Continuing in this weeks series of ‘7 Days of Simple Activities That Help You Lose Weight and Feel Great’ today we move to look look more at rest and relaxation. Both of which are critical to successful weight loss and health.
Day 7 – today we are focusing on Making Time for You
Notice here I say making time for you, not FINDING time for you. We’re all busy and when you’re super stressed taking time out for yourself can seem an impossibility, but it’s the precise time when you need to do so. It may feel counterintuitive, but I promise the world won’t end and you’ll probably be way more productive afterwards. Give it a try, just the once, and see what happens. Stress is terrible for weight loss as I’ve talked about before and being Superwoman 24×7 isn’t the answer. It’s Ok to Take Time For You, In Fact It’s Essential. When was the last time you actually did something just for you? If the answer is over a week, then it’s too long!
It’s no accident that I’ve saved these activities for Day 7, as Sunday is a great time to start thinking about these things and making time during your busy week to take time for yourself.
Four Activities
1. Take a Nap: It may seem selfish or just something that children do, but taking a short nap can seriously boost your productivity, especially if you’re not getting enough sleep (if you’re not take a read of this). When I first started taking naps I actually felt a bit groggy afterwards, but with a bit of perseverance I can now take a short nap and wake feeling revived. At work and can’t take a nap? Even finding somewhere like a cafe, park bench or empty meeting room and closing your eyes for a few mins can make the world of difference. (Hint: dark sunglasses are great for hiding this!)
2. Book a Massage: we all know about the benefits of massage, but I know I’ve been guilty of only having massages when going to a spa on a girly weekend. Now, I try and treat myself to a massage regularly to help reset and reduce the damaging stress hormones in my body.
3. Take a Long Bath: You don’t have to necessarily book a massage to get some of the benefits, simply taking a long uninterrupted bath can do you the world of good. Try turning down the lights, putting on some relaxing music and sinking into a warm bath. I like to add some Epsom salts to ease my aching muscles and maybe a few drops of essential oils (just mix with a glass of milk to ensure equal distribution). Once I’m out of the bath I like to lie in a dark room and burn some more essential oils on this electric burner and relax before sleep.
4. Book on a Meditation Course: I attended this free course in Marylebone, London (donations welcome but not mandatory) and found it a great way to get introduced to meditation. For me the best thing about it for me is that, the instructor, Alan walked us through 4 main different techniques and explained we could then pick and chose whichever one(s) worked best for us. I try and complete a short meditation in the morning and evening and find just a few minutes really sets the tone for the day. I find that popping on a eye mask like this really helps me focus inwards and still my mind, but it’s by no means necessary. If you don’t want to try a full course this mindfulness trick can be easier than full meditation and You Tube has lots of great guided meditations you could try.
If you’ve missed a day, don’t worry you can catch up here.
What ONE thing are you going to do next week to take care of you? Let me know what and when in the comments below or via Facebook.
