Today’s Health Tip

Tone Up Thursday: Simply Begin

Not happy with the way you feel in your body?  Your fitness level or your weight less that satisfactory?  Is your stress level off the charts?

GREAT NEWS.  There is 100% chance of changing this.  You simply have to begin.

Start somewhere...anywhere?

Want to change your diet?  Try vegan! Try keto! Try something!

Listen in for some motivation and a little fire under your ass!  Get to it.

Warrior Wellness Challenge: Dress for Success

You want to move more in your life?

You want to exercise?

Dress like it.

Wake up in the morning and put on your exercise gear AND your sneakers.  Right away.

It's one less excuse....

I plan my week around my workouts.  3-4 times a week I am either at Orange Theory or playing tennis.  The mornings when I work out I go from PJs to work out gear, first thing, no questions asked.  When those two things happen: 1. I schedule a workout into my day and 2. I get dressed for it, I rarely will skip it.  Only in an emergency.

It's a system that works for me...maybe it's for you too!?

Quick Tip Tuesday - Alternate Nostril Breathing

If you have even taken a yoga class, chances are you have practiced Alternate Nostril Breathing.  You can stimulate your vagus nerve, which controls your parasympathetic and your sympathetic systems, this way.  Many of us are caught in the fight or flight cycle and our nervous system is out of balance.  We can encourage balance by trying this simple breathing technique.

Listen in and shed some stress.

PS.  Over on Instagram in our Highlights...under TODAY Wellness...you'll find Deepak Chopra talking about this technique.

Find us here www.instagram.com/theguudcompany 

Mindful Monday: Headspace

On this Mindful Monday I talk about my favorite mindfulness app HEADSPACE.  Available for both Apple and Android.

Meditations in a range of lengths from one minute to 20.

It's so liberating to close your eyes, slow your breath and leave your thoughts.

You can commit to a daily program, use it occasionally to psyche you up for a run, or calm you during a commute.

It's super simple to use and has both a free and paid version.

Today, make a little time and give it a try.

Free your mind!!!

Self Care Sunday - What are your values?

Grab a pen and paper (preferably a journal) and on the top of a page write the word "VALUES" and get writing.

How do you define yourself?

Are you defined by achievement, adventure, creativity, kindness?  Family, friendships, fame, peace, charity, knowledge, growth?

Have you have given in thought?  What is a priority?  How you define yourself?

Once you have a list ask yourself, is this how I live my life?

If our life and lifestyle is aligned with our values it seems a much better life, no?

Soulful Saturday - Get out into Nature

Awesome, it's Saturday.  Hope you have built some time into this weekend for YOU.

Find some sunshine, breath the fresh air, a walk in the woods, a swim in the sea.

Preferably alone, though a walk with a pup is always a win.

Feel the energy of nature.  Feel the power of the wind, the pull of the earth, the swell of the sea.

It's so good for us...all of us.  Make the time.  Feel the nature!

Foodie Friday : Up the Veggies

Happy Friday Wellness Warriors.  

You goal for this Foodie Friday is to get more veggies into your diets.

Adding chopped vegetables to meatloaf or meatballs, add them to lasagna (spinach, carrots, mushrooms) or any baked pasta dish.

A dinner with a protein and 2 vegetables is a great way to get them in.

Even if you are having pizza for dinner....load up on the veggies.

And eating out, skip the cheesy potatoes and fried guck and ask for a double portion of your vegetable.  Easy-peasy!

Tone Up Thursday: One exercise - Two body parts

Thursday - Wooo Hooo - we are thinking about toning up today.

Today, pick an exercise today where we can hit two body parts in one movement.

A few of my favorites: Deep squat to overhead press, push ups with a leg lift, and bench sit ups to sumo squats.

If you feel like you might be up for a challenge like this today head over to YouTube and put one of these exercises into the search box and check out some videos.  Then get to it.  More calories burns,  more muscles worked, more movement - less time!  Viola!

Wednesday Warrior Challenge - Green Your Clean

What are you cleaning with?

Take a look at what you are using and get rid of the crap.

We are not using toxic toilet cleaners, bleach, things like Tilex & Febreeze.

Leave shoes at the door...so many toxins come in on the bottom of your shoes.

www.theguudcompany.com/shop we love the natural products we have listed there.

www.thelaundress.com also makes some of my favorite products.

Remember to regularly change your air filters...the air inside your house is most often more toxic than the air outside.  And of course, houseplants will help your air to be cleaner as well.

When in doubt please check your products against the Environmental Working Group research.  Download their free app...you can scan the bar code of any product and get an instant health rating.

Quick Tip Tuesday - Apple Cider Vinegar

It's Tuesday and here is your quick tip!

Have you tried Apple Cider Vinegar?  So many reasons to!  It's an antihistamine, can affect digestion for those with indigestion or heart burn.

I like a few tablespoons in a glass of room temperature water.  At first the taste is a little jarring but it is an acquired taste.  The colder the concoction the less you will taste.

It is a great morning tonic.  Take it first thing before your coffee or green juice to prime your system.

Also, great over salads with a touch of oil and some salt and pepper.

I like to buy organic (Bragg's brand) and I like it to contain "the Mother" which is strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give the product a murky appearance. Some people believe that the "mother" is responsible for most of the health benefits, although there are currently no studies to support this.

Give it a try!  Have questions?  Hit us up on Facebook or Instagram @theguudcompany 

Mindful Monday - Looking at Judgement

We are all judged and we all judge.  How do we remove ourselves from this cycle?

LESS judgement should be our goal.

Make time to look inside- into your feelings- when you find yourselves judging.  What is it that is triggering us?  Our fear, our loneliness, our insecurities?  It is rarely about another person when something triggers us and most often about something within us that has been set off.

This week look for these moments in your life.  When you find yourself judging someone, stop yourself by taking a deep breath in.  As you exhale send that person some light, good thoughts,  best wishes. 

In those moments where we are feeling judged we can behave similarly.  Start with a deep breath and as you breathe in, accept the light and the love from the Universe reminding yourself that you are whole, you are enough and you are loved.

It's our goal for the week....LESS JUDGEMENT.

Self Care Sunday: THAT DRAWER

One little thing you can do today for yourself, for self care Sunday is to clean out that drawer.  You know the one.  The cluttered one.  The one full of stuff, both junk and important stuff.  Maybe it's in the kitchen, or your desk, or in your bedside table.  It's the one you go to when you lose something and think to yourself, "It must be in that drawer."

The act of cleaning out that drawer is a little act of self-love.  It will simplify your life a tiny bit.  It will provide a hint of accomplishment and satisfaction.

It's possible it's not a "drawer" you need to deal with.  Maybe your car needs a thorough cleaning, or your closet, or your Tupperware drawer.

Whichever it is, make that happen today.  A little time for yourself, to declutter and make sense of something.  It feels GUUD!

Soulful Saturday: Thank You

Ahh Saturday.

Today is a simple Thank You for listening.

Thank you for putting your wellness first.  Remember you can't serve others if you aren't whole yourself.

Thank you for sharing some of what you learn with those you love.

Thank you for making simple changes and better choices everyday.

Thank you for your emails melissa@theguddcompany.com

Thank you for your messages on instagram www.instagram.com/theguudcompany

New Food Friday: What's the healthiest choice

For this new food Friday - when you are making a choice this week for meal or snack if you simply ask yourself "What is my healthiest choice" and choose that, how far ahead would you be?

You may not always have the choice of WHERE you are eating, especially if you travel alot, but you can always choose WHAT you eat.  Always look for the vegetables, the good fats and protein.  Stay away from the simple carbs, the fried foods and the junk.

We can always make a healthy choice...so try that this week.

Your wellness depends on it.

Tone Up Thursday - No Excuses

No Excuses!  We can't afford to make them.  We owe it to our bodies to be engaged in movement DAILY.

No excuses means finding a way to move if you are busy, if you are broke, if your resources are limited.

Listen in for tips to keep your wellness on track.  WELLNESS FIRST!

www.theguudcompany.com

Wellness Warrior Challenge Wednesday - Have a party.

Who doesn't love a party?  The idea is to get people that you love in the same room celebrating SOMETHING.  We need to make more time for celebrations.  For joy, for dancing, for cake!

Make more time in your life to celebrate the little things.  A promotion, a birthday, a new puppy...all great reasons to celebrate!

So make a plan, call some friends and make some memories!

Tuesday's Tip: Pace on your phone calls

Today's Quick Tip: Whether you are on the phone today for business or pleasure, get some movement while you chat.  Walk around your house, or your office, up and down your stairs.  Wherever you are, get moving.  No more sitting while making phone calls.  Moving while chatting keeps me (literally) on my toes and I tend to zone out less when I am moving, thinking and talking.

Get to it!

Mindful Monday - Positive Affirmations

If you can believe that you are what you believe...then today consider your thoughts.  How are the words you speak to yourself manifesting in your life?

What might life look like if you did some brief self-talk in the morning telling yourself things like "I choose to have a positive attitude!" on a morning when you really don't feel like it's going to be a very good day.  Or "I make the best of every situation" when you are faced with disappointment.  My favorite affirmation is "I am healthy and strong" and I use this one often before a hard workout.

Pick one.

Try it out this week.  Use sticky notes and write your affirmation down on a few.  Put these notes in places you will see them: the fridge, the bathroom mirror, the door you always walk out, the dashboard of your car.  When you see the note, say the affirmation out loud.

These words have the power to heal you.  To influence the outcome of your day.  To change your attitude and, in effect, your life.

Go for it.

Come find me on Instagram and share yours!  www.instagram.com/theguudcompany

Self Care Sunday - Make some plans

Plan some quality time with someone you have wanted to spend time with.

Your child, your dog, a colleague, parent or friend.  Perhaps an old friend you haven't seen in way too long.

Making a plan to spend time together, even if it isn't for a month, is a commitment from both parties that once written into a calendar becomes a contract.  

We often forget how important it is to simply be with people who love us and understand us and let us be fully ourselves.  This, too,is a form of self-care.

So, happy Sunday well ones...now, go make some plans.