{"id":132373,"date":"2024-09-19T06:49:28","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T10:49:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/?p=132373"},"modified":"2024-09-20T12:51:36","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T16:51:36","slug":"things-i-had-to-learn-the-hard-way-about-health-and-wellness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/19\/things-i-had-to-learn-the-hard-way-about-health-and-wellness\/","title":{"rendered":"things I had to learn the hard way about health and wellness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi friends! How\u2019s the week going? I hope that you\u2019re having an amazing week. It\u2019s been wild around here as usual, working during the day and chasing the kids around in the afternoons and evenings. I feel like summer was so peaceful and that the school year is pure chaos. I\u2019m still trying to figure out how to balance everything, especially since the kids are busy with their own activities + boatloads of homework.<\/p>\n

For today\u2019s post, I wanted to chat a little bit about my personal wellness and health journey and some of the things I had to learn the hard way. If you\u2019re an OG blog reader (Hiiiii! Thank you for being here for so long!) you\u2019ve had a front-row seat to how things have changed around time. You\u2019ve seen the cardio queen days, the raw food days, the pregnancies, the good, the bad, the weird, and everything in between. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

It\u2019s funny because as a health and wellness professional, it\u2019s easy to assume that we have it together most of the time and that we follow our own advice. The reality is that many of us are trying out different things, failing, and learning along the way. Even the things you *know* (like the value of sleep, stress management, and eating a dang vegetable) can still be challenging for those of us who work in this industry.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the things that I had to learn the hard way.<\/p>\n

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Things I learned the hard way about health and wellness:<\/h2>\n

\u2013 Everything isn\u2019t for everyone.<\/strong> As someone who has tried pretty much all the things (besides swim-related activities because I\u2019m a float on a raft and doggy paddle kinda girl), I\u2019ve learned that my body doesn\u2019t like every type of exercise class or format. Since I\u2019m still on my healing journey<\/a> and trying to keep inflammation down, I know I still can\u2019t do a ton of sprinting or HIIT right now, and that\u2019s ok. Barre and yoga feel a million times better to me than box jumps and burpees, and I don\u2019t feel like I have to nap afterwards.<\/p>\n

The same goes for nutrition and supplements. Some people do really well on a high fat diet, while others don\u2019t. Some people need more B vitamins and protein, and less carbs, while others need higher carbs and don\u2019t digest protein as well.<\/p>\n

Probiotics can be amazing tools, but if you have gut bacterial overgrowth, it can actually make it worse.<\/p>\n

Cold therapy can tip over an already-full stress bucket.<\/p>\n

It goes on and on.. It\u2019s really about figuring out what works well for YOU \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\u2013 Good shoes make such a huge difference!<\/strong> I think back to my first long distance runs wearing kids\u2019 sized Nikes lol. I\u2019m glad I\u2019ve stepped up my shoe game!<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve tried out so many shoes and my #1 fave right now are Vivobarefoots.<\/a> (<\u2014 that link gets you 20% off) I have a whole post coming about barefoot sneakers, but I love that they enable you to use more muscles in your feet, grip the floor, enable your toes to spread fully, and they\u2019re super lightweight for travel.<\/p>\n

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\u2013 Workout attire doesn\u2019t matter so much, but it can be fun for motivation.<\/strong> I used to spend SO much on workout clothes, but now, I only get dressed when I take a studio class. If I\u2019m at home, I\u2019m usually barefoot and in my pajamas. Sculpt Society<\/a> is my favorite pajama workout.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Lots of raw foods can be hard to digest.<\/strong> When you don\u2019t eat a ton of fiber, it can be tricky on the digestive system to add in a lot of salads and raw veggies. Steaming, baking, sauteeing, and roasting the veggies makes them easier to digest.<\/p>\n

\u2013 It\u2019s worth skipping the evening scroll and down time to sleep.<\/strong> After a long day, I used to feel like I *earned it* to stay up late, sipping wine, watching TV, or scrolling on my phone. I had major fatigue for years. Now that I\u2019ve become super protective about my sleep, I\u2019m a happier and more energized person.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Just pick up the weights.<\/strong> I used to be passionate about strength training, but now it\u2019s something I force myself to do at least 2-3 times a week. I think I just got so burned out by constantly programming for others, and the last thing I wanted to do was program for myself. When I lift heavy weights, it\u2019s usually at an F45 strength day.<\/p>\n

As a woman, strength training is so important. When I neglected strength training and overdid it on the cardio, I was unhappy with my body composition. From a vanity standpoint, it makes a huge difference, and from a longevity perspective, it\u2019s invaluable.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Alcohol doesn\u2019t like me.\u00a0<\/strong>I love some wine or a margarita, and will still enjoy one here and there, but for the most part, it makes me look puffy, I sleep horrible, and it affects my blood sugar levels for the entire next day. It has to be worth it to me. Here\u2019s more about how I reduced my wine intake over time<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u2013 Consistency beats intensity, any day.<\/strong> When I was a young spring chicken, I was all about quantity and intensity. More hours, more sweat, more classes. It\u2019s no wonder I was hangry and moody a lot of the time. I also used to get injured quite a bit from overtraining. Now, exercise is a box that I check each day. It\u2019s not as intense as it used to be, but I\u2019m super consistent with moving my body in a way that feels good. Exercise used to feel like punishment; it now feels like joy.<\/p>\n

What would you add to the list, friends? Anything you had to learn the hard way in your health and wellness journey?<\/p>\n

I\u2019m looking forward to reading your experiences in the comments section!<\/p>\n

Have a wonderufl day and I\u2019ll see ya soon.<\/p>\n

xoxo<\/p>\n

Gina<\/p>\n

The post things I had to learn the hard way about health and wellness<\/a> appeared first on The Fitnessista<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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