Being a part of the health and wellness industry is amazing. The industry teaches, inspires, and empowers. It’s grounding and uplifting all at the same time. Often, it can feel a little bit overwhelming. There are many contradicting messages whether we’re talking about nutrition, daily habits, movement, etc. “Self care” is often romanticized which causes us to create expectations based off of how it’s displayed and talked about in the media. What if we viewed self care as our everyday habits? The chances are pretty good that we know what’s good for our bodies by now. How can you prioritize your health by doing one thing every day that honors your body? Our goal for our Healthy Habits with Harley at the Pilates Barre Studio, was to make habits feel accessible. It’s important to know that creating healthy habits is a journey.

Let’s take a look at our recent Healthy Habits with Harley topics: 

1. Eating Seasonally 
2. Snacks
3. Morning Routines
4. Smoothies
5. Meal Planning/Prepping

Through each of these topics, we’ve covered morning and evening and a little bit in between. Take a second to think about which part of the day you have the most time and the most energy. Start there. Start by making a grocery list, by making yourself coffee, by unplugging from your phone, by making a smoothie.

Creating a habit is such an interesting thing and I’ve noticed that if I don’t bring a little bit of openness and ease to the table, I begin to take it way too seriously and then it ends up not being beneficial. 

I printed a super cute habit sheet at the beginning of February with the intention of introducing new habits into my daily routine. I was so excited about it that I got a little ambitious and chose seven tasks that I wanted to do every single day. Sort of as a challenge, but also because I felt like I needed to be doing all of these things to create more balance in my life. Before February I was very hit or miss on some of these things. As I would go to check them off each night, the competitive nature in me caused frustration because I couldn’t cross off all of the things because, well, I simply didn’t do them. Eventually, I was tired of feeling frustrated about not checking the boxes, so I just stopped checking them altogether. 

Maybe something similar has happened to you and maybe it hasn’t. I’m very much a person who likes to take on lots of things and February has been a little hectic, so I needed to reevaluate which habits were non negotiable for the remainder of the month and which ones I should consider adding in the future.

I ended up choosing two out of the seven of my original habits to focus on, which has been much more attainable and it’s allowing me to feel rejuvenated rather than depleted and frustrated. 

Throughout each season, sometimes the best form of self care is recognizing that you are busy and that balance might be achieved through letting go of what you think you need and finding what works. You’re doing the best that you can. Start small. You’ve got this. 

In Strength and Confidence, 

Harley

 

Smoothie Love!!

It’s the month of L O V E and one of the things I L O V E most, are smoothies- they’re fresh, convenient, and packed full of nutrients. 

Whether you’re not a breakfast person, you’re on the go, or you need a snack that will fill your body with the good stuff, you can’t go wrong with a smoothie. 

Step 1: Choose your liquid base.

You can use coconut water, nut milks, oat milk, or juice if you prefer that. Keep in mind that juice will increase the amount of added sugar in your smoothie. My personal favorite is oat milk! I often just eyeball this part. I like my smoothies kind of thick, so depending on what my other ingredients are, I use about  ¼ – ½ cup.  

Step 2: Choose your ingredients.

You want at least one item to add thickness to your smoothie whether it’s a banana, half of an avocado, a cup of oats, or 2 dates. The rest is totally up to you. 

A few ways to get lots of vitamins and minerals from the little additions? Yes, please. 

Flax seed: They are a good source of omega 3’s! They promote healthy digestion and help lower blood pressure.

Chia seed: These little seeds are high in antioxidants, a good protein source, and they’re high in fiber which is a magical combination in my book! 

Maca powder: This powder contains flavonoids that help boost mood and can increase energy.

Matcha powder: Serves as a natural detoxification aid and boosts brain function.

Cacao: These nibs are high in calcium for healthy bones, high in magnesium for a healthy brain and heart. They’re also the highest plant based source of iron. 

Step 3: Blend it all up.

Don’t worry about messing it up! If the final product turns out too thick, add more of your liquid base. If it’s not sweet enough, you can add a little bit of local honey, a few more berries, or a date! 

When it comes to smoothies, you can pretty much do whatever you want. We all love to hear that, right? 😉 I encourage you to play around with some of your favorite fruits and veggies. If you need a few prompts, here you go:   

If you’re feeling tired and need a little boost- 

Grab some more hearty, nutrient dense foods for your smoothie. Carbohydrates = energy.

Bananas, Sweet Potatoes, Nut Butters, Oats, Avocados

If you feel like you want a boost of nutrients- 

Go Green! Spinach, Kale, Cucumber, Blueberries, Beets

If you feel like you’re coming down with a cold-  

Vitamin C! Kale, Orange juice (freshly squeezed if possible), Kiwi, Strawberries

If you want something tasteful and fruity-

Strawberries, bananas, pineapple, mangos

If you want to increase your greens in your daily diet-

Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Beet Greens, Carrot Tops, Avocados, Green Apples 

If you’re having your smoothie post workout- 

Protein powder, bananas, cherries, greens, coconut water for extra electrolytes

Here’s our smoothie recommendation! We want to know about your smoothie experiments! Post about them on social media and tag us!

In Strength and Confidence,

Healthy Habits with Harley