Meaningful Living: Live a Stress-Free Life by engaging in your life's purpose.
Simple Life Lessons from Cycle-Touring
Last month, my husband & I went a 2 week bicycling trip in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts; starting in Bangor, Maine and ending in Southern Massachusetts. Yes; just us, our gear & bikes; no car, fully contained. This was the first tour we have been on in many years and it gave me a chance to re-connect the incredible feelings of freedom & power that come from doing physically exhilarating activities in a natural environment. Here’s the crazy thing; in the midst of cycling in the pouring rain, I remember thinking, “This is crazy but I’m enjoying myself!”
Climbing to the top of many hills, I was able to reconnect to that powerful feeling from my youth. You know that one that reminds us we can do anything we set our minds to and plan for properly! It gave me the opportunity to realize that although I’m many years older, I’m still able to do those things that I choose to. It was a great opportunity to realize that all the years of taking good care of myself; of ‘walking my talk” in regards to healthy eating & proper exercise have paid off. That here I am over 60 years old and able to cycle 40-60 miles day in and day out for nearly 2 weeks without injury and with virtually no aches or pains.
So, what are those things that you want to be able to do 10 or 20 or more years from now? How do you picture yourself? What do you choose to be doing? Maybe it’s as simple as being able to keep up with the grandkids or maybe it’s more adventurous than that. Whatever it may be; if you can’t easily do it today, it’s time to put the plan in place that will get you there. This sounds amazing simplistic but start where you’re at and just do more each & every day. And if you ARE able to do it now, then it’s just about keeping that commitment to yourself as life rolls onward. Just make the commitment. Your future is worth it. And if you need some help figuring out how to get to a point where you can consider and plan these things, let me help; my Food Over Medicine 5 part webinar could be a great beginning for you or maybe one on one health coaching is a better plan. Register for the program below or call me today for a FREE Consultation. I’m here to help.
Five More Simple Answers to More Energy NOW:
In my last blog, we talked about starting your day right and other simple changes. Here are a few more:
- Make sure you’re drinking enough water. Dehydration can make you feel tired.Many formulas for ‘enough’ exist. However, it’s pretty well-recognized that we can lose up to 8 cups of fluid per day through normal metabolism. Therefore, I usually suggest 64oz. to up to 3/4oz. per pound of body weight depending on your activity level.
- Sugary foods, high fat processed foods and other junk can stress your system far more than you may know. Clean up your diet by cutting out prepared foods with large numbers of ingredients.
- Instead of sugary snacks for your afternoon pick-me-up, try a piece of fresh fruit with a few nuts (operative word here; a few; less than one ounce. Nuts are very rich in calories and fat and while they ARE fairly nutritious, they DO pack on the calories and fat very quickly) and a glass of water.
- Winding down from the day in a less stressful way can produce better sleep patterns & help with energy levels. Some suggestions: take the TV and computer out of your bedroom. Set up the ‘do not disturb’ function on your cell phone for nighttime and keep it at least 3 feet from your head or preferably on the other side of the room or elsewhere while you sleep. Shut off electronics an hour before bed. Create a wind-down routine: Have a relaxing cup of herbal tea. Use a journal to assist you; writing down positive remarks about the day’s accomplishments and quick notes about tomorrow that might affect your sleep if not acknowledged.
- Adding some relaxing music, a meditation routine or some relaxing blends of essential oils in a diffuser can also be helpful. I enjoy Ameo’s Gentle Repose, Calming Breeze and Pure Tranquility Blends.
Any or all of the above can be a good start.
Looking for Optimal Health? Watch for announcements about my upcoming programs starting in the fall.