Boost Your Mood

TIRED OF FEELING LOW? 4 LIFE CHANGING HABITS TO BEAT THAT AFTERNOON FATIGUE

It’s normal to start feeling your energy levels drop throughout the day. Most tend to feel sluggish, fatigued and slow by early afternoon. The good news is that there are some small but really effective practices that you can put in place every day to renew your energy. 

That’s why, in this week’s blog, we give you our top helpful, healthy habits that will 

reignite your energy levels and re-energize your mind and body so that you can be your most productive self every day.

Energy-boosting habits 

A lack of energy could significantly affect your ability to perform basic daily activities, as well as noticeably affect your productivity at work. That’s why it’s really important to identify the source that’s draining your energy and develop small changes in your everyday habits to fix this. So, here are our top pick-me-up tips that are proven to work:

1. Pay attention to how you fuel your body

Eating clean isn’t just about looking good. Remember, the food we put into our body acts as our primary energy source for the day. The fact is that not all foods will fuel your body equally. The type of food you eat in particular plays an essential role in determining your energy levels during the day. The right food contains nutrients that could help increase your energy levels and better maintain alertness and focus throughout the day.

After all, nutrition is the key to a healthy mind and a healthy body. So, it’s only natural that heart whole-foods will equip you with a long-lasting energy source, while refined, junk-foodie meals will leave you feeling unfulfilled and sluggish.

For example, a simple banana could be considered a superfood when it comes to boosting your energy and alertness. It’s an excellent source of complex carbs, potassium, and vitamin B6 – all of which can help boost your energy levels. These essential minerals and vitamins are all needed to keep your energy and your immunity strong. 

2. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep

The reality is that we just can’t function at our full capacity without having an optimal number of hours of sleep every night (most experts say that’s around 7 to 9 hours a night). That’s because sleep is the key ingredient when it comes to keeping us healthy and functioning well. Sleep lets your body and brain repair, restore, and re-energize itself every night, so that you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle a new day in the morning.

Mounting evidence even suggests exhaustion and sleep deprivation can severely impede your productivity, with one study of 4,188 workers citing that those who didn’t get enough sleep every night had “significantly worse productivity, performance, and safety outcomes”at work.

Not only that, but individuals who fail to get enough sleep every night are also more prone to depression, weight gain, lower immunity and impaired thinking. So, maybe it’s a good idea to skip that last episode of Nailed It tonight and turn the lights out early. 

3. Drink more water

If you’re dehydrated, the chances are you’ll have far less energy than those around you. Simple things such as staying awake at your office desk or making good on your promise to go to the gym after work might seem impossible, and strenuous exercise will seem like a mountain of a challenge.

Many studies have shown that dehydration lowers energy levels, impedes athletic performance and causes individuals to feel sluggish and off their game throughout the day. 

That’s why drinking water is the ultimate health hack. Upticking your water intake will not only renew your energy levels, but it will also improve your memory and mood, increase your weight loss and give your skin a healthier glow.

Boost Your Mood

4. Boost your mood

We know that sometimes your day can feel like it’s super-packed, not-stop busy. It might feel like you don’t have a single moment to spare to eat, sleep or breathe. That’s why it’s important to make the most of every hour in the day and develop habits that will help you to be as productive as possible. 

Taking an hour out of your day for self-care might seem counterintuitive at first. It’s difficult to allow yourself to step away from your work when there’s competing deadlines and clients emailing you 24/7. But it’s time to lose the guilt and make way for your own self-care every day.

By simply devoting an hour a day to any activity that will help will boost your mood, you’ll end up banking more productive hours in the long run. Studies show that self-care improves productivity and helps to break the cycle of feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and disinterested in your work.

Start by committing to waking up early in the morning to meditate or go for a run, or set aside an hour in the afternoon for any type of exercise, meditation, yoga. Even just a stroll outside will help change the way you tackle the day and renew your motivation for the tasks ahead of you. While it’s not always easy to implement new habits (some say it takes up to 21 days of repeating a habit for it to stick) it will be well worth it in the long run.

Staying energized with WellBe 

Here at WellBe&Co, we believe that better health starts with better habits. That’s why we’ve introduced our 12-week body reboot training guide to give you a step-by-step roadmap towards living a more happy, healthy and energy-filled life. This workout and training guide is the best way to boost your energy, get those endorphins flowing and help you stay more motivated everyday.

You won’t find any excessively restrictive, bogus claim, too good to be true fad here. Our mission is to debunk these many false health and fitness myths and help empower people to live at their best life, on their own terms.

When it comes to eating clean, we’ve got you covered too. Our nutrition and recipe guide will equip you with the most up-to-date nutrition, training and supplement advice tailored to your individual needs, goals and personal preferences. View your plan, track your progress and stay motivated by using our downloadable WellBe Health App.

Pssst: Did you know that, if you buy both guides together in the month of September only, you’ll save R150. You’ll also save an additional R100 when purchasing both plans together if you use the promo code WELLBE100. Isn’t that great?

So, what are you waiting for? Become a proud member of the WellBe family today to start making lasting changes, one habit at a time.

 

September 15, 2020 Think Well Comments Off on TIRED OF FEELING LOW? 4 LIFE CHANGING HABITS TO BEAT THAT AFTERNOON FATIGUE
A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE

PRACTICAL HACKS TO HOLISTIC HEALTHY LIVING: HOW TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE YOU LOVE

A little bit about me 

First off, Hello! My name is Jessica Thiels AKA The Lively Fitness Girl. 

I am a holistic health and fitness coach with a heart full of passion to help people create a beautifully balanced lifestyle that is sustainable and realistic. Since I was a little girl I always had a lot of energy. You would always see me jumping around and moving around. I never wanted to sit still and I would get bored super easily – sorry parents LOL! 

I found myself naturally leaning into sports, specifically running. I loved the challenge of it and I love how it made me feel – unstoppable, strong and free. As I got older, I got very good at running in High School and then I naturally started going to gym and discovering new ways to challenge myself. After studying a BCOM at University, I realized very quickly that I’m not cut out for the corporate environment so I went ahead and studied a Personal Training Certificate and Group Instructing Certificate at FitPro. I then decided I wanted to further my knowledge, so I got a health coaching certificate through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition which qualifies me to guide my clients to create a holistically healthier life – from exercise and nutrition to relationships, career, and spirituality. 

With a couple years of experience working as a Health and Fitness coach – I couldn’t be happier with the path I chose to help people create and live the lives they deserve. 

Let’s talk about you! 

Anyways, enough about me! Let’s talk about you. How are you doing right now? Are you constantly hopping on and off diet and exercise plans? Are you restarting every Monday after binging on the weekend because you were too restrictive during the week? Are you feeling like you can’t stick to anything and you can’t seem to find balance? 

Listen, I TOTALLY feel you. We’ve all been there. All of a sudden becoming too restrictive and too hectic can cause you to resent the whole process and journey of health and fitness. Yes, if you have goals you want to reach you do have to make certain sacrifices but if you are trying to create and maintain a sustainable healthy lifestyle, becoming overly restrictive will make you hate the process and turn back to your old habits.

The goal is NOT to feel like you need to consistently restrict yourself or start again every Monday. The goal is to create a lifestyle where you have balance. Where you feel good about yourself all of the time! Trust me, I know it’s easier said than done but what I do know is it is 100% possible. Starting small, celebrating yourself along the way and keeping it simple is a fab place to start!

HACKS TO HOLISTIC HEALTHY

The health hacks you’re after

Let’s dive into it! Here are a few tips to get you to start building a healthy balanced lifestyle for yourself:

1. Start small

Don’t go from zero to hero, it never works! Being super restrictive isn’t sustainable over a long period of time. Focus on creating small changes or small healthy habits that will become the building blocks to an overall balanced lifestyle.

2. Move your body

We all know that after getting some form of exercise you feel more positive and productive. Set a routine and ensure you move your body or exercise for at least 30 minutes every day – whether it be the morning, afternoon or evening. Also be sure to find something you enjoy and stick with that! Any form of exercise will do.

3. Work on your mental health

This is SO important. Often, we are focusing far too much on diet and exercise that we don’t even check up on our mental health. Just like you need to make healthy decisions everyday with regards to diet and exercise you need to do the exact same for your mental health. 

Take some time in the day and check up on yourself, make some time for meditation, journaling and breathing. If your mental health is not in check it will directly affect everything else in your life. Make this a priority!

4. Fill your fridge with yummy goodness

No, this doesn’t include just kale and broccoli. 

I’m talking about filling your fridge and pantry with a variety of fresh wholesome foods that will make you excited to eat your meal. Start learning some new healthy, tasty and quick recipes – there’s millions on Google. Being healthy doesn’t mean missing out on yummy food it means learning how to cook and create healthy yet tasty meals.

5. Have healthy snacks available always

Guys, full disclosure: I’m a snacker myself and if there’s no yummy fruit available or something to grab I will always feel like I need to have something sugary or salty to fill the hole. 

Have fruit, nuts, natural health bars/protein bars etc. available to you to avoid grabbing the wrong things.

6. Drink water

No but really drink water. Most of the time if we haven’t drank enough it causes us to snack unnecessarily.

7. Get some good shut eye

Guys, sleep is so important. I know it seems like a basic thing but often we stay up too late working, fiddling on our phones or watching too much TV instead of trying to wind down for good quality sleep. In order to do this, you need to make sure you have a good night-time routine! 1 hour before bed, start slowing things down and preparing for at least 8 hours of sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep it will affect how you function during the day and it will affect the choices you make during the day.

8. Treat yourself

What a lot of us try to do is cut out absolutely everything we like and then hope for the best. Becoming too restrictive like this can cause us to then have a huge binge day because you’ve restricted yourself far too much. You can still have the foods you love but in moderation. Try not to get into the habit of creating a ‘cheat day’ because this mostly leads to us over doing it and feeling super sick and angry with ourselves. Have a chocolate, have a pizza etc. but then continue with your normal meals and routine thereafter.

9. Listen to your body

What is your body asking for? Sometimes your body might need you to slow down a bit and this is when you need to listen. Not every day are you going to feel like an intense workout session. Maybe sometimes your body needs something more chilled like stretches or yoga. This is a huge part of creating a balanced lifestyle because not every day will feel the same. So, tailor your day to day to what your body needs. And no this doesn’t mean giving into laziness or giving into excuses. It means changing things up when your body genuinely needs some TLC.

The bottom line

If you are trying to feel good, then let’s start by saying hell no to quick fixes! Learn that nothing worth having comes easy – you need to put in the work and make the changes. After all, nothing changes if nothing changes, am I right? 😉 If you make consistent healthy decisions every day you will quickly start to form a new routine and new normal for yourself. This new normal is the balanced lifestyle that you deserve to live. Something that will be sustainable throughout your life.

Realize that there is no destination to health and fitness. It’s a journey and it’s your journey! Enjoy the ride.

Let’s keep in touch:
Instagram and Facebook: @thelivelyfitnessgirl

Website: www.livelyfitness.co.za

Email: jessica@livelyfitness.co.za

 

September 8, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on PRACTICAL HACKS TO HOLISTIC HEALTHY LIVING: HOW TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE YOU LOVE
FRESH ORANGE ZEST MUFFINS

FRESH ORANGE ZEST MUFFINS

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 35 minutes

Serves: 12

These fresh muffins are perfect for a picnic or on-the-go snack. The high-fibre content of the apple sauce and immune-boosting properties of oranges result in a healthy and wholesome treat!

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix all the wet ingredients together.
  • Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
  • Carefully spoon batter into muffin cups using two tablespoons.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let the muffins cool before removing them from the pans.
  • Transfer muffins into a freezer bag and keep in the freezer up to two months.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FRESH ORANGE ZEST MUFFINS RECIPE HERE

September 3, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on FRESH ORANGE ZEST MUFFINS
Creamy One-Pot Pea Pasta with Mint

CREAMY ONE-POT PEA PASTA WITH MINT

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

This simple pasta is fresh and serves as the perfect dish for a Spring lunch! Peas contain high concentrations of dietary fiber, protein, vitamins A, C, E and K. They are great for digestion and are rich in phytonutrients!

Ingredients

  • 500 grams large shell pasta (or pasta of choice. Bowtie pasta also works well!)
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 500 grams package frozen baby peas (do not thaw)
  • 2 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Method

Cook your pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with some olive oil to prevent sticking, cook until just tender but still firm to bite. Do not overcook. Drain the cooked pasta and keep 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.

In the meantime, bring your cream to a simmer in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add peas and simmer just until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of Parmesan cheese (keeping the rest for serving) and stir until melted and the sauce thickens slightly, this should take roughly 1 minute. Stir in the mint and half of your parsley. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat, adding pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowls. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

 

Download Your Creamy One-Pot Pea Pasta with Mint Recipe Here

September 3, 2020 Lunch, Recipes Comments Off on CREAMY ONE-POT PEA PASTA WITH MINT
APPLE GINGER BEETROOT SMOOTHIE

APPLE GINGER BEETROOT SMOOTHIE

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

This smoothie is a delicious and healthy way to cleanse your body with no refined or added sugar and no dairy. Packed with essential nutrients, beetroots are a great source of fiber, folate (vitamin B9), manganese, potassium, iron, and vitamin C. In our opinion, nothing ‘beets’ this healthy start to your day!

Ingredients

  • 1 beetroot (fresh and uncooked) with stem removed, washed, quartered
  • 1 apple cut into quarters
  • 1/4 cup carrots tops removed, washed, loosely chopped
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach rinsed, drained
  • 1 Tbsp ginger peeled
  • 1/2 cup ice cubes
  • Water as needed to change consistency: Add enough water to reach the surface of produce and ice

 Method

  • Blend and enjoy!
  • Serve immediately; or you can store in the freezer and thaw up to one hour before drinking.
  • For an extra sweet touch, add sweetener of choice.

 

DOWNLOAD YOUR APPLE GINGER BEETROOT SMOOTHIE RECIPE HERE

September 3, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on APPLE GINGER BEETROOT SMOOTHIE
How to be Happier

HOW TO SNAP OUT OF AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS AND EMBRACE LIFE’S UNCERTAINTIES

After a long and stress-filled year, most of us are looking for new ways to welcome some sunshine into our lives. While the thought of change can be a source of anxiety for many, in this week’s blog we’ll show you how to embrace times of uncertainty with confidence and meet unexpected changes in your life with a strong mindset and  positive outlook. 

What is an existential crisis?

Most people will experience feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress at some point in their lives, but when these emotions lead to greater feelings of despair and cause you to question your place in life or in relation to others around you, it can be a sign that you’re slipping into an existential crisis.

This feeling of unease about the purpose of your life is often related to losing your sense of safety and security when you face unexpected or extreme changes in your life. 

Embracing uncertainty 

At WellBe&Co, we know that being surrounded by external stressors and anxieties can make it difficult to redirect your thoughts and introduce positivity in your life. With all the stress and despair that we as a global society have faced this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to find ways to embrace some uncertainty in your life so you can better focus on your own healing, health and well-being.

After all, the start of spring signals a time of change. That’s exactly why, in this week’s blog, we want to give you the ultimate guide to spring cleaning your mind and refreshing your approach towards unexpected periods of change in your life.

Here are out top four tactics for overcoming existential anxiety: 

1. Rethink your approach 

What better way to start off the new spring season than to reassess your attitude towards life? Embark on a healing journey towards improving your mental well-being by finding the motivation to change your mindset and embrace some of life’s more challenging uncertainties.

The key is to watch the thoughts that you feed your body. You can’t control everything, but you can control your language and the words you use. Approaching situations with a negative mindset and labeling challenges as “difficult” and “impossible” – or even dismissing your day as a “nightmare” or “the worst day ever” – is not going to help your situation. 

Remember, the thoughts you express throughout your day will manifest into your life experience. That’s why the goal is to always acknowledge your feelings, but to work on controlling the way you react to them better.

Start by acknowledging that you have full control over the stories you tell yourself, and recognize that you are able to deal with these uncertainties with a renewed sense of optimism and confidence.

How to be Happy

2. Set clear goals

When you set clear goals for yourself, it helps to reduce your stress about an unfamiliar future and, when done correctly, it becomes the vehicle that will drive you forward to achieve your ambitions. Finding the right motivation to accomplish your goals will give you a greater sense of purpose and certainty when it comes to your future and reduce some of those existential anxieties. 

Goal setting also serves as a measurement of your progress, giving you the right fuel to continue your journey towards building your desired future. This growth mindset will make your fear of change seem a little more manageable as there will always be a clear end-goal that you can return no matter what uncertainties you encounter.  

3. Meet unexpected changes with confidence!

The key to embracing uncertainty with confidence is to accept that change is natural, and that we can’t fight it or resist the forces pushing us towards a new path. 

The one thing most of us are still yet to realize is that there is absolutely no progress to be made by worrying about this change. More than anything, meeting change with confidence is about assuring yourself that you can handle any difficulty that you may face.

In her book, The Positive Power of Negative Thinking, Julie K. Norem discusses the concept of defensive pessimism. The idea is that, instead of worrying about the future, you consider the worst case scenario and calmly plan how you’d handle these tricky situations. Instead of obsessing over uncertainties, you can manage your anxiety logically, knowing that you have the ability to adapt.

4. Embrace the idea of many possibilities

When experiencing an existential crisis, our minds often trick us into believing that fear and apprehension are the only natural responses to unfamiliar situations or unexpected changes in our lives. This prolonged negative state of mind can often cause us to think that a change in our expected path is a threat to our security or stability. 

When we deviate from our expected future or immediate life plan, we often see this as a personal failure – but that’s far from the truth. Being open to new and unfamiliar territory can actually open unexpected doorways and opportunities for growth that you may never have even dreamed of. 

The biggest mistake that most people make is letting feelings of uncertainty or unease overwhelm the potential to grow or learn something new. Embracing the idea of new possibilities that come with change will help you to become mentally bulletproof towards life changes or unexpected upheavals in the future. 

Self-care with WellBe&Co

This spring, self-care is on the agenda. That’s why our team at WellBe&Co want to help you take a break from your daily anxieties and take time to put your mental and physical health first.

We know that coping with the anxiety surrounding future uncertainties can be difficult, but this spring season we want to encourage all our loyal readers to be kind to themselves and take time out of their day for self-care. After all, changing your mindset and developing a new attitude towards life starts at home.

This spring we want to motivate you to get up and get moving with our better body blueprint training guide! Dedicating time towards physical exercise and self-improvement is an essential part of snapping out of your existential crisis, staying motivated to reach new fitness goals and creating a renewed sense of purpose in your life. 

We also know that it’s easy for all these external stresses to sap your emotional energy. That’s why we want to encourage our readers to take time out of their day to work on their mental healing and start their journey towards living a more mindful life. 

Check out our website every week for our informative blog posts about mental health, nutrition, physical well-being and staying motivated to maintain a more optimistic outlook towards life. 

September 2, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on HOW TO SNAP OUT OF AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS AND EMBRACE LIFE’S UNCERTAINTIES
Vegan 101

VEGAN STARTER PACK: INFILTRATING THE INNER CIRCLE

A top tip from the inner circle of veteran vegans; once you make the decision regarding the BIG ‘V’, please do yourself a favour & prep, babe! This is not a choice to be taken lightly, it is a lifestyle change at the end of the day & your current pantry staples are more than likely not really up to scratch! You reckon you’re fine, ‘cause you have bread & butter, you’ll just make a sarmie? 

Nope. That bread is probably made with milk & your fave sandwich spread is 100% made using eggs. UGH!

You are about to venture into the most intense game of speed reading you could ever imagine. I am pretty sure every single Pick ‘n Pay employee in Jozi must think I’m not lekker in the head; I stand for hours reading labels. Why does everything use MILK POWDER? You’re about to lose A LOT of the products you once knew & loved. Perhaps, take a moment of silence for your once beloved packet of Doritos.  Shame.

This all may sound scary & overwhelming, thinking that you’re ‘losing out’ by going vegan. But, you are about to gain so much more! You would not believe the incredible vegan alternatives to absolutely everything you can imagine… Vegan chocolate is the flippin’ bees knees! (No bees were harmed in the making of this blog thanks to SunnyBo Hunny!)

Oh, while you’re here, check out my other blog: VEGAN POLICE: THE TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS OF A MODERN DAY PLANT-EATER

Vegan Food

Shopping List

Back to business, though! My newbie vegan shopping list is short & sweet, to get you through your first week. You probably think it’s a list as long as my arm, consisting of quinoa, agave syrup & tofu? Well, the truth of the matter is, there is only one thing in this realistic vegans starter pack…

Peanut butter.

Yep, that is all you need, honey. Peanut butter (OhMega Nut Butters being my personal favourite!)  & a spoon big enough to feed the inevitable cravings. Because, they will come. Trust that! I think the vegan community has created an air of being ‘from the Earth’, drinking water straight from the damn stream & bathing in oat milk… (Oat milk is hella expensive, it would be a very shallow soak.)

But the reality is, most of us are just as unhealthy as the next person. Myself included! I can promise  you right now, every single vegan alive has some sort of nut butter in the cupboard. Not all of us want to eat kale & drink Kombucha. DO NOT BE FOOLED!

You need to understand, going into this that your body is going to go through some major changes. A lot of withdrawal & you are going to have some hectic cravings for things you never thought you would miss! Fish paste from boarding school when you were in grade 7? GET IN MY BELLY! A lekker oily boerie roll from that dodgy braai stand outside of Builders Warehouse? ASSEBLIEF! 

But, if you’re committed to your decision to tread more lightly on the planet, then push through! The reward far outweighs your need for a lamb chop or even a Wimpy burger! Think of the impact you as a person are making in the world. For every year that you choose not to eat meat, you would have saved 10 055 pigs, 647 737 chickens, 11 357 cows & 3 million prawns! I highly suggest checking out Fry’s website to see some really eye-opening stats!

 I mean, that is a hell of a lot of good karma!

A Raw Deal

I think my least favourite question I get, being a vegan (and trust me, there are PLENTY) is, “but why are you vegan?” I am never quite sure how to respond to that one. Should I be brutally honest? Should I sugar-coat it so that I don’t offend you? And, are you genuinely asking out of interest or are you just waiting to give me your opinion? 

My answer? I am vegan for all of the reasons. 

But mainly ‘cause Russel Brand told me so & who could ever say no to him?

 

Want some meal inspo? Check out these plant-based meals: 

CHOCOLATE OAT BOWL

CHICKPEA CURRY

PASTA ALLA RELISH

 

August 25, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on VEGAN STARTER PACK: INFILTRATING THE INNER CIRCLE
Mental Wellness

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MENTAL WELLBEING AMIDST A PANDEMIC

As we continue to adjust to a new way of living during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many people are starting to feel overwhelmed by the distance between themselves and their loved ones, and it hasn’t been easy on individuals who are already struggling with their mental health. 

With this current global atmosphere of uncertainty and apprehension, it’s becoming increasingly important that we take the time to not only look after our physical health but to make our mental health a priority too. That’s why we want to encourage all our readers to change their outlook and start these 6 essential mental health hacks to better connect to their inner feelings and improve their mental well-being.

Covid-19 and maintaining your mental health   

By now we all know about the precautions we should be taking to keep ourselves physically healthy and protect ourselves from the coronavirus – but what are we doing to take care of ourselves mentally?

When it comes to managing your mental health, there is no one step, quick-fix solution in this journey. The good news is that there are plenty of mindful practices you can commit to every day to keep yourself mentally healthy and stay strong during this pandemic.

1. Be mindful of your environment and your feelings  

Trying to live a more mindful life begins with making a conscious effort to get in touch with yourself and your emotions. Take time to notice when your stress response is triggered and identify stress-enhancing situations. 

For some of us, having to constantly communicate on our phones, be on social media and regularly check the news for COVID-19 updates on a daily basis can take its toll. 

While it’s hard to take the right advice and slow down when you’re feeling overwhelmed, the first step is to admit to yourself that the world will not stop turning if you ignore a single DM or take a little longer to reply on WhatsApp. You may need some time to be in your own bubble and ignore the rest of the world – and that’s okay!

2. Discover your unique stress-relievers 

Since mental health is directly linked to our body’s immune system, it’s important to discover your specific coping habits which act as anti-stressors in times of rising anxiety. 

For some people, coping with stress or feelings of depression means getting out of the house and going for a long hike, a jog or a sweat-filled session at the gym. But for others, it’s lounging in the same pyjamas all day and scrolling through motivational posts on Pinterest (don’t worry – we’ve all been there). 

The point is that there’s no one-size-fits-all way to deal with stress, and it’s essential to keep that at the forefront of your mind at all times. While getting started with online therapy and doing regular meditation sessions are great ways to stay calm, it’s important to remember that your coping mechanism doesn’t have to look a certain way to others. Who says that gouging a bowl of ice great and watching reruns of The Office isn’t just as therapeutic? 

Mental wellness 101

3. Get real about your mental health 

There’s a lot of ways to answer the question, “How are you doing?”, but a lot of the time, most of us tend to steer clear of the honest answer. Instead of shrugging off your emotions, start trying to admit that you’re struggling with what is happening in the world right now. If there was ever a time where it was okay to feel vulnerable and afraid, it’s during this pandemic. 

Remember to be proud of yourself and acknowledge the work you’ve already done to try and keep your mental health in check. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to admit to others that you’ve hit some bumps in the road along the way and ask for their help getting back on track. Being honest and open about the emotions you are experiencing is a great way to load-shed your stress and get it off your chest. 

For men, doing this may be especially intimidating due to the harsh stigma around men’s mental health. That’s why it’s important for all of us to openly acknowledge any struggles we are facing and create a more open dialogue about mental health. 

4. Move your body

Part of being able to thrive during this uncertainty is to keep yourself motivated towards achieving a new goal – such as improving your personal fitness and working towards living a more healthy life. 

We all know about the healing benefits of exercise – it gets your blood pumping and your spirits up – but most of us don’t actually relish the idea of sweating inside a hot home gym all day. 

The great news is that there are all sorts of fun and exciting ways to stay fit and get home endorphins flowing. Try to have some fun by taking a new online dance class and letting loose – nobody’s looking! Or go on a hike with your friend or family for the day. Most people underestimate the healing positive effect of being outdoors in the fresh, open air. 

You’d be surprised how even a simple walk in the park or a stroll at the beach can inspire the innermost feelings of happiness and peace.

5. Give your hobbies some attention

With most of us being far from our friends and families during this time, it’s important that we focus on our inner happiness and try to do things that keep us inspired. 

Now more than ever, we need to focus on the hobbies and passions that we have often put on the shelf due to being caught up in the world of work and stress. Here’s just a few fun new hobbies you could get behind: 

  1. Hone your baking skill as and indulge your sweet tooth with this new delicious choc chip mug cake recipe. Or, if you’re looking for a heartier option, take some time to make your family a healthy home-cooked chickpea curry. 
  2. Get those makeup skills on point and give yourself some time to try that new contour tutorial you saw on YouTube. 
  3. Rearrange your home and redecorate your living room to feed the interior decorator inside of you.
  4. Put your green thumb to the test and start an adorable veggie garden outside.

6. Get yourself a furry best bud 

Lockdown can be lonely, and with thousands of pets abandoned and shelters left struggling due to the effects of COVID-19 on our economy, there are countless furry friends that could use a safe home right now. 

What’s great is that pets are proven to have mood-boosting powers and bring about a sense of calm for people who suffer from high levels of anxiety. Bringing a new friendly companion animal into your life is a sure-fire way to manage your stress in a healthy way, reduce loneliness and elevate your mood.

Studies have even found that:

  • Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression 
  • People with pets have lower blood pressure when exposed to stressful situations 
  • Playing with pets can increase levels of serotonin and dopamine in the body which can help anxious people to be more calm and relaxed.
  • Caring for a pet can help you make healthy lifestyle changes by encouraging you to start a regular exercise routine where you take them for a walk, a hike or a run.

Health and well-being with Wellbe

Living an active, healthy life can be difficult when you are silently struggling with your mental health. At Wellbe&Co, we want strong ladies and men everywhere to stay as fit, healthy and happy as they can be – no matter what these times bring.

That’s why we strive to give our loyal Instagram followers a daily dose of motivational magic to help you stay inspired and conquer your anxieties. From updates about the latest workouts and healthy new recipes to sharing essential yoga poses that will help you approach your day with mindfulness and serenity, our priority is to give you the encouragement you need to pursue your goals. 

Join the WellBe family today to get your own daily, easy-to-implement, lifestyle-focused nutrition, training and health hacks – all while maintaining focus on your mental health. 

August 18, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MENTAL WELLBEING AMIDST A PANDEMIC
Vegan 101

VEGAN POLICE: THE TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS OF A MODERN DAY PLANT-EATER

The Journey: Part 1

I don’t really remember the day, to be honest, the specific day that I stopped eating meat. It was more of a slow process of eating less of it & a whole lot more frozen broccoli than I care to admit. 

All of a sudden, I realised it had been MONTHS since I had eaten any meat. I kind of accidentally became a vegetarian & felt like a new woman. But to say I was nervous to tell anybody about my new lifestyle change, would be a MASSIVE understatement. I knew the stigma. Hell, I had possibly added to the problem many times throughout my life, with poorly timed jokes at the expense of someone else. 

The Saturday afternoon that I had been dreading for months finally reared its ugly head… A family braai. It was time. Time to break the news to my VERY Afrikaans family that, “no, I will pass on the boerewors today, Oom. How about a fried mushroom instead?” Shock & horror followed this, as predicted & there was a moment of silence for the loss of a comrade. I scoffed down that rubbery mushroom & got the heck out of there before they had the chance to ask me, “but where will you get your protein?”

Although the braai was not nearly as difficult as I thought it might be, the judgement & scandal behind my choices extended past my family. Strangers felt the need to let me know why meat is a necessary part of my diet, their favourite argument being… “If we’re not meant to eat meat then why do we have canine teeth?”

Vegan

The Journey: Part 2

My living hell was only perpetuated when I took the next step of becoming vegan. A no-brainer for me, but more of a NO-BRAIN to those around me. It was an easy transition, my only regret? Not doing it sooner.

I was living in the mountains of the Drakensberg at the time, doing yoga in the veld & eating tomatoes straight from the freaking earth, man. I was some kind of hippy, minus the leg hair (mostly.) I was always the odd one out. The black sheep, or rather the black BeyondMeat patty.

For the most part, being vegan in the Berg was a breeze. I got a few quizzical looks at coffee shops when I asked for non-dairy milk. Huh? Like… Goat milk? Uh. Never mind, I’ll just have still water. It was actually during that time that I learnt how to drink black coffee & pretend like it didn’t taste like sadness. I only cried in the shower a few times. WINNING!

But everything changed when I moved back to the city. Jozi, baba. You beaut! I found a community here, a community of like-minded people. A place where I could vent about the RIDICULOUS price of vegan yoghurt & not have someone roll their eyes straight back into their skull. I so appreciate that in a friend. If you’re looking for a starting point, I would highly suggest you check out my fellow veggie compatriot Caley’s blog, for all the inspiration you could ever hope for, honey!

Vegan Job Opportunities

At the same time, I realised that within this beautiful community of amazing people, there are a plethora of other factions. Societies within society & they’re out for blood. Human-blood, of course. They would not appreciate that joke!

I’ve affectionately named these groups; The Vegan Police, The Plastic Police, The Palm Sugar Police, The Gluten Police & The SAPS. Well, the last one is only on this list ‘cause I’m pretty salty about my lack of vegan wine in the cupboard, but that’s a whole other story.

These groups work tirelessly to ensure that you’re happy, but never TOO happy. Like your mother-in-law on a good day.

Enjoy that oat milk latte, Claire. But it better be in a paper cup! Oh, I hope you didn’t add any refined sugar to that? Is that coffee fair-trade? Are you going to recycle that cup or do you just hate sea turtles? 

All I can say is that I am so happy that during a global pandemic, during this Coronacoaster, these cops have jobs & that they’re able to work from home! LUCKY! I just hope they’re being paid for their ‘ESSENTIAL’ services to the vegan community. 

My wish is that this blog spot somewhere on the interweb inspires you. Inspires you to try a Fry’s Chicken Nugget without dry-heaving. Even if you chase it with a mouthful of fatty biltong. I’m not here to anybody; I’m just here for a good time not a long time, uhh. I mean, I’m here for the animals. 

Eat food. Not too much, mostly plants.

“The most damaging phrase in language is; we have always done it this way.” Grace Hopper

While you’re here, check out some of my recent recipes with WellBe: 

CUPPA CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

ANCIENT GRAIN STUFFED AUBERGINE

QUINOA PORRIDGE

 

Until next time…

Claire’vocado

August 13, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on VEGAN POLICE: THE TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS OF A MODERN DAY PLANT-EATER
CUPPA CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

CUPPA CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

DIFFICULTY: EASY

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1

The perfect dessert to make in a hurry! Filled with all the right flavours, this vegan mug cake is the treat you need (right now).

INGREDIENTS 

  • 4 Tbsp spelt flour
  • 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp almond butter
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 Tbsp chocolate chips

METHOD

Add all the ingredients to a mug & mix well. Microwave on high for 1 minute & 30 seconds.

 

DOWNLOAD YOUR CUPPA CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE RECIPE HERE

August 6, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on CUPPA CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE