Hey friends – happy almost Friday. Seriously, anyone else just ready for the weekend? I’m glad you enjoyed yesterday’s post: Confessions of a Health Coach. It was a fun one to write.
I saw this survey on Life in Leggings earlier this week (originally from an interview with Miss Rachel Bilson in Health Magazine), and thought it would be entertaining to answer here on Nutrition Nut…
What’s a perfect healthy day for you?
Mmm hmm… what I strive for every day – “perfectly healthy” – but let’s be honest, life is messy and perfect is boring, so good thing this does not happen every day. A quote-on-quote perfectly healthy day first begins with a good night’s sleep (cliché, yet entirely true) followed by a delicious breakfast (a bowl of creamy oatmeal with heaping spoonfuls of almond butter and hemp seeds), and more than one glass of iced coffee (despite the fact that my intestines prefer it hot).
A perfectly healthy day would include time outside – a run in the park or a hike with P. It would include a balance of productivity and rest; nourishing, filling veggie-heavy meals; and dark chocolate, always. It would include plenty of walking (my new favorite pastime), ice cream, and snuggles.
When do you feel your all-time unhealthiest?
When I’m bloated mixed with 2-3 days of minimal physical activity mixed with little sleep mixed with stress. Fortunately, this combination doesn’t happen too often, but just one of these factors will cause me to “feel off”/not at my healthiest.
How confident are you about your body? Do you feel different now that you’re in your 30s?
Oh, what a loaded question. What a different world it would be if we could all shout “100 percent confident” from the top of our lungs!
It honestly fluctuates from a rough rate of 65 to 85 percent confidence. At the end of a double-digit run, it may be in the 90th percentile.
I was recently talking with a health coaching client about self-confidence. When do you feel your most confident?
What’s your idea of a hot style?
In all honestly, I personally don’t aim for a “hot style.” I’m rather modest; but, I have actually been pinning more fashion to my Pinterest style board. Lace and stripes and denim and utility jackets galore.
If you ever have days when you look in the mirror and think, Eh, how do you snap out of it?
Exercise = therapy for my body and mind. As stated yesterday: While I work with my clients on food freedom and creating a loving and trusting relationship with their body, I still encounter personal moments of negative self-talk to overcome and learn from.
Blogging/writing helps, too. If I’m feeling down or dealing with a moment of negative self-talk, putting it into perspective by, say, writing a letter to my body works wonders to set my thoughts straight.
What’s your secret to getting in such great shape?
Question directed at Bilson. I feel my best when I’m doing high-intensity, metabolic conditioning-type workouts. When I wake up in the middle of the night/early morning hungry because my metabolism is revved up, I know my training is doing its job! However, those nights were mostly associated with my CrossFit stint; so, I would say that regular movement week in and week out – whether an hour-long hike, 20-minute HIIT workout, or bike ride with my dad – is how I maintain within a range (key word: range) of performance and physique.
What’s your dream workout?
Okay, blushing here… but I would love to have a workout day with Jen of Peanut Butter Runner: a 1:1 strength session (CrossFit or circuit workout) followed by an outdoor run, followed by one of her infamous hot yoga classes. While it is an ordinary day for fitness extraordinaire Jen DeCurtins, it would be a dream workout for me.
Do you have a trick for getting yourself back in the moment?
Speaking of… yoga. Yoga, to me, means: be here now. Technology is out of sight, out of mind. Thoughts come and go at light speed, but the practice of yoga is to connect your head with your heart; your mind with your body… and then to take those connections off your mat and into the world.
How do you shut off your brain?
If only there was and OFF button – wouldn’t you agree? Again, exercise quiets my brain. And social time with friends. It’s excellent when the two collide (i.e. running dates), but both of them get me out of my own head temporarily.
What is your biggest health regret?
Not enough sunscreen = too many bad, peeling burns and a galaxy of freckles.
What do you have too much of in your closet?
Major minimalist here. Uh, too much of one thing isn’t in my vocal. Athletic socks – does that count? Scarves, I like scarves.
What is on your bucket list?
Europe (which is happening in T-5 months!) and running a marathon are a couple of items on my list.
On Overtraining
45-Minute Hilly Walking Treadmill Workout
Working Out Through the Holidays
Fitness Idols + Thanksgiving Recipes
Dorm Room Dumbbell Workout
Ahhh I love this. And I understand…I fangirl from afar over Jen. She is the perfect mix of healthy, hard-working, realistic, and focused on love (both self and toward others). Body confidence is something that we all work on, but has been continuing to grow with forgiveness for me.
Ugh I have TERRIBLE body confidence. It is so beyond low. I see myself as such a sloppy, chubby, but not in a cute curvy way, bumpy, lumpy mess. Which is not true! I know it isn’t true, but when I look in the mirror, I usually end up saying “Eh. Could be worse, I guess…” I definitely need to fix that. Even when working out and running! I notice my thighs jiggling or how slow I am or whatever.
Jen is amazing. I love her posts, her dogs, I definitely fangirl reading her stuff hahaha. I would love to do a workout with her, but I’d also be scared I couldn’t keep up ;)
Feed yourself positive thoughts :)
I TOTALLY agree with you for a dream workout day with Peanut Butter Runner! I’m amazed that she excels in all she does – CrossFit, yoga, and running.
Too much of in my closet? Stripes and the same colors. I always gravitate toward tops that are black, pinkish red or anything blue. And other than stripes, I am terrible at trying any kind of pattern. :)
I love stripes, too!