormones and inflammatory chemicals that alter the way your body functions,” she explains.

Fat also makes estrogen. As a woman, you will notice that when you change your eating habits your periods even become lighter, less painful and your symptoms start to disappear. When you lose weight you also balance out your hormones in your thyroid, cortisol, and other adrenal hormones. Hormones are so important to keep in check! They are essential little messengers who carry important info throughout your body and we want to keep them happy :) 

3. Learn to be adaptable

Change can be hard and uncertain and chaotic and many people hate change but there is a silver lining to this all. It is teaching our bodies to combat stress. One thing to get your stress under control is meditation. I also believe in active meditation. I do long hikes 5-6 times a week and do affirmations up on the mountain and have my me time up there. There are lots of ways to do mindful activities that train your brain to stay positive while you learn to filter out and release negative thoughts. Chronic stress also leads to weight gain. Why ? Because of your lovely hormones.

4. Supplements you can take to boost your immune system

Liposomal Vitamin C. This type of vitamin C is the one I have been using this year and will continue to do so. The absorption of liposomal vitamin C is significantly higher than a standard vitamin C supplement. Benefits include; reducing oxidative stress in your body, improved collagen production as well as skin health, increased bioavailability, and cardiovascular support.

Vitamin D. Zinc. Elderberry. Medicinal Mushrooms.

Supplements are great and I take them every day but they should not be used as a replacement for a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, engaging in regular physical activity, and not smoking are some of the most important ways to help keep your immune system healthy and reduce your chances of infection and disease.

5. Improve your mood

Cut out processed carbs and sugar. They are terrible for your endocrine and nervous system, start to transition to a lifestyle with healthier sources of carbs. This will lift your mood because healthy fats and protein take longer to digest therefore you don't experience the constant sugar rushes that lead to mood and energy fluctuations. Food affects everything. Food is medicine.