This year I'm making it my priority to focus on my health - inside and outside, physical and emotional - my whole health.
For the outside that includes lots of long walks, a few runs, tonnes of skipping, a bit of lounge room boogie, and plenty of bending, stretching, breathing and one heck of an attitude adjustment to my overall health and happiness.
And for the inside, I'm doing that with a little help from the Arbonne 30 Days Healthy Living and Beyond Program and their supplements and essential nutrition range.
The range includes protein shakes, meal replacement shakes, a super clean 3-ingredient protein booster, protein bars, alkalising greens, all important fibre, B-vitamin energy drinks, a pre workout, during workout hydration, an after workout supplement and metabolism boosters to name a few. And bonus - Arbonne products are vegan, gluten free, preservative free, and drug free BSCG certified.
*The typical results are different for everyone. Results vary depending on individual effort, skin type, body composition, age, eating patterns, exercise, and the like. This is not official material created by Arbonne, rather my own thoughts, opinions and desires.
For me in 2017 it's all about smart choices, simplicity, consistency and finding the fun in everything. Though as you know, it's the reasons behind the motivation that keep you on track on a journey like this. Here's why it's important for me to finally take better care of myself:
To release some unhealthy habits that are not giving me joy!
With the cleaning up of my life in every way - relationships, my wardrobe, and the decision to move states at the end of last year - also came the clarity of my priorities and the cleaning up of my diet and attitude to fitness. The lack of joy around my self-confidence and physical sense of self has already benefited from healthy habit swaps, but it's the area I expect to see even more change in over the course of the year, and the one most likely to influence so many other positive changes in my day to day happiness levels. And when you're feeling happy, it's hard not to attract beautiful opportunities and even happier people to you. And I am so keen for that!
'Release' some unhealthy weight so I can wear cuter clothes 😉
I say 'release' because a wise woman recently reminded me 'you don't exactly want to find it again.' No I don't, point taken. I love and appreciate bodies of all shapes and sizes and to be clear, I could go on living with the body I have right now, but factor in the unhealthy habits and you have a picture of unhealthy Sam - I am not feeling as vibrant and strong and well as I know I can, and weight is just one outward result of improving that. I'm also falling back in love with fashion, and embracing all facets of my style and personality the more my self-confidence strengthens. So a wardrobe transformation is a big part of my motivation and one that I love to incentivise myself with most. New goal smashed = new pair of shoes. It's win/win. Plus I know I can look and feel great in pretty much anything when my body feels good. And I certainly don't want to hold back on saying yes to fun times over un-fun body fears. I am ready to feel every inch my super, stylin, sassy, smiling self!
To improve overall health & fitness so I can travel better
On the same note as not wanting to miss out, wanting to feel fitter to become a better traveller is right up there on my priority list. Ben and I are planning to spend a great deal of the next 3-5 years exploring the world and that includes a good dose of adventuring - walking the Camino trail, white water rafting in New Zealand, hiking across the US, and cycling all over Europe to name a few. Being as unfit as I am right now would not make for easy or enjoyable global adventures, not to mention what a weaker immune system might suffer on such travels. It's listening to my basic human needs to move, stretch, soothe and nourish and to do this with a little help from a simple program and supportive bunch of peeps means it's so doable for me to sustain and give this wish a big tick.
To improve sleep...because #lovesleep
I have lately been a very light sleeper, taking a long time to get to sleep and waking up often, resulting in often feeling tired - and probably looking it. Last year I spent some time in front of the mirror to have chats with my body and to really listening to what it needed. I saw my skin, eyes and hair having more lack-lustre days than not and that's not a normal I was ready to accept at 33. Hydration has been and will continue to be an important healthy habit to improve all that, but so too is the exertion of excess energy, detoxifying, and increased consumption of nourishing foods. The Healthy Living Program has taught me about clean, simple, self-nurturing consistency of these things more than any other program I've attempted to follow, and the improvements to seemingly small areas like sleep, sinuses, clearer eyes and the return of a 'glow' has been an awesome bonus worth continuing for.
"I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you."
- Joyce Meyer
So far, SO good.
Eating clean and consciously and my daily walks have become quite easy and natural. But now it's upping the sweat factor and strengthening my mindset too. Allowing myself to have a glass of wine or row of chocolate every now and then. Listening and allowing instead of denying. And that applies to the good too - listening and allowing myself to stretch and sleep and run and drink more water - because too often 'busyness' would stop me from hearing those things my body was so craving.
I'm feeling mighty fine, and some small noticeable changes feel fantastic, so I'm pretty sure this won't just be a 2017 gig, but 'New Normal' forevermore.
What are your health goals this year and how are you tracking?
Start the conversation in the comments below.
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*I am an Arbonne Independent Consultant and these are my own opinions.
This is not material provided by Arbonne and I am not a nutritionist.
