Hi Friends!
Honestly, I started this post a LONG time ago and left it sitting in my drafts because I questioned myself – what do I know about living a healthy lifestyle? I don’t “workout” every day, I don’t use a ton of health products, and sure don’t eat healthy all the time. I finally realized, though, that each person has a different definition of “healthy” – I just wanted to share MY practices for a healthier ME!
I have tried to be more mindful of my health especially in the past few months due to quarantine. These practices, though, apply to right now in quarantine AND outside (no pun intended) of this time as well! I have been doing many of these things for a long time, but have been making more of an effort to “perfect” them while being at home all the time! So, without further ado, here are the small steps I take toward a healthier lifestyle for ME.
You can shop any of the products I list below by clicking on the links or going to my LIKETOKNOW.it page: liketknow.it/coffeewithmckenna.
My Consumption
- Drink your water!
- Get a tumbler/bottle with a straw! I have found that I drink MUCH more water when I have a cup with a straw! I have several tumblers with straws that I keep at work, in the car, and at home! I linked a few examples here, including glass straws that work with any cup you already have (plus some straw cleaners!!)
- Always have a bottle/cup of water with you! You are more likely to drink more water when you always have some with you (…duh I know) so I have bottles of water in my car and purse at all times!
- Try to stop eating by 7pm: This is TOUGH and almost impossible!!! This is just my rule of thumb for myself since I typically get off work at 4pm so I can then eat dinner between 5-6:30pm and then inevitably have dessert at 6:30pm 😉 I have noticed that I even sleep better when I stop eating by 7pm!
- Try to cut out as much dairy as possible: I am not lactose intolerant that I know of but have seen a difference in my skin and digestive system when I started cutting my dairy intake! I now only use milk for cooking, and have almond milk the rest of the time! As for cheese….ya girl can’t cut that out but I have limited my intake (boo).
- Monitor sugar intake: I love sugar and everything it is in!!! But lately I have really been monitoring my sugar intake and going with choices that have less sugar in them. For example, I don’t need a coffee with 2 tablespoons of sugar (!!!) so I go for a less sugar filled option.
My Supplements
- Collagen: You can take collagen for many different reasons, but I started taking it to improve my hair and nail growth. I take Modere Life liquid collagen and it as made my hair thicker, nails less brittle, and helped my skin immensely! I am blown away! If you want to try it out, get $10 off when you use this link or use referral code: 2722402! A couple quick facts about Modere Life specifically:
- Liquid BioCell® Life is the super nutraceutical with award-winning Liquid BioCell®, an ingredient that is clinically shown to promote healthy aging, active joints and younger-looking skin.
- Has a unique liquid delivery system that provides fast absorption and results vs the common powder collagen.
- Goli Gummies: I take two of these gummies per day for “dessert” because I think they are so good! They definitely help satisfy my sweet tooth. If you want to try them, use this link or code coffeewithmckenna to get 5% off your order! A couple of quick facts about Goli Gummies:
- 2 Gummies = 1 Apple Cider Vinegar Shot
- Benefits include: healthy digestion, improves complexion, helps detoxify body, promotes healthy heart, boots energy!
- Pantothenic Acid: I started taking this because I heard it was good for skin, and I have seen results! I got mine off of Amazon. A couple quick facts about Pantothenic Acid:
- Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B-5) is a member of the B-complex family of vitamins and is found in nearly every living cell as a component of coenzyme A (CoA).
- VITAMIN B-5: CoA is essential for the generation of energy from fat, carbohydrate, and protein.
- Women’s Multivitamins: vitamins are a necessity! I just take the Target brand Women’s multivitamin but there are lots of cool programs that you can sign up for to will tell you specific vitamins you need to take for your lifestyle!
- Iron: I take the Nature Made iron supplements every other day or so because I have a history of being anemic.
My Skin Care
- Practice skin care EVERY MORNING AND EVERY NIGHT! You may not think you have time or money to spend on skincare, but you can’t afford to skip it! You will pay for it later. The photo above has my skincare routine for each night; then in the morning, I follow the same routine but start at step 2!
- You can find my step by step skincare process and links to shop these products here!
- Makeup Eraser cloth: not only is this better for the environment by using less makeup wipes, but it is better for your skin! I can actually get all of my makeup off using this one cloth with less scrubbing than using my old disposable makeup wipes! Swear by this thing!
- Paula’s Choice Toner + reusable toner pads: I have been using this toner for years and it is the best! I also love the reusable pads – one side is supposed to remove your make up and the other is for toner, but I use both sides for toner! They come in a machine washable bag as well. You help the environment by creating less waste (like cotton swabs) and save money!
- Cetaphil cleanser and lotion: I have sensitive skin and have been using Cetaphil for a LONG time since it is gentle. The lotion is not oily or thick which is great.
- Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum: Niacinamide (vitamin B3) reduces the appearance of skin blemishes and congestion.
- Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Serum: This serum is for multi-depth hydration, a wonderful solution for dryness!
- See the supplements in the section above – many of them have helped my skin clear up!
- Find makeup that your skin likes! Everyone’s skin is different, so finding products that your skin doesn’t mind wearing all day is key! If your skin is irritated at the end of the day after wearing makeup, that’s not right!!! It has taken me forever (and hundreds of products) to find what works for me – some of which you can find linked here!
My “To Do’s”
- Move a little every day! I do not like exercise but it is obvious I feel better when I ride my bike (linked here) or go for a walk. I try to move at least 30 minutes per day!
- Keep a notebook or a notes page in your phone! Write down ideas, worries, frustrations, things you are thankful for. I am a very visual person so writing these things down gets it out of my brain and onto a page that I can read again (for ideas/thankful lists) or delete/throw away (for frustrations/worries)
- Have something to look forward to! It can be a vacation, a goal deadline, seeing a friend – anything that keeps you motivated and excited!! Mine are usually vacations or events like concerts.
Mental Health
THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP OF ALL: TREAT YOURSELF WITH KINDNESS!!! This is probably the most difficult tip, but the most critical. YOU are all you have at the end of the day, so you might as well appreciate, thank, and care for yourself! I am still learning to do this and it will always be an uphill battle for me.
Mental health is SO IMPORTANT. Becoming more self aware is key: how do I feel? How do I REALLY feel? How does my body feel? Check in with yourself often throughout the day. Are you hungry? EAT! Even if you just ate an hour ago, your body is telling you that you are hungry. Are you stressed? TAKE A BREAK! Go for a walk or sit with your eyes closed for a moment. As a part of mental health awareness month, I want to challenge each of us to really tune in to ourselves rather than always paying attention to others.
You are beautiful no matter what decisions you make or products you use – just remember that! I do hope that this helped you get some more ideas about what you could do in your life to practice a “healthy lifestyle” – whatever that means to YOU!
Lots of love,
McKenna
