*This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for supporting my blog. See disclosure for more information*
Every New Year, I set the goal of becoming a healthier version of myself. Don't a lot of us plan on that? I don't always stick to my goals, but I think being underprepared tends to be a lot of the problem. Health is not just a number on a scale, it's how you feel, mind and body. I want to focus on all aspects of my health... and there's a lot of great products out there that will help me prepare for this journey.
My basic goal is to focus on being the healthiest version of me, but that comes with a lot of parts. These are my smaller goals that will help me achieve my main goals:
My basic goal is to focus on being the healthiest version of me, but that comes with a lot of parts. These are my smaller goals that will help me achieve my main goals:
Prepare healthy meals
Have a healthy mindset and continue practicing mindfulness
Create an organized schedule
Maintain a clean and organized home
Begin at-home workouts 2-3x per week
---
Have a healthy mindset and continue practicing mindfulness
Create an organized schedule
Maintain a clean and organized home
Begin at-home workouts 2-3x per week
---
Healthy Eating & Meal Preparation-
Healthy eating all starts with meal planning. I highly recommend using Pinterest to find healthy, quick meals for yourself and family. Pinterest is where I find almost all of our recipes and we also love browsing through the Hello Fresh archives for fun new recipe ideas.
We did a few weeks of Hello Fresh meals when I was feeling stressed, overwhelmed and just DONE trying to come up with meals every week. Now we have quite the stack of recipes, and I have been using those to do my meal planning and grocery shopping. SO helpful!
We did a few weeks of Hello Fresh meals when I was feeling stressed, overwhelmed and just DONE trying to come up with meals every week. Now we have quite the stack of recipes, and I have been using those to do my meal planning and grocery shopping. SO helpful!
Here is my personal Pinterest "food" page. I go through it often and delete recipes that we have tried and didn't like, or ones that I tried and have already recorded the recipe... that way it's easier for me to find recipes we haven't tried yet. Feel free to follow along!
It's nice to keep all your weekly meal plans in an organized space. I keep a little book, but I also record the meals on the fridge calendar so Michael always knows what we're eating.
I really like this Erin Condren meal planner book, but a simple notebook will do as well. There are lots of fun meal notebooks out there. If you have one you use and love, please share in the comments!
Glass food containers are perfect for preparing your meals ahead of time. They won't collect stains, they are easy to wash and durable. I love these ones on Amazon because of the separated sections. Costco always has great deals on glass food containers too. Being prepared with your food makes healthy eating 90% easier. Half the battle is just being prepared!
Reusable baggies for storing nuts, fruits, cut up veggies etc. Again, being prepared will set you up for success. I actually need to add these to my cart because I hate using and throwing away so many baggies when they are so bad for the environment. It's just so wasteful.
There's another fun set of glass food containers that I love simply for the color. I am a pink fan!
These dissolvable food labels are perfect for storing prepped food in your fridge. Once you've prepped some things, make sure to label/date it. When it's time to wash the container, these labels dissolve in 30 sec or less, and leave no residue. (I have not tried these, but the reviews are great and back up these claims!)
If you're getting serious about overhauling your diet, a food scale can be incredibly helpful. We have one and I use it a lot for baking as well.
A nice large lunch bag for taking your food on-the-go is essential. I find most lunch bags to be too small, but this one looks to be a great size. I love the removable strap too!
I love this water bottle that keeps you on track. You can get an entire gallon bottle or 64 oz.
Focus on your Mind-
So many of us want to get healthier in the new year, but we forget one of the starting points... a healthy and clear mind.
A journal for practicing mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness changed my life and reduced my anxiety and stress significantly. There are so many great books on mindfulness. This one caught my eye because of the title, haha, but it has great reviews as well. Might add this to my cart now!
To go with your mindfulness journal, you can get this coloring book which is proven to reduce stress. I think adult coloring books are such a great idea.
A gratitude journal. We can all use reminders of why we should be grateful and thankful for things in your lives. This journal allows you to record 3 things you are thankful for each day of the week.
Another part of keeping my mind healthy, is keeping my stress as low as possible. I love clean and organized schedules and spaces to accomplish this.
A Clean Space = A Happy Heart!
A Clean Space = A Happy Heart!
A planner helps me keep everything in my life organized and structured so I don't get overwhelmed. I like physically seeing everything we have to do. I have not 100% decided on which planner to get this year... I really want to splurge and get the Erin Condren, but The Happy Planner has always been good to me! Either way, my phone calendar is not my first choice. I am on my phone enough and I like the paper in my hands. Plus, the accessories are FUN!
I like this household extension pack, which includes sections for chores, meal planning, budgeting and projects!
I like this household extension pack, which includes sections for chores, meal planning, budgeting and projects!
CLEANING cleanses my soul. I swear. I love a clean and organized space...
I love Mrs. Meyer's cleaning products, especially the seasonal scents. Using more natural cleaning products is something I want to start doing and continue doing in the new year.
I am also working on some chore charts (I will share later on) which will break down which chores we need to tackle each day, each week or biweekly. The benefit to living in a smaller space is there is a lot less space to clean!
Staying physically active!
Don't be afraid to join a gym, start a class, find a local running group or see a trainer. These are all great ways to start getting our bodies healthy... I personally prefer at home workouts. For me, it's more comfortable and sustainable if I do them at home. Here are a few basic products for getting your home ready for some working out.
An exercise mat with carrying strap. This one is thick and anti-tear, so it will be durable and hold up over time. It has GREAT reviews.
A nice set of weights is a good thing to have for quick at-home workouts.
A kettlebell is another great thing to have for home workouts. The first time I did a kettlebell workout I almost threw up- they can be INTENSE but super effective.
A foam roller is great for stretching out your muscles. You can also use them for balance, strengthening and flexibility.
I haven't decided which at-home workouts I am going to try this year. But I know there's a lot out there. I wouldn't mind suggestions if anyone has tried a program and loved it! Please share in the comments!
No comments
I appreciate and love all questions and comments!