Expressive Writing

I was recently in a car accident. Nothing too serious but I have been having back and neck problems because of it. I have also been in a bit of a rut ever since. It has been 3 weeks now and I still don't feel like I'm back to my bubbly self. I have been sleeping in late and haven't been in the best place mentally. I read a while ago that writing for 15 minutes everyday is really good for your mental as well as your physical health.

I am going to dedicate 15 minutes everyday for the next two weeks to writing. I encourage you to do that same. You can write about anything. Here are some idea:

• Something that you are thinking or worrying about
• Something that you have been dreaming about
• Something that has been affecting your life
• Something that you have been avoiding
• Write about how your day was
• Write about how you want your day to go or your ideal day

The options are endless. 

You can write by hand or type it on the computer. You can save what you write, to look back on it later, or you can throw it away. 

I will be writing by hand. I could post my entries, but I think some of them will be too personal. If I write something that I feel comfortable sharing I will post it. 

Here is a video explaining the expressive writing method: 

20 Ways to Sneak in Exercise

Just a few ways that I have come up with to sneak in a little exercise throughout the day!

 

Dance like no one's watching, chances are, they aren't!

1) When you're studying/writing/reading/doing any kind of work where you just kind of sit there, every 10 minutes or so get up and dance around/do jumping jacks etc. for 30 seconds -1 minute. (Or put on your favourite song and dance for the whole song!)

Bonus: It gets the blood pumping so if you are studying or writing or whatever, it will help you stay focused and you'll be able to work for longer. 

2) When you're brushing your teeth, stand on one leg. Alternate. 3)  When you're watching TV, during the commercials do sit ups, push ups, squats, lunges, etc. Do a different exercise every commercial break. 4) While I'm waiting for my beanie to warm up in the microwave at night, i like to some calf raises. I usually do it for about a minute. 5) I like to park farther away from the store, gym, or school etc. That way I get in extra steps.

Bonus: Save on gas! Every one else is driving around looking for a spot as close as possible, in the long run, by taking that first spot you see you'll probably save time! 

Stairwell

6) This one is so important! Take the stairs!!!! I can't stress it enough, I mean, if it's 10 floors I understand taking the elevator, but I say 5th floor or less the stairs shouldn't be a problem. (And if it is, then I think this list might be especially important to you.) Suggestion: If you are going to the 10th floor, you could get off at the 7th (or whatever you're comfortable with) and walk the rest. 

7) Waiting for the bus? If the bus is going to be a while, you could walk to the next stop. Or just take a 10 minute walk around.

8) Walk up the escalator. You could just stand there and let it do all the work, or you could walk up it, and save a little time.

9) Fidget. Tap those fingers, move around in your chair. Re-position yourself, whatever you can think of. I remember reading somewhere, years ago, that if you fidget throughout the day you could burn up to 600 calories. I think 600 calories from fidgeting would be an extreme and unlikely, but I'm sure it's possible to burn a few hundred. (That's like a small workout at the gym!)

10) On the phone? Pace! Don't just sit there, walk around!

11) Ladies... Don't forget your kegel exercises! Whether you're waiting in line at the grocery store or waiting for that red light to change to green.

12) Sit on an exercise ball rather than a computer chair. It's better for your core!

13) Skip! If you're just walking around the house, put a little bounce in that step! You'll burn extra calories!

Just Dance!

14) Just Dance. Ever played it? It's for Nintendo Wii, Playstation Move, and Xbox Kinect. It is so much fun, and a pretty good workout if you really get into it. I'm not telling you to go out and buy a new game console, but I bet one of your friends has one, and I think the game is fairly inexpensive. Go over and play! You can play with up to 4 people and the more people the more fun! I'm not going to lie, you will look silly, but who cares! It's a blast! Trust me on this one guys.

15) Practice proper posture. So important! It uses muscles throughout the body, therefore you are burning more calories.

16) While you're standing waiting for something somewhere, contract your butt muscles, hold for 2-4 seconds, release, repeat. Work those butt muscles!

17) Got to run an errand nearby? Walk or bike!

Playing Tug of War

18) Play with your dog! Tell him to sit and stay, then you go run and hide and call out to him. Make him find you. Give him a treat when he succeeds. Do this 5 or 6 times. And your dog will absolutely love it! (I do this with my dog and he goes crazy, he loves a good game of hide and seek!) You could also play Tug-of-war, or take him for a run or walk. 


19) If you're stuck sitting at a desk, slowly raise one foot 3-4 inches off the ground, hold for 15-20 seconds, slowly drop it back down. Repeat with the other leg. Then do both. It really works your thighs! 


20) Laugh. Laughing is so important in life, it will give you a complete boost and work your abs! So laugh as much as possible. What are some ways that you fit in a little work out here and there throughout your day?

Healthy Nibblets

Fruit Skewers!

I really struggle with eating constantly throughout the day. When I am stuck at home, I feel the need to constantly be putting something in my mouth. So I have come up with a list of healthy things to nibble on throughout the day! Now you don't have to feel guilty about eating all the time.

• Vegetables
• Fruits 
• Water - it will help you to feel fuller so that you won't eat as much! If you find water to plain; add a slice of lemon, some mint leave and/or a few slices of cucumber. 
• Humus - I love humus so much! Costco has really good garlic humus as well as roasted red pepper humus. You can also make your own! 
• Seaweed
• Berries - I love frozen blueberries. They're so good! 
• Frozen yogurt - I literally mean take the single serving yogurts and put them in the freezer for a day. They taste awesome and they take a long time to eat. 
• An apple with almond butter
• Popcorn - very low in calories. Be sure to skip the butter!
• Trail mix - You can make your own, add nuts and seeds, a little bit of dried fruit (I love dried coconut and cried mango) and a few chocolate chips if you need that extra sweet thing (I use the mini chippets)
• Cottage cheese with veggies
• Hard boiled egg
• Fruit smoothie