Happy Wednesday!!
If you’ve been following along on my blog, you know that I’ve been focusing more on health and fitness. Luckily, working for a company that deals with healthcare they make sure to make our health a priority. We use a company called “HealthMed” to promote healthy living and make sure we’re living our best lives. I reached out to Emily Davidson, a member of the HealthMed team who is a Health Coach and get this, also a fellow Sigma Kappa!! You can imagine my surprise when I saw her SK sticker on her laptop during a health meeting! I asked Emily a slew of questions all about how we can get healthy and motivation to stay more active. So here we go:
*How cute is this pup?!"*
1.What small things can we do to improve our health daily?
Stay hydrated! Being dehydrated can negatively impact everything from your mental focus to energy and metabolism. The recommendation is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water each day! That might seem like a lot, but all the functions in the body depend on water.
Get up and move- As a nation, we sit too much. At work, in the car, during meals, watching tv, etc. and many people don’t realize the negative affect that has on our bodies. We were created to move and live an active life and even getting up every hour or two to walk a lap around the office can help immensely.
Stretch every day- We lose flexibility as we age and it is often overlooked how important it is. Stretching can help prevent injuries and make daily tasks easier.
Show gratitude- Gratitude is a great habit, be thankful to everyone and take time each day to remind yourself of what you’ve been blessed with by being thankful for it.
Get enough sleep- Not getting enough sleep can lead to several issues including increased food cravings, irritability, lack of focus, etc.
2. What made you interested in health and wellness?
Health and wellness has always been a part of my life. I grew up playing sports and I’ve always been an active person, but I never planned on making it into a career. Throughout college I switched my major at least 6 times and was having a hard time finding something that I was passionate about. It hit me when I was a junior and I discovered that our school had just opened a new Kinesiology facility. I did some research and looked over some of the curriculum and it got me excited. This was something that I was already interested in and wanted to learn more about. When I started my next semester, I found myself excited to go to class each day and it encouraged me to turn this hobby of mine into something that I could use to help motivate others.
3. What kinds of things do you to stay healthy and in shape?
So, I’m one of those people who is obsessed with my dog and having her has kept me active in itself. We walk every and she’s a great motivator because there are some days when I come home from work and honestly lack motivation to do anything. She encourages me to find that motivation because I know it’s her favorite part of the day and it makes me happy to see her get so hyped up when I say the phrase “wanna go for a walk?”
I also try to hit the gym a couple of times per week mainly to run. I am not big on running…at all and I’m not sure that I ever will be. But one of my goals is to run a half marathon in October so that is something I have really been working on. I have also been trying out a HIIT (high intensity interval training) program since January and I have noticed some big changes in my endurance and strength. I have been tracking my body composition along the way, so it has been really cool to see actual proof in numbers! Other than that, I do a lot of outdoor activities on the weekends because it’s something I really enjoy. As for my diet, I try to stay away from processed foods and fast foods as much as possible, but my motto has always been “All about moderation” and I try to stick with that throughout the week.
4. What is your number one fitness tip?
My number one tip would be to find something YOU enjoy, otherwise you won’t stick to it.choose an activity that you find fun. Ask yourself, “Do I prefer to spend time indoors or outdoors? Alone or with people?” You are more likely to abandon a healthy lifestyle change if your chosen activity doesn’t suit your lifestyle. If you really hate a gym setting, then it’s going to be really difficult to find the motivation to go and it will turn into something you hate.
5. What are some benefits of getting at least 20-30 min of exercise per day?
1. Reduce stress- Exercise increases the amount of norepinephrine in the body- the chemical that moderates our brain’s response to stress. If you’ve had a rough day, try getting some exercise in. You might be surprised with how good you feel afterwards!
2. Heart health- Just getting 20-30 min of moderate exercise each day can greatly minimize your risk for stroke, heart disease, Diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
3. Increased productivity/ creativity- It’s easy to feel tired or experience writers block when you’ve been staring at your computer for several hours. Getting up to walk throughout the day can help you to refresh, recharge, and get over that 2:00 slump.
6. Fun fact about yourself?
Besides wellness, I also have a passion for music. I really enjoy traveling around the U.S. & going to concerts at different venues. I have also been learning how to play guitar this summer & while I have not perfected it, it’s been a fun learning experience and has taught me a lot about patience!
7. Since I love fashion what is your Spring/Summer fashion staple for 2018?
Right now, I am obsessing over overalls. I love how versatile they are! You can throw them on with some cute tennis shoes, sandals, or even booties and be out the door and on trend. I’ve got a few pairs in my closet, and I love to rock them when I am out with friends or even running errands.
8. Favorite healthy snack?
If I am craving something sweet, I usually go for frozen blueberries, or apples with peanut butter & dark chocolate chips. If I am craving something salty, I typically reach for a handful of pistachios. I also love avocados. Sometimes I will spread them on toast or even eat them plain with just a touch of salt and pepper- yum!
As you can see just 20-30 minutes of exercise a day can make a HUGE difference in your health journey! If your job or the company you work for is looking to implement a health and wellness program reach out to Emily at HealthMed. Her information will be below!
XO
Chaneya
Emily Davidson
HealthMed Health Coach
Office: (888) 277 - 1051
Thanks again to Emily Davidson for collaborating with me on this post!
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