Overnight Overhauls

How to boost your body in 24 hours!

~ Book a Massage ~

A study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology showed that regular pampering can combat water retention. 

~ Breakfast Bonus ~

Your metabolism works best in the morning (so mum was right when she went on about it being the most important meal of the day). Eating a big meal first thing and easing off portion sizes throughout the day can help fire up your metabolism.

~ Brush Baby ~

Dry skin brushing can help break up the toxic fatty deposits that cause cellulite, leaving your skin looking firmer. Brush upwards daily to reap the results.

~ Feeding Your Skin ~

Moisturise the night before and the next morning to leave your skin feeling super soft and hydrated

~ Say No To Sugar ~

Too much sugar can cause havoc on your skin and can lead to breakouts JUST when you really don't want them. If you're keen to see a difference with your skin, cut down on the sugar over a few weeks

~ Water, Water, Water ~

Replace your day's regular tea and coffee with 2 litres of water for clearer skin and eyes. Apart from boosting your metabolism and brightening your skin, it will help you stay hydrated and is normally the solution to when you feel the need to eat when bored.

~ Salt ~

Eating too much salt can lead to water retention leaving you looking puffy and feeling less than fab. If in doubt, try to flush it out with lots of water.

~ Burn Baby Burn ~

According to studies, green tea can boost your metabolism, which in turn can boost your fat burn. There's nothing wrong with drinking up to three cups in a period of 24 hours.

~ Bloat's Away ~

Try to avoid food that brings on bloating.

Yeast is a huge culprit, so don't go near bread, vegemite, or other fermented items like alcohol.

~ Getting Sweaty With It ~

Putting a high intensity workout into your lunch break will not only blast the kilojoules long after you've stopped, but the endorphin rush will leave you feeling awesome.

Words: My Own | Women's Fitness

Image: Pinterest

Busy Season Burnout

I was recently asked to write a post for my companies blog, on the risks of "burning out" during such a busy time of year. Although this was marketed at the hospitality industry, the majority of these tips and tricks will also apply to any of you that have a full time job, and in particular ones that require you to sit at a desk.

Enjoy!

 

According to a Permanent Life Situation Survey, the hospitality industry has one of the highest burnout rates as a result of stress. During the busy festive season, there's a higher demand on employees which is often compounded by the expectation to work more shifts and potentially longer hours. When stress is sustained for too long, it can result in headaches, low morale, lack of motivation and a decrease in work productivity and accuracy. Prolonged periods of stress that aren't dealt with may also result in depression, heart disease and ulcers.

As we say goodbye to another busy year and begin the preparations to welcome in a new one, it's important that as an industry we are aware of the tools that we can use to make the work/life balance adjustment a little easier. Here are five top tips for bypassing busy season burnout.

1. Make the most of your lunch break
If you can't step away during lunch, try to make it a habit not to check emails during the time that you are eating. Take a break and immerse yourself with your social media world, or listen to some music as you eat. Studies have shown that people that listen to music daily have an increase in morale purely by listening to what makes them happy/want to dance/strut around the office.

2. Build exercise into your day
Exercising is a great way to burn off some steam and help reduce stress levels. Even a quick 10 minute walk away from the desk has been proven to clear your head and improve your mood. Why go alone? Bring a colleague with you and hit the pavement together.

3. Plan a healthy diet and stick to it
Healthy eating and exercise go hand in hand. Always start your day with a high in protein breakfast (think oats, omelettes, protein smoothies) to get you through the morning, and start the habit of keeping a water bottle by your area to stay hydrated and alert. Use that bathroom visit as a worthwhile excuse to stretch your legs. Feel like that soft drink but know you don't really need it? Start a collection jar and put the money in the jar instead of buying that soft drink. Count your cash at the end of the month and treat yourself with a non-food reward!

4. Focus on the positives during your work day
Building rituals into your day is extremely important; taking little steps every day towards being fitter, healthier, more positive and a successful version of who you were the day before. Make a list of a few things that made your day amazing. Those moments when you're feeling stressed or down, re-read your list for a pick me up and remind yourself of the power of positivity. As you continue to practise and participate in your rituals, your attitude gradually shifts and your rituals become habits and you will begin to see the rewards and positive change that they bring.

5. Set achievable goals for the new year
Heading into a new year, the predictable question "What's your New Year’s resolution?" starts popping up. I prefer to think of this as a bucket list instead, and rather than coming up with one resolution that probably doesn't sound very appealing come February, a bucket list of points is easier to stick to and enjoy. Write it down somewhere you will see it - at your desk, on the fridge, on your bedroom wall - and fill in what your bucket list for next year will involve with the hints below:
In 2014 I will...

Learn, Grow, Make, Plan, Stop, Start

 

 

 

Words: My Own

 



Motivated - To be or not to be...

Sometimes you might feel some pressure, from yourself or others, to always be that sunny, bubbly and motivated person. To give everything your very best, your 100% every day.

Sometimes, you just aren't going to feel like it.

If you're finding yourself feeling a little low about work, life, love, exercise, health, congrats! you are a normal human being. We all experience it, we all think it, perhaps some more than others, but it doesn't make your individual issues any less important. 

With life actually speeding up now that we've hit December, this might be ample time to sit down, take a few minutes, grab a cup of tea and read through the below to remind yourself that feeling de-motivated is totally normal, and what you can do to help things along.

Accept your having a shit day, or things are not going as planned. Try to get the core of the problem instead of trying to distract yourself, or pushing it to the back of your mind. This is only going to let it fester and grow and take you back in a wider circle. Be honest with yourself and use the tools you have to take positive action. This might be exercising, baking, reading, yoga, going to the beach - however you unwind, use this.

If a friend notices your looking/feeling a little off, and asks, be honest and try not to close up. There's nothing wrong with admitting you're not having a great morning/day/week. Whether you choose to take the advice that comes from this honesty, your friends still care and are there to support you. I recently had a friend go out of her way, after a chat a few hours earlier, to text me and let me know how much she valued our friendship, and said such lovely and warm things about me. Sometimes if you can't believe yourself when you think these things, friends are excellent in reminding you of the qualities of yourself that you may tend to forget you have.

If you find yourself waking up on the wrong side of the bed, and you don't feel like getting out of bed, going to training, being happy on Facebook and Instagram or feeling typically social... you're not a failure. You are just in need of a motivation re-boot and once you recognise this, you're already on your way.

Words: My Own

Images: Pinterest