Historically, I haven’t given a ton of thought to “healthy living”. I mean, I’ve tried from time to time, but on a day-to-day basis I mostly specialize in running myself ragged.
Over the past year or so, though, I’ve discovered just how important it is to take that little extra time to care for myself. Below, a rundown of my go-to stay-healthy tips (tips, incidentally, that I don’t always follow…but that I certainly aspire to).
My Stay-Healthy(ish) System
– Breakfast, always. For a few months after my son was born I skipped breakfast because I didn’t have time to sit down at the table; now I keep fresh grapefruit juice, hard-boiled eggs, and blended juices with added vitamins (yes, I have become a blended-juices person) in the refrigerator so that I can feel like I’m doing something good for my body even when I have zero time.
– Water water water water water. I’m a broken record on this one, but it’s just because I didn’t used to drink a ton of it, and now I do, and it is the single thing that has made the biggest difference in how I feel when I wake up in the morning.
– Stretching before bed. Taking five minutes to work out all the sore spots and do some semi-yoga-ish poses in a dimly lit room is a habit I started during pregnancy, and it puts me in the perfect mindset to get between the sheets (I’ve even noticed that it helps with my insomnia – which incidentally is also so much better in our new place…maybe it’s the air and the quiet, but whatever it is, it’s making me happy).
– A simplified skincare routine. Specifically, one that includes beauty products tailored to my sensitive skin.
Keep It Simple
For the past couple of months, I’ve been using exclusively cleansers for sensitive skin, but thought that this month I’d try out a product I haven’t used in awhile: toner. It’s been ludicrously hot, and sometimes I get home from the park or errands or what have you and I want to feel extra-refreshed. It also comes in handy in the mornings, since I don’t usually wash my face with soap (just water) when I wake up…but still feel like I need a little extra something when the night has been particularly warm.
Enter: Simple Skincare’s Soothing Facial Toner, which contains Pro-Vitamin B5, Chamomile, and Witch Hazel (but no dyes, perfumes, or added irritants). It’s gentle, lovely, and is a nice alternative (or addition) to a cleanser during those moments when I feel like I need an extra pick-me-up…especially when it’s kept in the refrigerator (ooh).
Goals For The Future
– Get back to the gym (we’re getting a family membership to the Y). I haven’t officially “exercised” since my son was born (other than carrying baby + bags + stroller up and down four flights of stairs several times a day, which counts in my book), but back in the day I used to do 30 minutes on an elliptical three times a week, and I loved it. Mostly because it gave me a guilt-free excuse to read Star.
– Pay more attention to a balanced diet, incorporating more vegetables and fish (this will mean finding creative ways to make my husband not hate fish…I’m thinking our new grill and some stock in Sriracha will help).
– Get over how my knee-jerk reaction to kale, because apparently everyone and their mother is obsessed with the stuff.
Healthy living: for me, it’s a work in progress.
