This is a sponsored post brought to you by The Incredible Egg. As always, all opinions are my own.
As 2019 is in full swing I have seen so many “New Year, New Me” type posts. Many of which focus solely on weight loss. Unfortunately, many of us get stuck being so focused on “losing weight and feeling great” that your journey to more positive living becomes unbearable. When I sat down and started to evaluate my 2018, I realized it was a rollercoaster of highs and lows and now that we have made it through the storm, I found myself simply wanting to find consistent happiness. You see, as I went through the evaluation process, I came to terms with the simple fact that happiness is not something that simply happens. It is cultivated, just like your health.
If you read my last blog post inspired by The Incredible Egg, then you know my main goal was all about building a “happiness centered life” in 2019. After the holidays came to a close, I indulged more than I normally do. I sipped wine and ate indulgent Italian food with my family and enjoyed every bite! Thankfully, once we returned home, I was able to get right back into the swing of things by eating three square meals a day and hitting my hydration goals which in turn reset my gut and offered me a clearer mind. As we are a month into the New Year, I was happy to have created a tangible happiness plan where my health is at the forefront.
This day and age, making positive food choices should be intuitive, not restrictive. If you are having a major craving, give in here and there. Restricting foods you love helps to develop a negative connection and usually sparks a downward spiral. The holidays and cold weather are a time to enjoy stick-to-your-ribs dishes. I am a firm believer that you can and should find room to enjoy the foods you love; however, finding balance takes a bit of work.
For example, if you know that you will be attending a party or indulgent dinner with friends, I suggest trying your best to:
Eat a balanced breakfast:
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- Oatmeal with egg whites folded into them
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- Avocado toast topped with a poached egg
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- Two hard-boiled eggs with a small green smoothie
- 2 Eggs scrambled with spinach and tomato
Also, aim to have a nutritious lunch, sweat for at least 30 minutes and drink as much water as you can. This way, you can feel really good about delicious food and cocktails that evening. Building a conscious lifestyle takes time. There is no “Quick-fix” and if you keep that in the back of your mind, it will help you make positive choices every day. So, just like one “bad” meal won’t make you obese, one green smoothie will not create a conscious lifestyle. We all enter a new year with the best intentions, so cut yourself some slack and hop back on the wagon ASAP!
Honestly, before the holidays started I was truly struggling. You may not have known it from my glossy Instagram feed, but we were living in the perfect storm. We had a newborn, packed up our house in Miami, my husband started a new job in California, we were living out of suitcases for over a month and I was exhausted! Unfortunately, we all suffered, but thankfully I was determined to come out the other side. I took a bit of a digital detox over Christmas, and we spent time with family and friends without feeling the need to share every second on social media. We even had a couple of date nights. The last piece of the puzzle is to find a sitter so I can do some more health and wellness things for myself. Like taking group fitness classes and indulging in a bit more self-care.
Penning the steps to live a happier life enabled me to take my happiness into my own hands. In a short time, I have made positive and sustainable changes that have helped me stay on track. Of course, there are always going to be good and bad days, but the more conscious meals I eat, the more my husband and I communicate, the more I take care of myself, the better I feel. So, this year, I want to encourage you to put pen to paper and write down what you want your life to look like next month and next year. Kick the resolutions to the curb, and write down the steps you will take to build your own HAPPINESS CENTERED LIFE in 2019. Happiness means different things for all of us and honestly my health the cornerstone of my happiness…what is yours? Tell me below.