![]() Life is too short and your mental health is too important to let inconsequential numbers be the boss of you. Did you know? Your weight only measures your gravitational pull, which has nothing to do with your health or worth or capabilities or value. Did you know? The Body Mass Index (BMI) was created by a Belgian mathematician (not a physician) named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet, who himself said explicitly that it could not and should not be used to indicate the level of fatness in an individual. It is scientifically nonsensical, physiologically incorrect, and likened to mathematical snake oil. (source: National Public Radio) Did you know? Looking at "before" and "after" pictures immediately forces your brain to compare your own body to someone else's untold journey between two photographs, without even knowing if the steps they took were healthy or sustainable. These kinds of photos also perpetuate a culture of shame and erroneously idealize thinness. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I used to work for a woman in the fitness industry who constantly drilled into us that her waif-like physical structure was "the ideal," but she was, ironically, one of the most physically ill, mentally unstable, and emotionally unhappy people I'd ever met. Did you know? One study found that looking at “fitspiration” posts on Instagram leads to body dissatisfaction, lower self-esteem and even a worse mood. Did you know? The diet industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry. (source: Business Wire) Companies in the diet/fitness industry profit from your personal discontent, which is why they work hard to trick you into thinking you need to look differently to be happy. Let's be clear: they do not care about you, they care about making money. Did you know? Mirrors can distort reality. What is on the surface of the mirror is only a projection and therefore not something that we see in the same way that we see actual objects. Every time you look in a mirror with a critical eye, you create an opportunity to reinforce a negative self-image that may or may not even actually exist. (source: The British Psychological Society) Self-care September Day 19: Stop Scrutinizing Your Body
As they say, "You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire Universe, deserve your love and affection."
I love you and will see you soon! xo, Coach Alex
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![]() Today we're focusing on another tried-and-true self-care suggestion, because the benefits of drinking water are well-known and well-documented. Did you know? Your body as a whole is comprised of approximately 60% water. The functions that depend on these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature. Additionally, your muscles alone are made up of around 80% water, and even a slight dip in their hydration can impair their physical performance. Water really is that important. When you drink water, you can:
Because your body loses water through breathing, sweating, and digestion, it's important to rehydrate by consistently drinking plenty of fluids and eating water-dense foods - even mild dehydration can lead to headaches and mess with your brain's ability to function the right way. In short, staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your overall levels of health and wellness. Self-Care September Day 18: Hydrate Thyself
Here are a few tips to make water consumption easier to habituate, originally shared in my blog post Hydration Station:
I love you and will see you soon! xo, Coach Alex ![]() I've said it before and I'll definitely say it again: eating colorfully is good for you. It can make you healthier, stronger, and even help you live longer. A quick google search will turn up oodles of evidence for why eating a rainbow of food is a worthwhile goal, but here's a quick summary of what each color can offer in terms of your health and wellness:
Self-Care September Day 11: Eat the Rainbow
Make your meals as colorful as possible today (and really, from now on.) If you're looking for ideas of foods for each color, you'll find lists of them in my blog post: Challenge: Eat the Rainbow. Three of my favorite colorful meal opportunities are:
Of course, not every meal needs to have every color represented, but it can be fun to look for ways to get in as many as you can each time! I'm interested in hearing how you incorporate the colors you choose if you're interested in sharing below. I love you and will see you really soon! xo, Coach Alex In my "Non-Scale Victories of Consistent Self-Care" blog post, I provide a comprehensive list of ways to gauge your progress towards a health/wellness goal, and why they are better than stepping on a scale.
Here is that list in a simplified form. Whether you print it out or simply use as reference, I encourage you to spend a few moments contemplating each item and making note where you are at before you begin any new undertaking or challenge or change in diet or increase in movement. Then, use the same list throughout and after your challenge to see how far you've come! Directions: on a scale from 1-10, with 1 being "Excellent/Not a Problem Whatsoever," 5 bring "Average/Sometimes an Annoyance," and 10 being "Ugh, this is a Daily Source of stress/anxiety/embarrassment/frustration and I'm OVER IT," rate the following considerations before and after your program to measure your progress on your health and wellness continuum. ![]() Our bodies require nutrients in order to survive, function, and thrive. We need large amounts of some - we call these macronutrients - and smaller amounts of others - we call these micronutrients. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals, and macronutrients include:
The food we eat contains a combination of any/all of the above. Each of these three macros provide energy, or calories, to your body, and each affects your body in different ways. This post looks a little closer at the basics of Healthy Fats - what they are, why you need them, and where to find them. ![]() Our bodies require nutrients in order to survive, function, and thrive. We need large amounts of some - we call these macronutrients - and smaller amounts of others - we call these micronutrients. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals, and macronutrients include:
The food we eat contains a combination of any/all of the above. Each of these three macros provide energy, or calories, to your body, and each affects your body in different ways. This post looks a little closer at the basics of Carbohydrates (“Carbs”) - what they are, why you need them, and how to get the very best ones. Carbohydrates must be the most attacked macronutrient of the carb-fat-protein triad. Poor carbs. It’s important to understand right off the bat - CARBS ARE NOT THE ENEMY. ![]() Our bodies require nutrients in order to survive, function, and thrive. We need large amounts of some - we call these macronutrients - and smaller amounts of others - we call these micronutrients. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals, and macronutrients include:
The food we eat contains a combination of any/all of the above. Each of these three macros provide energy, or calories, to your body, and each affects your body in different ways. In this post, we’re looking a little closer at the basics of Protein - what it is, why you need it, and how to get enough. ![]() Staying hydrated is a fundamental part of staying healthy. While drinking plenty of water is the obvious way to get it done, let's not forget that eating certain foods is another. You can actually consume a significant amount of water through a variety of water-dense fruits and vegetables into your diet, so much so that it can literally alter how much water you may need to drink in a day. As long as you’re eating plenty of water-rich foods and drinking water along the way each day, you shouldn't have a problem staying hydrated. Keep your body's healthy water levels high by including any/all of these 10 water-dense foods. "Lose the excuses.
They don't get you any closer to your goals." |
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