There is no question that the best way to lose weight is to reduce your caloric intake while engaging in regular physical activity. But did you know that you can maximize your weight loss with relaxing self-care?

Eating ice cream in your pyjamas might seem relaxing, but it isn’t going to help you reach your goals. Instead, opt for a combination of these healthy self-care practices that will leave you feeling happier and lighter. You really can support your weight loss with healthy forms of relaxation.

Help Muscles Recover With Yoga

There are several reasons why it’s helpful to incorporate relaxing yoga techniques into your weight-loss plan. First, if you want your muscles to give their all during your workout, you need to give them time to recover after heavy weight-bearing exercises and extended cardio sessions. Second, incorporating relaxing yoga helps you to avoid burning out. The symptoms of burnout, including feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, are the primary causes of people giving up on their healthy lifestyle. Finally, relaxing yoga is a proven stress-buster, helping you to handle the challenges that come by incorporating healthy eating and fitness into your daily lifestyle. 

Meditate Mindfully

Studies have found several positive physical effects of regular meditation practice, including a reduced risk of heart disease, lower levels of depression, and a reduction in the symptoms associated with many inflammatory illnesses. Schedule some time every day or every week to tune out to your favourite meditation app.

Warm-Up at an Infrared Sauna

Infrared saunas can reach temperatures of 54°C, speeding up your heart rate and forcing your body to work harder to cool you down. This metabolic process burns calories in much the same way as a workout. If that’s not enough, the warmth is super-soothing (especially in the cold winter months!). Play it safe (consult your doctor first) and begin with a five-minute sauna session, gradually working your way up to 30 minutes.

Indulge in a Massage

There are countless different types of massage, and each helps boost weight-loss efforts in a different way. Sports massage is designed with the athlete in mind. The registered massage therapist uses a variety of techniques to treat fitness-related injuries and, more importantly, reduce the risk of future injury. On the other hand, a relaxing hot stone massage can help you forget about worries related to body image, weight, or fitness level. No matter which type of massage you choose, make sure it is delivered by a registered massage therapist.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

In order to lose weight, you need to give your body at least seven or eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. A lack of sleep can mess with your body’s insulin levels, which ultimately causes your body to store fat instead of burning it. Similarly, adequate sleep is necessary for your body to balance its hunger-causing hormones (such as ghrelin and leptin). When these hormones are out of whack, it causes insatiable cravings for unhealthy foods. Improve your sleep hygiene by leaving your electronics in the living room, investing in light-blocking curtains, and keeping your bedroom comfortably cool.

Take a Responsible Rest Day

Every fitness fanatic knows about rest days — those days when you aren’t scheduled to go to the gym or the running track. However, slouching on the couch with a bag of tortilla chips could undo all of the hard work you put in that week. Instead, engage in light activities such as walking the dog or splashing around in the community pool.

Pushing yourself too hard is a recipe for weight-loss disaster. It’s important to balance your diet and exercise routine with a responsible self-care regimen. Following these healthy rest and relaxation tips will keep you feeling as good as you’re going to look.

Have you ever felt like you got up on the wrong side of the bed, triggering a downward spiral that lingered all day? How you wake up in the morning has everything to do with how the rest of your day will go. With this in mind, it’s helpful to develop a routine that will set the stage for a more positive and productive day.

Try adding these 6 healthy morning habits to your daily ritual:

1. Drink a glass of water right away.

If you’re waking up groggy and tired after a full night’s sleep, there’s a good chance mild dehydration is at play. While asleep, the only fluid you’re swallowing is saliva and that’s not nearly enough to keep your body hydrated. A full glass of water will help bring your cells to life and get your digestive system working. If you incorporate this into your healthy morning habits, you’ll probably notice better-looking skin and improved digestive function.

2. Pause before checking your phone or email

When you sleep with your phone nearby and check it as soon as you open your eyes, you create an exaggerated sense of urgency that can lead to a stressful day. Your mind will be much more clear and focused if you learn to wait at least an hour before checking emails, messages, and social media. Instead of using the alarm on your mobile phone, invest in a real alarm clock—eliminating any excuse to keep your phone within reach.

3. Create a gratitude list as part of your healthy morning habits

Instead of waking up with a sense of dread, try focusing on gratitude. Come up with a list of things you’re grateful for the night before and read it when you wake up. The longer the list is, the better. By the time you jump in the shower, your mind will be focused on positive thoughts. This can make all the difference in how you interact with others throughout the day.

4. Get outside

Take in some fresh air and natural sunlight as soon as possible. Weather permitting, get into the habit of taking a 15-minute walk each morning before doing anything else. Your body needs sunlight to produce sufficient quantities of vitamin D and if your workdays are spent locked up inside an office or warehouse, your best opportunity to soak up the sun’s rays may be in the early morning.

5. Move your body

If you start your morning with exercise, the rest of your day will seem less stressful. The physical movement and effort you make will get your blood pumping and restore alertness after a night’s sleep. Any form of exercise will improve your sense of well-being, including stretching and tai chi. Walking and running are popular among morning exercise enthusiasts, especially those who enjoy the outdoors.

6. Eat a healthy breakfast

Skipping breakfast deprives your body of vital nutrients it needs to operate properly—it will have already gone a minimum of eight hours without food since your last meal. Instead of eating the same processed cereal you always eat, try feeding your body real nourishing food that will boost your metabolism and provide the fuel you need to get through the day. Eggs, oats, fruit, greens, and breakfast shakes are excellent options that won’t take long to prepare.

Establishing healthy morning habits will ensure your day gets off to the best possible start.

Remember, your morning routine will largely determine how the rest of your day goes. It may take some time for these new wellness habits to stick, but if you work on them one at a time you’ll soon see a difference that should inspire you to keep at it!

Headaches and neck stress can sneak up on us without us really paying heed… until it becomes too painful or interferes with our activities and sleep.

While a headache can be a symptom of many conditions, it can be caused by poor posture. This is commonly the case if you spend a lot of time in front of a computer. Busy schedules often push us to bypass moments of self-care throughout our work-day – such as stretching or massage breaks – that would prevent avoidable discomfort. Taking a moment to properly stretch your neck can do wonders for your overall wellness.

About your heavy head…

Your neck is constantly under pressure. It carries your head’s weight, which is about 10 to 15 pounds. (That’s 8% of your total body weight!) Optimal posture places the head’s weight vertically on the shoulders, but many times a day we lean forward, causing the neck to cope with greater force. Each time you lean towards your screen or check your smartphone, your neck is straining with more pressure. Be nice to yourself and learn how to stretch your neck!

Try these two simple stretches to relax your neck muscles and improve your posture. Repeat them several times throughout the day to keep your muscles more relaxed. (If you feel any discomfort or pain during any of these exercises see your doctor!)

A do-it-anywhere neck stretch

Give your neck a light stretch with this exercise. Either sitting or standing with good posture, keep your back straight and shoulders aligned with the hips. Move your head slowly and hold each position for about 20 seconds:
• Tuck your chin down while keeping your back straight. Hold and return.
• Lift your chin and tilt your head backwards. Hold and return.
• Tilt your head to the right by directing your ear towards your shoulder. Hold and return. Do the same move to the left. Hold and return.
• Turn your head to the right and to the comfortable limit of your motion. Hold and return. Repeat the same motion to the left. Hold and return.

Do the corner stretch

Open your chest to compensate for the neck-straining hunching posture we often take on.

• Standing, face the corner of the room with your feet together.
• Place your palms and forearms on each wall at a ninety-degree angle, keeping the elbows a little below your shoulders.
• Gently pull down your shoulders while pushing your forearms against the walls and engaging your abdominals.
• Take a step forward to lunge toward the corner, allowing your chest to lift slightly as you flow through this motion.
• Hold, pull down your shoulders and lift your chest and abdominals into the corner. Hold for about 20 seconds.
• Step back and release.
• Repeat with the other leg.

There are additional neck stretching exercises that deserve to be in your neck care routine. If you want to learn them or need any help with these stretches, book a consultation.

Stretch your neck through massage

Therapeutic massage offers another way to stretch out tight muscles. Massage can work through relaxation techniques or deep tissue treatments that can break up scar tissue.

Learning how to stretch your neck and making a habit of it can make neck-stress-induced headaches and neck pain a thing of the past.