Hi, friends! It's been awhile since I've done a full official blog post rather than just something on insta! But, it's nice to have something more concrete and easier to go back to, etc... especially because you are going to LOVE all of these healthy tips I'm sharing with you today! I've lost quite a few pounds since the last time I did a post for SmartyPants, as you can see in the side by side below. Here are some of the little things that have made a big difference for me!
1) Drinking 64-100oz of water a day.
Hydration makes a huge difference in our overall health and wellness... and it can be easy to get busy at your desk or with little ones and forget to drink H20. I got this cute water bottle that has little time reminders on the side to help me stay on track. I just make sure to fill it up twice a day! I've also reduced other drinks / extras --- and mostly stick to water, coffee, and an occasional sparkling water.
2) Power up your morning coffee routine!
Speaking of coffee, this was a HUGE change for me because I used to like a *little* coffee with my creamer in the mornings... lol. I used to start my day with 2 huge mugs of coffee and at least 32g of sugar... and nothing else. Now, I combine one serving of protein powder into my coffee to jumpstart my metabolism (I do caramel macchiato protein powder with unsweetened almondmilk into hot coffee, or peanut butter protein powder with unsweetened almondmilk shaken up with cold brew, like in the photo above!)--- and it also gives me enough on my stomach that I can take my vitamins. Then, about 2.5 hours later, I have another small breakfast. Want ideas for this? Let me know in the comments below!
3) Habit Bundling!
This is the idea that when you bundle two healthy habits together, you're more likely to do BOTH. For me, my routine is now: enjoy my protein boosted coffee and take my vitamins immediately thereafter. I love the new SmartyPants' womens capsules -- and take them daily along with a few other supplements my body needs! And I bought this cute rainbow vitamin organizer on Amazon, if you want one too!
4) Prioritizing Sleep
I don't know about you, but the pandemic definitely messed with my sleep habits! I stayed up later and later, just to have a few minutes of quiet alone time after my daughter finallllllllllly went to sleep. So what used to be a 9:30-10pm bedtime for me quickly turned into midnight or later... for almost 2 years. Now I am winding things down a little earlier; we've removed the TV from our bedroom; and we bought a sleep # bed because I like a super soft mattress and my hubby wants to sleep on a rock... LOL.
5) Accountability / Coach
Having a health coach has been a huge part of my success! Checking in with someone, getting support / tips, and having someone celebrate mini-milestones along the way has been key. And the beauty of it is... with technology, we can do all of this by texting, Zoom face-to-faces, and phone calls!
6) Instead of brunching, invite friends on a walk or hike!
Perhaps my favorite go-to tip lately is to invite friends on walks. We still get time to chat / catch-up and get some exercise and fresh air, just not centered around food. It's a win-win!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of SmartyPants. All opinions are 100% mine.
Want a protein-packed brunch/lunch option? Try my salmon cobb salad!
photos by Rebecca Durigan
Hi, friends! It's been awhile since I've done a full official blog post rather than just something on insta! But, it's nice to have something more concrete and easier to go back to, etc... especially because you are going to LOVE all of these healthy tips I'm sharing with you today! I've lost quite a few pounds since the last time I did a post for SmartyPants, as you can see in the side by side below. Here are some of the little things that have made a big difference for me!
1) Drinking 64-100oz of water a day.
Hydration makes a huge difference in our overall health and wellness... and it can be easy to get busy at your desk or with little ones and forget to drink H20. I got this cute water bottle that has little time reminders on the side to help me stay on track. I just make sure to fill it up twice a day! I've also reduced other drinks / extras --- and mostly stick to water, coffee, and an occasional sparkling water.
2) Power up your morning coffee routine!
Speaking of coffee, this was a HUGE change for me because I used to like a *little* coffee with my creamer in the mornings... lol. I used to start my day with 2 huge mugs of coffee and at least 32g of sugar... and nothing else. Now, I combine one serving of protein powder into my coffee to jumpstart my metabolism (I do caramel macchiato protein powder with unsweetened almondmilk into hot coffee, or peanut butter protein powder with unsweetened almondmilk shaken up with cold brew, like in the photo above!)--- and it also gives me enough on my stomach that I can take my vitamins. Then, about 2.5 hours later, I have another small breakfast. Want ideas for this? Let me know in the comments below!
3) Habit Bundling!
This is the idea that when you bundle two healthy habits together, you're more likely to do BOTH. For me, my routine is now: enjoy my protein boosted coffee and take my vitamins immediately thereafter. I love the new SmartyPants' womens capsules -- and take them daily along with a few other supplements my body needs! And I bought this cute rainbow vitamin organizer on Amazon, if you want one too!
4) Prioritizing Sleep
I don't know about you, but the pandemic definitely messed with my sleep habits! I stayed up later and later, just to have a few minutes of quiet alone time after my daughter finallllllllllly went to sleep. So what used to be a 9:30-10pm bedtime for me quickly turned into midnight or later... for almost 2 years. Now I am winding things down a little earlier; we've removed the TV from our bedroom; and we bought a sleep # bed because I like a super soft mattress and my hubby wants to sleep on a rock... LOL.
5) Accountability / Coach
Having a health coach has been a huge part of my success! Checking in with someone, getting support / tips, and having someone celebrate mini-milestones along the way has been key. And the beauty of it is... with technology, we can do all of this by texting, Zoom face-to-faces, and phone calls!
6) Instead of brunching, invite friends on a walk or hike!
Perhaps my favorite go-to tip lately is to invite friends on walks. We still get time to chat / catch-up and get some exercise and fresh air, just not centered around food. It's a win-win!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of SmartyPants. All opinions are 100% mine.
Want a protein-packed brunch/lunch option? Try my salmon cobb salad!