Gratitude

Living with Gratitude: How To Make Every Day Count

by Jessica Gaynor

You’ve got one life. These are our tips on how to get the most out of it!  

It’s easy to see the glass half empty right now. After COVID-19, Stress has been labeled as the number  one health pandemic, the global economy has hit one of its all time lows and poverty is rife.  

How can we possibly see the glass half full?  

The Secret to Happiness  

Ah, the age-old question!  

There was a 75 year-long study at Harvard focused on uncovering the most important factor in human  happiness. You might be thinking: financial stability or having a purpose right? The conclusion might  surprise you… It’s a human connection.  

When we talk about human connection, we’re not talking all that social media stuff. We’re talking real  physical and emotional connection with other human beings, and the quality and depth of those  relationships.  

Human interaction can foster a great sense of community and sense of support. 2 Things we have always  needed and will always need as humans to grow within ourselves and within the world. When we have a  sense of community and support, we feel safer and more willing to try new things because we know 

we’ll be backed up by our tribe regardless of the outcome. Not to mention, it’s been proven that daily,  quality social interaction can slow the onset of memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease.  

So get out there and socialise (socially distanced of course!), make those connections, find your tribe and  try new things to get the most out of life and keep your mind healthy. But this isn’t the only thing you  can do to elevate your life…  

We can actually rewire our brains  

Until fairly recently, scientists firmly believed that the brain is unchangeable when we become adults.  Who we are is who we are. Solid, concrete, unalterable brains. Once we’re adults, that’s who we are – no  buts about it.  

Now we understand that the brain can be remolded and rewired to think differently – a term known as  ‘neuroplasticity’.  

If you’ve always got a gloomy outlook on life, fear not – you can change your mindset! If you have a bad  habit, you can change that too (phew!). All thanks to the ever-changing miracle and mystery that is your  brain. The secret to changing the brain is repetition.  

It’s all about habits  

To start thinking differently, you need to create new habits that support the life you want to live. You  need to implement changes consistently. The tried and tested way to build a habit is to ‘habit stack’.  

Habit stacking means doing the “new” habit right after an existing one. For example you could try  meditating and brushing your teeth in the morning – because that’s something you do every day  (hopefully!).  

The more we repeat something or think in a certain way and make it a habit, the faster our brains will be  rewired in line with those thoughts and actions. So let’s make sure it’s a positive change!  

Creating an attitude of gratitude  

Expressing gratitude is the single most powerful way to create a more positive outlook on life. When we  focus on what we’re grateful for, we focus on what’s good in our lives. Then, by repeatedly focusing on  the good, we start to create a habit of thinking positively which ultimately extends to the way we see the  world. 

There are a few ways we can change our view on life:  

  1. Keep a gratitude journal 

Did you know that the information we learn with multiple senses sticks more easily? Writing in particular  is a very powerful tool we can use to learn because it engages both our senses of touch and sight. This is  known as ‘multimodal learning’.  

Get yourself a notebook in a size that floats your boat. A bonus for this one is if it looks nice on the  outside so you’re more drawn to pick it up and use it. Keep it in a place where you’ll see it often – next to  your bed is the best.  

Every day – before bed or when you wake up – write down 3 things you’re grateful for. It’s powerful to  write down full sentences that result in affirmations. For example: “I am grateful for my healthy body”.  

When you’re feeling low, have a read through your journal (which over time becomes prey  substantial!). After a year you’ll get to read more or less 1000 things that you get to be grateful for. 

  1. Take -me off social media  

Ever had a “(s)he’s got it all” moment when you’re scrolling? It’s really easy to get down into a slump  because your life seemingly isn’t as good as others’. It’s important to remember that people don’t post  their life’s lows. All you’re seeing are people’s highlights and that’s not real life.  

Set up the screen balance feature on your phone – they all have one! Make sure you’re not  scrolling through unrealistic expectations all day. Put your phone away and sit in the present to  acknowledge what you have in this moment. Why not even have a read through that gratitude journal?  

  1. Breathe 

It’s something we do without even thinking but really should. You know that thing where the air moves  in and out of the body and gives us life? Yeah that one!  

When you focus on the breath, you bring yourself into the present moment and that’s what we all need  the most. We’re always living in the past or the future but very rarely in the present. When we live in the  present we become more aware of what we have and how we feel. Basically, we live life in HD and who  doesn’t want that? Breathing in and of itself is something else we can be so grateful for. 

  1. Exercise  

We’re working even longer hours now that many of us work from home and struggle to set work/ home boundaries. We sit for way longer than our bodies were ever designed to do and our spines  compress, giving us all those (very common) back aches and pains. Set a timer on your phone to take a  break from your desk – that might mean just gebng up and walking around the house a few times.  

Try and exercise for 30 minutes, 5 -mes a week or 20 minutes every day. Your body will release happy  hormones and instantly give you a mood booster.  

  1. Give back  

As we spoke about before, community and connection are a big part of who we are as humans. When  we perceive that we are supported and can support others, we instantly have more purpose in life – and  that’s been proven.  

Why not support a charity or cause? Donate clothes or even your time? Taking the -me to help others  will give you a sense of gra-tude and pride in our communities by working towards the common good  for everyone.  

A word from Jessica Gaynor

Through the sharing of knowledge and experience, we want to help build communities and individuals  become the most optimal version of themselves both physically and mentally.  

Your health is your wealth so make lasting changes, one habit at a time.  

 

About Jessica Gaynor

The human mind fascinates me beyond words. After I was diagnosed with stress-induced Epilepsy, I  started to revaluate the way I was living my life and I became acutely aware of the global stress  pandemic. It’s become my life mission to help others become aware of it too, through meditation and  mindfulness – because awareness is the first step towards change.  

I’m a registered Yoga Teacher and Employee Wellness Coach with a focus on mental health and  wellbeing. I am currently studying towards a certification in Yoga Therapy – a discipline centered around  helping people understand and manage both their physical and emotional imbalances in the body. 

April 8, 2021 Eat Well Comments Off on Living with Gratitude: How To Make Every Day Count
Financial Health

FIVE SIMPLE HABITS TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH AND INVESTMENTS

By Nicholas Bezuidenhout

Fostering good habits can be the key to achieving your goals. Here are 5 simple habits that will improve your health and investment outcomes:

 

1.    Seek Ongoing Professional Advice

Consulting a dietician or personal trainer upfront to construct a diet and exercise regime that is appropriate for your goals, although coming at a cost, will save you much frustration and drastically increase your chance of success. Their role is to set achievable goals and appropriate programs to follow to which they will hold you accountable. The interaction should be regular as they can check up on your progress and tweak your program over time (which is especially important should you reach a plateau). Having someone to report back to means that you will be more likely to be engaged and committed.

The same is true for investments. Consulting a Certified Financial Planner® professional will enable you to set up a suitable investment strategy that is affordable and most importantly, one that you can stick with. Active, regular engagement is crucial to prompt you to keep putting funds away when possible (and opportune!) and to help you stay the course. At the same time, a Certified Financial Planner® professional will review the long-term performance and makeup of your portfolio and make suitable recommendations on a forward-looking basis.

As investment returns do not come in a straight line, but rather in a lumpy fashion, staying invested in your strategy is the most important determinant of success. To do so requires emotional control and not making impulsive decisions when investments are down or volatile. A Certified Financial Planner® professional can act as a rational sounding board, to talk through your concerns and to give you additional insight enabling you to avoid costly missteps.

2.    Diversification – the only free lunch!

Although there are myriad diets and nutrition options available, a well-balanced diet is essential for good long-term health. This can be in the form of balancing your macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) or including a balanced variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet.

In a similar way, when it comes to investments, diversification is crucial in building a robust portfolio that can withstand the ups and downs of different business, economic and market cycles. Appropriate diversification allows you to achieve your desired goals whilst lowering the risk of permanent capital loss and reducing the ups and downs of your portfolio.

Investment diversification involves balancing your asset class exposure (local and offshore) between shares (equities), cash, bonds and property. The ideal balance depends on your investment objective, your investment time horizon, your ability to tolerate fluctuations, and your financial capacity to take on risk. You may further diversify between active fund managers, who choose the shares that you are invested in, or passive low-cost index tracking investments. When employing the services of an active fund manager it is beneficial from a risk/return perspective to blend fund managers with different investment styles such as growth and value.

Health and Money

3.    Consistency

Being continually conscious and discerning about what you put into your body whilst being consistent with your exercise routine is the only way to achieve your long-term health goals. The same is true for investments. By setting up a regular contribution with an automatic annual increase together with a reminder to top up your retirement annuity or tax-free savings plan before the end of the tax year, you will be amazed how much sooner you will see results.

4.    Think Long-Term

In today’s technological age of streaming and 24-hour delivery services we all want instantaneous results. Unfortunately, when it comes to your health and investments it takes time to see these results.

Once the appropriate investment portfolio has been implemented then the next step, which is probably the most difficult, is to stick with the strategy and give it time. This requires patience and immense self-control. Like a new diet or exercise plan, the biggest risk to not achieving your goal is that you abandon your plan along the way because you are not seeing the results soon enough. This may happen because you are investing sporadically, evaluating returns over too short a period (most fund managers invest with a 5 to 10 year time horizon) or falling prey to making emotional decisions.

Of course, a very real problem may be that you cannot stomach the ups and downs of your portfolio. This may require a meeting with your Certified Financial Planner® professional to ensure that your portfolio is in line with your risk tolerance level and a tweak or two may be needed. Another strategy is to only look at your investments once a year, after all, the less frequently you look at an investment the less volatile it will become!

5.    Always Look Forward!

We all have binge days when we overeat or periods when we do not exercise. Fixating on those times can create feelings of guilt making it difficult to move forward. Remember, we cannot change the past and the only thing that we have control over is what we do today and going forward. With investments it can be very tempting to base decisions on historic short term investment performance making it enticing to change your portfolio to follow last year’s best performer or to abandon ship when things are down.  This behaviour can be very costly over time as last year’s outperformer can sometimes be next year’s underperformer. By not giving investments time to deliver you can miss out when things pick up. Rather make investment decisions looking forward asking the following 3 questions:

  • Is my portfolio still appropriate for my objectives and risk appetite?
  • Is my portfolio well diversified locally and offshore, between asset classes and quality fund managers with complementary investment styles?
  • Do I need to put more away to make achieving my goals more likely?

The principles of investing are straightforward but implementing them is not. Like any diet or exercise training program, investing requires sacrifice now to benefit your future self. At the same time, avoiding costly missteps requires mastery of your behaviour and an understanding of the common pitfalls that can catch you out. Following the 5 habits above will help you navigate your health and investment journey, significantly improving the chances of a successful outcome.

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More about Nicholas Bezuidenhout

Nicholas is an Actuary and Certified Financial Planner® professional specialising in retirement planning and investments whilst helping people protect their and their family’s financial well-being. Please follow Nicholas at https://nicholasbezuidenhout.com/ and https://twitter.com/nick_bez

 

March 8, 2021 Eat Well Comments Off on FIVE SIMPLE HABITS TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH AND INVESTMENTS
Spending

HOW TO AVOID BEHAVIOUR TRAPS THAT STOP YOU FROM BEING THE MASTER OF YOUR FINANCES.

By Nicholas Bezuidenhout

The first step to financial wellness is to create disposable income to invest for the future and to stay out of unhealthy debt. To create disposable income, you need to earn more and/or spend less. This is similar to any weight loss plan where getting in shape, no matter what nutrition or exercise regime you choose to follow, ultimately involves the hard work of moving more and eating less.

You may earn more by creating an additional source of income or taking steps to earn a higher salary but this is not always that easy so we will focus here on ways to spend less. So, what are two common behaviour traps that lead us to getting into debt or spending more than we should and how can we sidestep these?

1.    Pain avoidance

When it comes to going to the gym or exercising, we will often find any excuse not to do it because initially it is very sweaty and uncomfortable! This is like paying for something with cash or our debit card where we see the money go out of our wallets or bank balance, causing immediate physical discomfort. The discomfort happens because we realise that the money we just spent was actually ours and we start wondering whether spending R18 000 on the new iPhone 12 was actually worth the number of working hours, days or months it took to earn the money! It also results in us going through the uncomfortable thought process of considering what else we could have spent the money on and what we have sacrificed for this purchase, known as the “opportunity cost” – will there still be enough in our bank account to cover the rest of our debit orders, our kids’ school fees, our groceries?

Because of this emotional rollercoaster it is so much easier to whip out the credit card or the payment app on our phone, like a cowboy at the O.K. Corral, to buy what we want whenever we want. The reason this is so easy is because firstly and at least initially our bank balance stays the same and it is not our money that we are spending. Credit cards have enabled us to have immediate gratification with the pain of paying coming much later.

This is not a problem if you are able to pay off your credit card every month but all too often our credit card balances keep growing until the interest alone costs us thousands every month. Credit cards do have their purposes for emergencies such as paying for emergency medicines or the tow truck when we breakdown in the middle of nowhere, but they should really be limited to that – emergency expenses only!

If you want to get your spending in control then do what you can to avoid spending on credit, put your credit card (wrapped in plastic) in a block of ice in the freezer, lock it away in the safe or give it to your trustworthy and ferocious mother-in-law for safe keeping and get into the habit of only spending with the money you have saved up in your wallet or in your bank account via your debit card (please cancel or avoid the overdraft facility!). The truth is that, like exercise, once you get into the habit and have passed the initial period of discomfort it is extremely fulfilling as you start to see results, your bank balance growing instead of shrinking, and as you come to realise that you are indeed in control of your own behaviour. You will also become an expert in weighing up whether it is worthwhile to spend money on something as you realise that every decision to buy something is a decision to sacrifice something else.

 

Save more money

2.    Relativity – Sales, special offers and get-one-free deals

Whilst sales and special offers sound enticing, we usually fall into the marketing trap of buying things we don’t actually want or buying far more than we need. We end up spending way more money than we intended just to save a percentage on the additional item.

For example, you go to the grocery store in search of guacamole for your once-a-month home nacho and movie night and when you arrive at the aisle 5 shelf, proudly displaying the guacamole, you see that there is a special: buy two get one free! This is too compelling to resist, as in effect you are getting one third off, and you end up spending twice the amount of money that you intended to because let’s face it, you actually only needed one tub for nacho night! Aside from reducing your bank balance you also end up either overeating or with some mouldy guacamole after a few days!

Having said this, specials and buy bulk and save items have their place if they are offered on essential items such as toilet paper and toothpaste and you are getting a discount on the usual price by buying more. To decide whether to go for these specials we need to become experts in what is known as the “time value of money”. For example, if buy buying 10 family packs of toilet paper gives you a 5% saving, knowing you will only use it over a year, is it worth it when you could have taken the money for the other 9 packs and paid off some of your long overdue credit card debt saving interest of 16% over a year? As a rule of thumb, if you are going to use the item in the next year and the discount is less than 10% it may be best to only buy it when you next need it!

Now, imagine if these sales and special offers inadvertently cause you to buy more than you need a few times a week, you can very easily end up spending hundreds or thousands of Rands more that would be better put towards reducing debt or saving for your future goals and dreams!

 

For other tips on how to reduce your spending please refer to Nicholas Bezuidenhout’s  blog post, “Living Lean” https://nicholasbezuidenhout.com/2019/07/22/live-lean-make-your-assets-work-for-you-rather-than-the-other-way-round/

 

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More about Nicholas Bezuidenhout

Nicholas is an Actuary and Certified Financial Planner® professional specialising in retirement planning and investments whilst helping people protect their and their family’s financial well-being. Please follow Nicholas at https://nicholasbezuidenhout.com/ and https://twitter.com/nick_bez

 

March 8, 2021 Eat Well Comments Off on HOW TO AVOID BEHAVIOUR TRAPS THAT STOP YOU FROM BEING THE MASTER OF YOUR FINANCES.

MANAGING STRESS AND MAKING IT WORK FOR YOU

Our outlook on finding the right balance and mindset to let stress help you rise to the occasion.

Stress has become such a natural thing in our lives, don’t you think? Just be honest with your inner mean girl for a second here, okay? When we hear a friend or colleague complaining about the stress they’re feeling,  it’s usually met with an internal “well, yes, aren’t we all?”. Maybe it’s because everybody is complaining about being stressed, having a little chin wobble over it and then carrying on with business as usual. 

This doesn’t make you an awful person (although a little self-reflection never hurt anybody). What it does mean, is that stress has become so normalized that complaining about it doesn’t really evoke any response. This is, as the global decline in overall mental health and the increase in burnout, anxiety and depression show, becoming glaringly dangerous. 

Stress from the start 

We aren’t scientists or anthropologists but we do know that understanding the original function of stress can shift your perception of how you choose to let stress into your life. 

Stress is one of our most primal instincts. It is a modifying response to threatening situations. When we say modifying we mean that when stress enters the body, our behaviour adapts to react appropriately to the situation. Our behaviour is altered by a flood of chemicals and hormones to get us out of danger as quickly as possible. 

Except, we’re not in danger all the time anymore. 

Compared to the bloodbath that is human history, the majority of us live relatively safe lives. We rarely have to fend off animals far bigger than us and we don’t get sent into the trenches to fight for our Queen. What we’re experiencing in the modern-day, is prolonged exposure to stress in environments that don’t pose any mortal danger: our offices, homes and cities. 

(If this made you feel a little existential, we have a blog about snapping out of it and embracing the world we live in)

It goes without saying that there are populations who experience tremendous physical danger and threats in their daily lives, that’s a given. However, the tigers our ancestors were used to encountering now take the form of bosses, high-strung colleagues and late credit card bills. 

You see, our environment and society have changed faster than our biology has, meaning that our bodies still react the same way to stress whether the circumstance is a real threat or not. 

Stress today 

What are some of the external factors that cause stress in the daily life of a modern person? With technology, the economy and increasingly pressurised social lives, it seems that stress is blasting from all angles: 

  1. Health concerns
  2. Deadlines (erg) 
  3. Family drama
  4. The pressure to succeed and achieve (socially and financially)
  5. Devices that always demand your attention 
  6. Financial obligations (can we put this on the list ten times?)
  7. FOMO 
  8. Option fatigue

Am I too stressed? 

Statistically, probably. 

Today, burnout seems to be the end result of being too stressed and although burnout isn’t a medical diagnosis, it can lead to serious bouts of depression and physical health issues. Some signs of burnout may include:

  1. Constantly worrying about work, especially when you’re not even at work. 
  2. You sleep too little or too much 
  3. Isolation from coworkers and friends
  4. Forgetfulness and a lack of concentration 
  5. Negative thoughts about others and more importantly, yourself.

You should not rely on this blog as a replacement for professional mental health services, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any concerns about your physical or mental health, you should always consult with a health-care professional.

 

Finding the balance to beat the burnout

Here’s where we explore how you can find balance in your life by paying attention to how stress exists in your body, mind and finances. Taking control of your stress means facing it head-on and not treating it as the enemy. Stress is always going to be in our bodies – it is a natural response that doesn’t come about because we asked it to. What is going to make the difference, is how we re-wire our thoughts about stress and how we manage it.

Body balance

We know, we know. Even thinking of finding the time to move your body makes you stress out but we’re here to tell you, that’s a mistake. You need to find time to get your blood pumping, even if it seems like you’re giving up precious time that could be used for finishing up loose ends at work or responding to emails. No! Even a small workout will help shed excess adrenaline and cortisol from the body, leaving you in a relaxed but energised state. 

Movement is medicine and we couldn’t be more sure of that. 

Money balance 

Face your finances. You are more likely to be stressed out about the ideas you have about the state of your finances than the actual facts and figures. This is the problem with modern-day stress – we assume the worst without doing the research. 

Have a budget, have a savings account and have a backup plan. Most of us know the basics of money from a young age and understanding money is how we make it less scary. Work with compound interest, spend way less than you make and make the effort to use your money for something good and kind.

Mind balance

This is where the magic happens, we believe. Changing how you feel about stress is going to change how stress impacts your life and even your health. 

When we feel under stress, we immediately retreat inwards and think of it as a negative situation. Imagine if every time you were stressed, you appreciate what your body was trying to do for you: help you rise to the occasion. Stress was never created to debilitate us and when we see stress as a tool instead of a hindrance, we may find the emotion takes less of a toll on our mental and physical health.

We found a fantastic TedTalk by Kelly McGonigal on How to Make Stress your Friend. Seriously, it’s worth a watch! 

A word from WellBe&Co 

Through the sharing of knowledge and experience, we want to help build communities and individuals become the most optimal version of themselves both physically and mentally.  

Your health is your wealth so make lasting changes, one habit at a time.

The WellBe Team

March 2, 2021 Eat Well Comments Off on MANAGING STRESS AND MAKING IT WORK FOR YOU
Omelette

OMELETTE

DIFFICULTY: EASY

TIME: 10 MINUTES

SERVES: 1

Don’t skip the egg yolks! Egg yolks are a nutritional powerhouse packed full of feel-full and brain boosting compounds.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs and 1 egg white, lightly beaten
Splash of milk* of choice (omit for Paleo)

Fillings of choice: choose 1 from each

  • Protein (40 g) : ham, chicken, bacon etc.
  • Fat: 6 olives, 1/2 avocado, 30 g cheese* etc.
  • Vegetable: tomato, rocket, spinach, mushroom etc. (unlimited)
  • 1 tsp oil/butter for cooking
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Omelette

METHOD

Whisk together the milk and eggs and season with salt and pepper. Heat an oiled pan over medium heat, pour the egg mixture in and swirl to coat evenly. Allow to set for +/- 3 mins. Add the filling ingredients onto half on the omelette and fold over. Cook for a further 1-2 mins and serve. *Omit any dairy for Paleo.

 

Download Your Omelette Recipe Here

February 26, 2021 Eat Well Comments Off on OMELETTE
Self-Love

5 WAYS TO DISCOVER YOUR SELF-LOVE STYLE

Because it isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey …

Self-love and self-care

Self-love is the concept of loving yourself as you would love others. It is the practice of taking care of your mind and spirit with compassion that benefits your overall mental well being. 

Self-love differs from self-care in the sense that self-love is about the internal dialogue and relationship that we have with ourselves. Self-care is nurturing our physical selves. The two often cross paths and we’ll give you a heads up when they do in this blog. 

Unless you axed your social media away before everybody watched the Social Dilemma, you’ll have seen the swarms of posts about self-love routines and rituals: the bubble baths, face masks and movie nights. Which rock, don’t get us wrong, but they don’t offer the sustainability that consistent and intentional self-love habits and practices do. 

The popularization of self-love isn’t a bad thing – the more people who learn to love themselves, the better – but the definitions and acts of self-love have become a bit superficial and one-size-fits-all-ish.  You’ve got to find what makes you feel good, no matter what that looks like. We believe in the habits that make the foundation of who we are, and our self-love practices are essential to how we grow and heal. 

If self-love sounds a little corny to you, let’s get into why it’s so important. When you treat yourself badly or even just neglect your basic needs and wants, you are setting yourself up to make poor decisions. Without having a solid foundation of love and respect for yourself, you are more susceptible to toxic relationships, negative self-talk and poor health. 

Here’s how you can create a life that is led by the love you give to yourself. 

Ritual and Routine

Having self-love routines and rituals plays a huge role in cementing the idea of loving yourself into your daily life. The way you start your day sets the tone for the next 9 hours or so, and that’s why a powerful place to make time for a ritual is as you wake. This ritual may look like prayer, movement, writing or meditation. It may also be in the details of what you don’t do: check your phone, regret the past or get into a state about the future. 

These rituals and routines are here to keep your mind clear and your thoughts in the present and consistency comes in handy on the days it feels a little hard to love yourself. 

Here’s what we had to say a few weeks ago about mastering meditation and how to develop your emotional awareness and cultivate mental clarity.

Be far kinder to your body

That means fueling your body well and more importantly, speaking to your body well. 

Your body is a vessel for everything that is the mind-blowingly fantastic you. The stuff that matters: your heart, your soul, your mind and your character. All a body does is bring these things into the physical world and yet we still find ourselves using such unkind language towards ourselves when we look in the mirror. Being grateful and accepting of your physical body is a worthwhile route to take. 

You may even have to fake it for a while and that’s okay because eventually, you’ll believe in what you are telling yourself. Kind things to start saying today could be: 

“I respect and value my body” 

“My body is full of energy and vitality”

“I nourish my body with healthy food and thoughts”

Do you see how you aren’t saying what you will or can do? You need to speak these thoughts as if they are already happening, rewiring your brain to think this way without making a huge effort to do so.

Self love

Believe in something

Before you panic, this blog isn’t about to turn into a cult recruitment advertisement.

But seriously, as humans in a material world, becoming detached from the spiritual side of life could be why so many people battle to find love for themselves. Finding solace in spiritual practice can bring an abundance of love into your life. Maybe you’re religious, maybe you choose to believe in the inherent goodness of mankind or just really believe in the power of having a huge dance party. 

Having a set of beliefs and values will cement your sense of knowing yourself and ultimately, loving yourself. When we see the divine around us, it’s hard to ignore the divine within us. 

Say no – and also say yes

People who love themselves respect their limits and boundaries. This means saying no when you mean no and not feeling guilty about it. When people are battling with their self-love journey, the thought of pleasing somebody else at the expense of violating yourself will seem justifiable and we’re here to tell you, it very rarely is. Say no when you feel that niggling feeling in your sternum because that’s your intuition speaking – you would be wise to listen. 

In the same breath, self-love means saying a big old YES to the things you deserve. So many of us reject opportunities and experiences because deep down, we aren’t certain that we deserve them. Knowing that you are a good person at your core and that you deserve the blessings that come your way is inseparable from self-love. 

Do the things you’re good at 

Remind yourself at least once a week of what you’re good at – and that doesn’t mean doing what you’re paid to do or doing what you think you should be good at. Don’t spend too much time overthinking this activity because the best part? Nobody even has to know. 

Take this as a rare opportunity to enjoy your talents for you and not for the pleasure or praise of other people. Sing for yourself, dance for yourself, talk with an elderly person for yourself. Acting on our strengths validates our purpose in this life. It gently reminds us that we are here for a reason and that whilst we are here we need to value, love and nurture ourselves. 

February 16, 2021 Eat Well Comments Off on 5 WAYS TO DISCOVER YOUR SELF-LOVE STYLE
Love and Food

EATING WELL MEANS LOVING WELL: FOUR FOODS THAT INSPIRE A BETTER LOVE LIFE

Sure, there was a weird “is the world going to end” moment that had libidos soaring through the roof. But, when our bodies are stressed and fatigued, getting turned on may be last on your bodies to-do-list. Here’s what to add to your shopping list to boost your libido when you need it.

At the risk of starting on a dramatic note, we’re talking about two incredibly important things: food and sex. Two massive pillars of humanity surviving and getting this far, obviously. More than being essential to our existence, they appear again as being two huge pillars in how we experience pleasure and expression.

It isn’t surprising then, that the two would have such a great effect on one another. 

Love and Food

Eat well to love well

We hate to break it to you – but aphrodisiacs aren’t all oysters and rhino horn. Eating for better sex doesn’t need to look so different from eating for health. A good rule of thumb? If it’s good for your heart and the way that oxygen moves through your body, it’s going to improve the way sex feels for you and your partner.  

The foods we’re going to touch on are naturally good for you because of the energy that they provide, the way they let blood move around your body and the hormones they release to get those good feelings going. So what’s on the menu? 

  1. Clams and Oysters (B12)

I know we said it wasn’t all about the fancy food, but clams and oysters are a fun delicacy to incorporate into your diet for special occasions. One serving of clams has enough B12 to kickstart your evening and for good reason: B12 deficiency is one of the leading reasons behind erectile dysfunction. Clams are packed with an amino acid called L-arginine. L-arginine, once in the body, converts to nitric oxide which then increases blood flow around the body and to the places where blood flow is needed during sex; your nerve endings, genitalia and erogenous zones. 

  1. Fatty Fish (Omega 3)

Incorporating some fatty fish like fresh salmon into your dinner menu or breakfast bagel is going to get your system prepped with all the energy you need to have good, zesty sex. Fish is a great source for the macro-nutrient, Omega 3 which combats fatigue like you wouldn’t believe. Do your body a favour. 

 

For a great morning libido boost, why not try your hand at our smoked salmon scrambled eggs? 

  1. Spinach & other leafy greens (Magnesium)

The thing about eating for better sex is that you’re going to want to be eating things that really benefit the way that your body functions. Cue: leafy greens. Incorporating iron-rich foods like spinach, broccoli,  are going to do wonders for your body because of how magnesium dense the plants are.  Magnesium boosts blood flow, helping sex to feel better and last longer. 

  1. Asparagus (Histamine) 

Enhancing your climax is one of the reasons people turn to asparagus when they want a sex-improving diet. This veggie contains histamine which helps to promote more intense orgasms amidst a whole resume of benefits for health and wellbeing in your everyday life.

Fun fact: in 19th century France, three courses of this phallic vegetable were served to newlyweds to promote a sense of longing for one another. How considerate.

Skip the Valentines Day quick-fix

The day comes with the pressure to perform and before you know it you’ve loaded your cart with sparkling wines you can’t pronounce, lubricants you’re scared to use (what ingredient causes a fire sensation on purpose?) and more milk chocolate than you know what to do with.

There absolutely is a time and place for quick-fix sexy foods. These are foods that feel sensual to eat (you know the ones we mean: juicy fruits and velvety sauces). It’s when you lose yourself in how crazy good that tastes and the happiness hormones do the rest for you: we love those moments and we hope you have plenty of them! What if, though, you could have that fire in your belly beyond the month of February? 

Top tip: sugar (in chocolate and alcohol) before sex is only going to make you exhausted before you even begin. Skip the cortisol spikes and wait for the natural endorphins to kick in. 

What this should drive home is how sex and food don’t need to be a one-weekend quick fix to getting intimate with your partner. When you look after your body, the rest looks after itself. 

If you haven’t already succumbed to the Valentines rush or your purchases have left you wanting, maybe we could interest you in a more sustainable approach to making sure you’re up for it even when you don’t have time to prep the champaign and chocolate. We believe that better habits make for a well-rounded life, and we like to help people get there. Pop onto our socials or click here to read more about what we do and how to get started! 

February 9, 2021 Eat Well Comments Off on EATING WELL MEANS LOVING WELL: FOUR FOODS THAT INSPIRE A BETTER LOVE LIFE
Run Run

HOW TO BREAK THROUGH MENTAL BARRIERS WHILE RUNNING

Written by Oliver Brinsford – WellBe&Co Trainer & Sports Psychologist

Mental barriers in sport or other recreational sport events are something that many people experience and struggle with. A big factor for many individuals is the feelings of performance anxiety before taking part in an event – that overthinking, mental negative self talk we so often find ourselves succumbing too – can be completely crippling and can result in a bad performance if left unchecked. However there are a few simple  coping techniques that can be used to your advantage.

But first things first.

What is Performance Anxiety?

Performance anxiety manifests and stems from various stressors for that particular individual in that particular scenario. For example, in the case of a running event, someone might have thoughts of not finishing the race. This then can quickly spiral and feed other more ingrained and personal fears like the fear of letting yourself and potentially other people down in the process.

Others may have worries about not feeling their best during an event, not beating a previous best time or setting too high targets for oneself. All these stressors can add up and become extremely overwhelming prior to performance, so much so that your on-the-day performance actually becomes hindered. 

4 Simple ways to help you overcome these mental barriers

  1. Switch from negative to positive self-talk

Negative thoughts won’t get you anywhere, and certainly won’t get you anywhere faster. Worrying about what might happen is mentally and emotionally taxing and doesn’t serve your end goal – which is to run the best race you can on the day. 

Instead of flooding your mind with negative thinking like: “What if I burnout halfway”, “Everyone else is fitter than I am” or “I should just give up now”, rather put a positive and constructive spin on your thoughts like, “I’m ready for this challenge”, “I’ve trained hard for this race’” and “I’ve got this”.

  1. Use visualization before a race

Visualization is a very powerful tool that is used by many athletes all over the world. It works by helping you focus your mind on all the positive aspects of the race. For example,you may picture yourself crossing the finish line or even something simple like the feeling of the road on your shoes or the sound of your breathing. Visualization is all based around your senses – hearing, touch, sight, smell and taste – and using them to rehearse your specific sport or race before partaking.

Try it right now! 

Close your eyes and picture yourself running your favorite outdoor route. Imagine the sound of your feet as they hit the ground; the feeling of the sun as it warms your skin, the distinct scent of earth and fresh air, and the cooling sensation of a big gulp of water at the halfway point.

1. Incorporate a pre-performance routine

Having a pre-performance routine helps use systematic series of mental and physical cues to help you get focused on the task or event at hand. For running this could include:

  • Having a standard pre-run breakfast meal
  • Taking a few minutes to be quiet and visualize the run ahead or practice some mindful breathing
  • Doing a dynamic warm-up routine

These pre-performance routines and habits can be key in helping you feel mentally calm and physically primed for any run or race.

  1. Stay focused with specific self-instructions

Anxiety as mentioned is very unhelpful when it comes to performance as it makes us focus on what might go wrong rather than what we actually have to do (the challenge ahead). A useful tool to help counteract this is to ask yourself: “what is it that I actually have to do right now?”. Giving yourself specific and actionable commands aids in hindering any unwanted anxiety-provoking interpretations of the situation. 

For instance, next time during a race try using actionable commands like: “deep breaths”, “don’t forget to use your arms”, “relax your shoulders“ and “we are halfway there, so let’s pick up the pace slightly”. These small cues help to avoid the trap of confusing the facts of the situation and keeps you focused on the task ahead.

It doesn’t need to be an uphill battle

Incorporating these expert mental tips and tools will not only help you improve your running, but also free up more mental space so you can actually enjoy the running experience the way you should.

A word from RunMalibu

This blog was written by Oliver Brinsford, a WellBe&Co trainer and sports psychologist, in collaboration with RunMalibu. WellBe&Co is a personal and corporate wellness company specializing in easy-to-implement, lifestyle-focused nutrition, training and health solutions.

January 26, 2021 Eat Well Comments Off on HOW TO BREAK THROUGH MENTAL BARRIERS WHILE RUNNING
New Goals

6 TIPS FOR SETTING REALISTIC GOALS IN THE NEW YEAR

Setting goals and forming sustainable habits 

When it comes to making promises for the New Year, we are all in the habit of letting ourselves down and breaking those resolutions just a few weeks into the year. So, how can you go about setting realistic goals and forming sustainable habits that will bring about real, lasting change in the new year? 

When it comes to developing new goals for the future, it helps to work toward them with a more gradual approach rather than expecting to change immediately. So, here are some tips on how to set attainable, realistic goals for the new year using strategies that really work. 

1. Write your goals down and review your progress 

Simply writing your goals down and sticking them up somewhere visible in your home is already a big step towards helping you view your New Year’s resolutions as more permanent objectives.

In the same way, journaling about your progress can help you keep your goals in mind and track your achievements so that you have something concrete to refer to during times that you find yourself straying from your resolution or losing sight of your goals. 

It’s important to regularly acknowledge the progress you’ve made and the small achievements you accomplish every week. Keeping a diary is also a great way to note any areas that you’re currently struggling or any habits that you’re having trouble with breaking.

2. Allow yourself some flexibility 

Setting goals is a great way to work towards achieving a set objective (such as losing weight, getting a promotion or improving at a sport) but, if you find a resolution too difficult to stick to, it’s always much better to re-evaluate and rework your long-term goals instead of completely dropping your New Year’s resolution when it starts to seem too challenging. The key is to focus on setting more fluid objectives rather than rigid, inflexible goals. 

When it comes to developing long-term, sustainable goals, don’t be afraid to adjust the goal to a lower intensity in the beginning and continue working towards the same end result over time.

3. Avoid quitting habits ‘cold-turkey’

Quitting habits ‘cold turkey’ will often result in a higher degree of failure, and the effect of this sudden change to your routine can actually be counteractive.

For example, declaring yourself completely junk-food free or totally plant-based in the new year is a great objective to work towards, but a very difficult change to make off-the-bat.

Instead of making your goal to eat less unhealthy food, why not focus on trying to eat more healthy food at the start. You may feel more deprived if you think of taking something away. But choosing to add good, balanced and hearty foods to your diet is a great way to slowly replace those unhealthy foods and work towards the same end goal. 

4. Set goals that are realistic and attainable

While it is always important to dream big, it’s essential that you consider whether the goal you’re setting is really applicable to you and your current lifestyle. Time restraints, lack of experience or financial restraints could be working against you, and you run the risk of losing motivation and setting yourself up to fail when you don’t take these considerations into account.

When setting goals, the most effective strategy is to plan your steps towards achieving these goals wisely and establishing a realistic time frame, process and action plan.

5. Be smart about how you achieve your goals

Sticking to a new workout routine or eating plan can be difficult, and when you are working towards a challenging goal, things are bound to get a little tough. Having someone at your side to motivate and encourage you along the way will help to make the process a little easier, and it’s the perfect way to keep one another accountable. Remember to seek advice from your partner and ask them about their own struggles or accomplishments that they have experienced along the way.

Try to design goals that can be accomplished with a partner. Surrounding yourself with constant encouragement from someone else who is following your progress and working towards the same end goal will get you one step closer to maintaining motivation and achieving your objectives. 

6. Reward yourself for small achievements

Remember that change doesn’t come overnight and rewarding yourself for achieving small milestones can be a great way to keep your motivation levels high and renew your inspiration as you continue to work towards real, permanent change in your life. 

This could be something as simple as taking yourself out to breakfast at the end of the week, setting aside time to read a book you enjoy for 30 minutes, making a delicious, gourmet dessert or even just enjoying an at-home spa day.

Giving yourself small rewards along the way will help you to better enjoy the journey towards building sustainable, long-lasting habits. The idea is not to punish yourself for failing to attain your goal but to reward yourself for the small steps and signs of progress you’re able to make.

New Goals

Reboot the New Year with WellBe 

Here at WellBe we want to give you the right tools to strengthen your mind and your body. That’s why we’ve developed our two new 12 week nutrition and training guides to help you live every day with a clear intention to get closer to achieving your goals and living a more happy, motivated life.

Our easy-to-implement, lifestyle-focussed nutrition, training and health solutions are fun, simple and the perfect way to improve your focus and renew your motivation for the year ahead with a variety of healthy, balanced meal plans and killer workout routines.

Want to learn more? Check out our Instagram page or contact one of our friendly WellBe team members for more information today.

January 12, 2021 Eat Well Comments Off on 6 TIPS FOR SETTING REALISTIC GOALS IN THE NEW YEAR
Eating Well

NUTRITION FUNDAMENTALS FOR ENDURANCE TRAINING

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a half-marathon runner, triathlete or simply a newbie getting ready for your first 10km race – if you’re an endurance athlete, your body is no stranger to the strain of working out for long stretches of time.

Proper nutrition is perhaps the most essential ingredient when it comes to keeping your body going, getting you through your workouts and ensuring that you recover properly.

That’s why, in this week’s blog, we give you our top 5 nutritional tips to help you keep optimal energy levels and ensure peak performance during your endurance training journey.

Is there a magic diet for endurance training?

There is no specific “endurance diet” for athletes looking to build stamina and better their performance. However, there are some basic guidelines that health and wellness professionals tend to recommend for those building up to compete or participate in upcoming races or long-distance events.

Nutrition for endurance is all about experimenting with a range of meals and eating plans to see what works best for your body and what combination of foods will help you reach your peak athletic performance. At the end of the day, whether you are an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, it all comes down to fueling your body properly so that you can truly perform at your best.

5 game-changing nutrition tips for endurance athletes

1. Eat carb-centered

We’ve all heard of carb-loading, and while we wouldn’t recommend scarfing down a whole bowl of pasta pre-race, fueling your body with high-quality, carbohydrate-rich foods such as wholegrains, healthy fruits and hearty vegetables is a great way to fuel your body for more intense exercise. 

A high-carb diet will enable your body to absorb workouts with less stress and allow your body to better support the high volume of glucose needed for this level of physical exertion during training.

So, exactly how many carbohydrates should you be eating as you gear up for an upcoming month of exercise and get ready to put your stamina to the test?

Typically, endurance athletes report that the total amount of carbohydrates in their diet account for 60% to 80% of their total calories, but the recommended intake of carbs in any athlete’s diet can differ depending on the type and duration of training. In general, a good rule of thumb is to increase your carbohydrate consumption to make up 70% of your total daily calories. 

2. Eat quality food 

The bottom line is that what we eat matters, and the role it plays in our performance is undeniable. It’s easy to eat well when preparing for a race, but the trick is to keep your body fueled and healthy during training and off-time too. 

While most elite endurance athletes can and do eat everything, they don’t eat equal amounts of everything. Instead, dedicated athletes tend to focus heavily on high-quality foods and eat low-quality foods in moderation only – since high-quality foods tend to be more nutrient dense, richer in vitamins, and contain more beneficial antioxidants.

In general, your meal preparation should focus on diet diversity, with a variety of fruit, vegetables and whole grains as the centerpiece of every meal and only a moderate amount of unsaturated fats, meat and dairy. The idea is to get more overall nutrition from fewer calories which, in turn, will allow you to maximize your performance while still maintaining a healthy weight.

3. Eat as an individual 

No two athletes are the same, and whether you’re a newbie athlete or a more experienced individual, learning how to listen to your body is essential when it comes to getting  ready for an upcoming week of intense training.

Try to pay attention to what changes occur in your body and the difference in your energy levels when you eat a specific food or consume more of a particular food group. Different athletes tend to benefit from different diets, so it’s important to adjust your meals accordingly. You might find that cutting dairy out of your diet reduces bloating, while another athlete may choose to limit their red meat intake to increase both their energy and their focus. 

Learning to listen to your body’s reactions to food can do much more than just help you lose weight. It can also help replenish energy quicker after training, build and repair tissue better, maintain an ideal body weight and boost your immune function.

4. Replenish electrolytes with healthy food

Replacing electrolytes is an instrumental part of endurance sports training – especially when training sessions exceed an hour per session or when training conditions are particularly hot or humid.

Consuming foods with a lot of electrolytes is essential for basic cell and muscle functioning, and an electrolyte imbalance could cause some pretty serious symptoms such as dehydration, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, cramping, and overall fatigue.

So, how electrolytes do you actually need?

Athletes can require anywhere from 100 to 2,500 milligrams of sodium per hour, but every athlete’s particular sodium needs depend on individual factors such as how much sodium their body is putting into sweat (aka their “sweat rate”). 

Electrolyte supplements, drinks and foods that contain a good amount of sodium should be a key part of every athletes training regime to prevent hyponatremia during long endurance events. Athletes who experience frequent cramping or muscle pain should also be sure to increase their salt intake for a few days leading up to a big race. 

5. It’s not just about the calories 

While many athletes do choose to count calories for personal weight or training goals, when getting ready for weeks of endurance training it’s important to focus on eating enough to fuel your body and give yourself enough energy first and foremost.

The dangers of under-fueling are real, and not eating enough can actually harm endurance performance just as eating too much does. Number crunching calories can prevent optimal nutrition and hydration – both of which are important for preparing and recovering from training. That’s why it’s important for any enthusiastic endurance athlete to figure out what works best for their particular body so that they can eat well without letting calories be the centre of their focus at all times. 

A simple recipe to get you started 

Asi

Asian beef noodle salad

This dish is just loaded with delicious and vibrant flavors, as well as a healthy hit of inflammatory antioxidants too.

INGREDIENTS

250 g/ 8.8 oz pack of rice noodles

4 Tbsp soy sauce

Juice of 1 lime (approx. 1 Tbsp)

Knob of ginger , peeled and grated (approx 1 Tbsp)

3 Tbsp oil

200 g/ 7 oz steak, sliced into strips

1 red bell pepper , de-seeded and sliced 1/2 medium carrot, grated

1⁄2 cucumber , sliced

Handful coriander leaves, chopped Fresh chili pepper, sliced (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup roasted peanuts, for serving

METHOD

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large frying pan on medium high and cook the steak until done to your liking. Season to taste. Soak the rice noodles according to pack instructions. Whisk together the soy sauce, lime, ginger and remaining oil in a large serving bowl. Drain the noodles well, then tip into the bowl. Add the cooked beef to the bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Toss everything together, and serve topped with the chili and peanuts.

A final word 

Essentially, following these expert tips and tricks will help you feed your body with adequate fuel for endurance activity, maximize your endurance fitness and improve your all-around performance.

A word from WellBe&Co

This blog was written by WellBe&Co in collaboration with RunMalibu. RunMalibu is taking virtual running to the next level with their US-based virtual races hosted between 7th and 8th November 2021. 

December 30, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on NUTRITION FUNDAMENTALS FOR ENDURANCE TRAINING