6 NON-DIET wellness tips for a healthy mind, body & soul

In the depths of my struggles with disordered eating, I likely googled “how to lose weight fast” or “the perfect diet to get skinny” a million and one times. Spoiler alert - I could never find what I was looking for because IT DOESN’T EXIST!! Modifying the food I ate, reducing portion sizes and alcohol intake - of course these changes could help. However, over the years I have learned that there is SO much more to wellness and different pieces of the "health” puzzle.

Here are 6 wellness tips for a healthy mind, body and soul that have NOTHING to do with the actual food you are consuming!! None of the items on this list will likely surprise you, however if you have spent years focused purely on food and diet, this might serve as a reminder to consider the whole picture.

1. Sleep - I likely don’t need to remind you that 6-8 hours of sleep a night is ideal for so many reasons. I know at various stages of life, this isn’t always feasible. That being said, do your best because a good night sleep is crucial for so many of your bodily functions. If you are a night owl who can’t wind down until midnight, start small. Get into bed 15 minutes earlier for a few nights and keep pushing it back. If you are having difficulty falling or staying asleep, see your doctor and address this. It isn’t something that you should ignore.

2. Water intake - Again it isn’t rocket science to know how important drinking water throughout the day is for your health. It aids with digestion, gives you healthy glowing skin, and has so many other benefits. Yet most of us are constantly on the go and this habit can easily fall by the wayside. You will notice a theme in all these tips of starting small. If you don’t EVER drink water, starting to drink 8 glasses of water all of a sudden isn’t feasible. Start with 1 glass for a week. Once you master that, add another and keep going…

3. Movement - Move your body. And find a form of movement that you enjoy. Because if it isn’t something that you love, you won’t stay consistent with it. As the weather is getting nicer, go outside for a walk. Roll out your yoga mat and do a flow. Hop on your Peloton if you have one. There are so many options online for free workouts. It can be for an hour, or 15 minutes. As long as you are moving and releasing those feel good endorphins.

4. Watch your thoughts - We are all wired to think negative thoughts and likely have the same ones on repeat day in and day out. However, the stress and anxiety that might arise from these thoughts isn’t good for your health. Start to take notice of your thoughts. Get a pen and paper and write them all out. Notice the themes and see if you can start working on shifting any of them. Start focusing on the things in your life that you can control, especially in our world right now when so much is out of your control.

5. Meditate - I know, you barely have time to stop during the day to eat lunch, how are you going to find time to meditate. And when you try meditating, your mind doesn’t shut off and you can’t do it right - does this sound familiar?? I used to have the same view on meditation. Until I realized there is no right or wrong way to do it. Actually the game changer for me was realizing if I wanted to lie down to be more comfortable, I could. Again, there are so many free apps online with guided meditations. Or you can put on your favourite song and close your eyes, or even do a walking meditation. It is completely NORMAL for your mind to race and the key is that the more you practice, the better able you will be to get quieter.

6. Connection - Restrictions are lifting and the world is opening up more. After almost 2 years of sporadic isolation, I know I definitely realize how much I value true and deep connection. And talking through a computer doesn’t always cut it!! Get back into the routine of planning girls night, date night, or even a walk to catch up with a friend. We are intrinsically wired for this connection and it is so good for our souls!!