Author: lauranau17

Wife. SAHM. Twin mom. Girl mom. Blogger. Momprenuer.

The Ultimate New Mom Guide: How To Take Care Of You & Your Baby After Pregnancy

Posted on by lauranau17
The ultimate new mom guide How To Take Care Of You & Your Baby After Pregnancy
White and Brown Bear Plush Toy

[image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-and-brown-bear-plush-toy-1799399/]

Do you have a baby on the way? If so, odds are good you’re taking steps now to address their needs later.

Make sure you’re also preparing to address your own needs! Being a new mother may be a joyful experience, but it can also be draining. You’ll take much better care of your child if you’re also prepared to take care of yourself.

This new mom guide will help. Keep them in mind to ensure both you and your baby enjoy a healthy and happy postpartum experience.

Stock up on Essential Items

You know how important it is to buy certain items before having a child. That’s what a baby shower is for, after all. However, it’s easy to overlook items that are designed to address your postpartum needs. Don’t forget to include them on your shopping list!

A breast pump is one item all new moms should have. With a breast pump, you have the option to set a feeding schedule that fits your lifestyle, and you can store milk for later.

This helps you avoid the kind of sleep-deprivation many new mothers often experience. When you have a supply of milk stored in your home, you won’t be the only one who can handle feedings when your baby is hungry in the middle of the night.

You should also make sure you have a durable, large water bottle you can bring with you throughout your day. Staying hydrated is essential when you’re breastfeeding.

Worried about health and comfort issues, such as vaginal discharge and breastfeeding-related discomfort? Stock up on sanitary pads and natural nipple cream.

Update Your Wardrobe

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that your wardrobe will change after you give birth. Staying comfortable after having a baby is easier with flattering and comfortable clothing, like shaping leggings.

These are different than supporting tanks and other shapewear you may already own, but postpartum compression garments are must-haves for new moms. They help reduce lower body swelling, and they can stabilize your core. This results in an easier recovery period.

Prepare for Emotional Changes

You may experience a range of intense emotions after having a child. This is natural. That said, if you’re not ready for them, you could end up feeling guilty about your own emotional needs.

Don’t let this happen. Take the time to research what you can expect AFTER you’re expecting. Discuss the topic with other women you know who’ve already had children. Let important people in your life know there will be times during the postpartum experience when you’ll need to be able to express your feelings without being judged.

By learning what to expect and forming a support system ahead of time, you’ll be less bothered by your own natural emotions as you tend to your new baby’s needs.

Plan a Routine

Again, when you take care of yourself, you’re more equipped to take care of your baby. That’s why self-care needs to be a priority.

You’re more likely to prioritize self-care if you create a routine. That involves planning your diet, identifying self-care activities you can participate in as a new mother, and setting aside a quiet area within your home where you can spend some time relaxing.

Use this space to reprogram any negative self-talk that may prevent you from addressing your own needs. As a new mother, you may feel as though you’re under a lot of pressure to be superhuman. Taking a few moments every day to remind yourself nobody is superhuman is important. It’s also easier when you have a relaxing environment in which to do it.

Welcome to Mommyhood with this New Mom Guide

The joys of motherhood are real. However, so are the stresses. They’ll be much less likely to take a toll on your mental, emotional, and physical health if you plan accordingly. Use this new mom guide to help you along your new journey!

Save Money and Look Fabulous!

Posted on by lauranau17

I remember being a little girl and getting into my mom’s makeup. It was so fun to pretend and dress up. As a girl mom, I also love (well, usually lol) seeing my sweet girls play in my makeup. The excitement on their faces when they do their makeovers is priceless.

As an adult, I still love playing in makeup. I also love saving money, so when I can do both of those things, I’m one happy Momma!

One of my favorite places to buy cosmetics (and everything else) is Walgreens. It has a similar magnetic field that Target has. I walk in and end up wandering around looking at everything.

Favorite Milani Products

It’s hard to pick only a couple products, but I wanted to showcase a few that you can find at your local Walgreens store.

I love oils. I was hesitant to try them in the past because I just assumed they would make my face, well, oily. Boy, was I wrong. I started finding great oils and have never looked back.

Milani has a fantastic prep + brighten rose facial oil. Fast absorbing and weightless, this oil is a great addition to your skin routine. Bonus: it can also be used on your hair and skin. I love multi-functional products!

Another awesome product is mascara! As a woman with lighter eyelashes, I love a great black mascara that makes my eyes pop! Check out this Milani mascara.

save money and look fabolous at Walgreens

Save Money Today!

You can save money today on your next Milani cosmetics purchase. Print off this coupon and Save $1 when you buy any one (1) Milani product at Walgreens! (coupon expires 5/30/19)

I want to know! What are your must have beauty products?

Health Boosts to Help You Feel Better Today

Posted on by lauranau17

We all have days where we are feeling a little under the weather. There is nothing specifically wrong, but instead, we just don’t feel as bouncy and wonderful as usual. Modern life is very demanding, and while we are surrounded by plenty of amazing things like mobile phones, great computers (which mean we can work from anywhere), and of course things like immunizations that protect us longer term – there is a still a lot to do in a day.

Full-time job, part-time job, kids, commutes, cleaning, getting 8 hours rest, and meeting your social commitments isn’t all that easy. It becomes less easy if you begin to get dips in your energy levels.

So let’s talk about a few little things you can do to boost your health.

Photo by Jon Flobrant on Unsplash

Watch Reruns

It sounds a bit like hooey, but watching reruns lets your mental energy recoup. Why? Well, watching a rerun of a show or movie that you’ve seen requires no effort to follow the plot and keep up with what is happening. You are free to enjoy the interactions between the characters and not give too much mental space to it. So if you have had a long day then kicking back watching those Friends or Scrubs episodes might be precisely what you need.

Laugh – A Lot

If you have a few friends that are utterly hilarious, it is time to book some time with them.  You know those moments where you’re laughing so hard you can breathe, your sides hurt, and the tears roll down your face? Those. They release a mass amount of endorphins that, in turn, gives you a strangely higher pain threshold. That and endorphins are the feel-good hormones, the more you have, the more energetic and happy you’re going to feel.

Therapy

It might be talking therapy, it could be getting a serious vitamin boost at an IV bar. There are a lot of different treatments that work for millions of people. We all have things that we want to discuss in more detail, or some alternative therapies we are interested in. Hopi ear candles are a popular choice, as is acupuncture. If you suffer from migraines or lousy posture, then it might be worth seeing what you can do that doesn’t involve pharmaceuticals.

Walking

If you are lucky enough to live close to a nature reserve, then you might like to start taking regular walks. It allows your brain to turn off, and relax, and process things without being interrupted. Swimming is also a gentle exercise that you can work into your weekly, or daily routine that will allow you to unwind, up your movement and turn up the flow on those endorphins too.

Music

Listening to your favorite music while you relax or even while working calms you. Or you can use it to expel excess energy and dance around the room. If you haven’t got a playlist, then it might just be time to sit down and put one together. Aim for around 2-3 hours of music to stop you getting bored too quickly.

Simple Ways to Improve Confidence Today

Posted on by lauranau17

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One thing we all want to be during our adult life is confident and happy. Confidence is one of those things which we can sometimes have an issue with in our day to day lives and it can often be something we struggle with. Today we are going to take a look at some of the really small things you can do today to make you feel confident and ready to tackle the day even in the smallest of ways.

Easy Beachy Waves

Early in the mornings when we wake up and get ready for work, it can be difficult to bring ourselves to wake up early enough to do our makeup and style our hair as well as creating a stunning outfit. If you always end up with your hair in a messy bun on top of your head, it can make you feel a little unkempt and unfinished. However if you braid your hair loosely before bed and sleep with a braid overnight, all you have to do is take out the braid in the morning and you will have a stunning head of soft waves! You can leave the house feeling much more confident and put together in no time.

Accentuate Your Curves

We all want to feel confident with our body, and all of us have our hang ups when it comes to our figure. If you want to feel stylish and confident every day, it is a great idea to choose clothes which accentuate your curves or your features. For example fit and flare dresses are great for those who are curvy, and for those with an athletic build, peplum or frilled items can be brilliant. You can take a look online for clothes for every body shape and this will help you find items which make you feel confident.

Avoid Accidents

One of the more discreet things we might deal with as an adult is either discharge or incontinence. These are common issues and when we are living our day to day life it can be really disheartening to live with each day. You can actually get pads and diaper coupons for this issue and this will allow you to live out each day feeling more confident because you know that you will always be able to change and stay feeling fresh.

Eat Fruit

This one will sound strange, but hear us out. Do you ever get that feeling after eating something like a salad where you feel like a fabulous goddess of health and fitness? Come on, we know you do.

Swapping out your regular mid morning snack for some berries will not only be great for your body but also your mind. When we feel like we are being healthy, it helps to boost our confidence and it can make a big impact on us.

Smile

If nothing else, smile! Smiling releases happy hormones in our brain and it makes us feel happier! The more you smile at your colleagues and strangers, the happier and more confident you will feel each day!

Improve Your Confidence Today

Confidence is so important! It helps you overcome obstacles, pursue your dreams, and be the best you possible!

Adding these tips to your life will help improve your confidence today!

Want to focus on confidence building? 1:1 coaching may be perfect for you! Check out my coaching options today!

3 Self-care Ideas for Women to Live a Better Life

Posted on by lauranau17


“Self-care is a priority and necessity, not a luxury, in the work that we do.”

In today’s fast-paced world, self-care is an important and essential factor to deal with your everyday stress. So, ladies, self-care doesn’t necessarily mean self-indulgence but somewhere it’s an opportunity to think of yourself and care for yourself.

Let’s divide the self-care into three parts to derive an easy and thorough perception of it. These three parts are personal self-care, professional self-care, and financial self-care.

Let us discuss how you can implement self-care ideas in your daily life to bring a change.

1.   Personal self-care

It may sound quite absurd as self-care itself implies personal. Still, there’s something beyond it and you should think of it from a different perspective. Personal care includes caring for your body, mind, and spirit.

  • Physical self-care
    Whether you are a working lady or a homemaker, it is a primal fact to take care of your physical health. It includes consuming healthy food and drinking ample water. If you think that preparing healthy food is difficult, you’re wrong. There are ways to consume simple and healthier food in your everyday life. Along with it, do exercise, maintain basic hygiene, follow the proper medication, and get enough sleep.
    Keep in mind that there always works a strong connection between your body and mind. So, if you take care of your body well, your mind will also stay fresh.
  • Mental self-care
    Life can lead you to a hectic schedule sometimes without leaving you enough time for yourself. And for this reason, you may have higher chances to feel low, depressed, stressed out, tired, and anxious. And, the only thing that your mind permits you to do is lying on a bed. This is not the ultimate solution that you know very well.
    So, stop escaping from yourself and binding yourself in such beliefs that limit your mind with stagnant thoughts. Rather, know how to overcome your limiting beliefs to achieve goal in your life. Just open up yourself and fill your mind with self-compassion and acceptance.
  • Emotional self-care
    Emotions are complex things as we all know. Still, you should have control over them so that things don’t get out of your control. For this, you need some self-care practices. Such practices can include keeping a diary to write down your feelings, reading a good book to divert your mind, walking amidst nature to take fresh air, listening to the songs that lift your mood, having a conversation with your dear one to relieve your anxiety, and the list goes on.
  • Spiritual self-care
    Don’t confuse spirituality with religion because they bear two different concepts. Where religion welcomes diversity, spirituality forms a unity. So, tend yourself with the beliefs that depend on qualities like cooperation, kindness, and respect for all. Nurturing positive things in mind is a kind of self-care too.

Professional self-care


Professional self-care is about taking care of your mental and physical health just to retain and improve your performance at your workplace. Especially, for women, it becomes quite difficult to balance work life and personal life. And, this difficulty leads them to sacrifice self-care.
Below are ways that all you ladies can follow to take care of yourself while being at your professional place.

  • Know your company’s policies
    Ask your employer about work policies on flexible hours and working from home facility while not being able to come to the office. If you are a strong performer, you’ll have an opportunity to negotiate an arrangement that’ll work for both you and your employer.
  • Stop feeling guilty
    It is not always possible to give 100% to everything you do. A real human being can’t do what a Superwoman or Superman can do. Be realistic, think realistic when you approach doing a work. If you make mistakes, learn from it instead of feeling guilty.
  • Stop being a people pleaser
    Sometimes it’s ok to say ‘NO’ to people rather than being a people pleaser. Keep in mind, you can’t please everybody and you are not committed to do so. You are liable to your job responsibility and perform it as per your ability. Be true, be real while you are dealing with people.
  • Make your own work environment
    It can be quite difficult for you to make your own work environment when you are already a part of a team. Still, it’s up to you like how you look at the things! Sometimes, a positive outlook of a situation can help you to handle the things swiftly and smoothly. So, stay positive, feel positive!
  • Be confident and be passionate        
    To linger on a work, it is quite necessary to be passionate about the work you are assigned to do. Being passionate about work can help you a lot to manage responsibility and stress at the same time. So, follow your passion and be confident while you are choosing your job role.

3. Financial self-care


Cash in the bank works as a tonic for our mind. Well-built finance doesn’t only secure our future but also soothes our mind. When there is mental peace, you can handle everything with ease.

Apparently, it may seem that the finance has nothing to do with self-care but somewhere deep down there’s a correlation.

  • Make you involved in your family finances
    If you’re a stay-at-home mom and your husband manages your finances, you should get involved in it. It’s not about your right but it’s about the responsibility that you can’t ignore. Getting involved in family finances will let you know about your bank accounts, savings, insurance policies, wills, and so on. Educating yourself about your family’s finances is a kind of self-care as it imparts you with financial knowledge and mental peace at the same time.
  • Help you to lead a debt-free life    
    If you’re well aware of your financial state and know how to manage your financial life, you might not have to fall into the debt trap. But, by any chance, if circumstances make you debt-ridden, then what will you do? Yes, there are ways that can help you to be debt-free.


You can take the help of several debt consolidation options but at first, you should gather knowledge about them. Credit card balance transfer is one of them and you can handle it on your own. In this process, you’ll have a new card at a low or 0% interest rate, with which you’ll be able to pay off your unsecured debts. Make sure, you’ve paid your transferred balance within the low introductory period.

Self Care Ideas for Women

These self-care ideas for women are sure to increase your quality of life! You are the heart of your family so it’s vital that you fill your cup. It’s important for you to stay happy and healthy for yourself and your family. And, for your wellness, self-care is a must which you should think about.

Remember, “Self-care” is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”

Contribution: Valentina

Empowering Yourself In The Pursuit To Lose Weight

Posted on by lauranau17

Pexels

Part of the reason as to why self-empowerment can be so life-changing is that it puts into your hands matters you once considered impossible. Even the most confident person on the planet has their perceived limits, those that they may never have questioned. It takes a conscious mind and a directed effort to empower yourself in the pursuit to do anything, especially when you may not see results for some time. The pursuit to lose weight can also be framed in this context, much to the unhappiness of those who seem to work and work to no avail.

But just like that person who may be confident yet fails to see their inner worth, it could be that you simply haven’t found what works for you. Everyone’s body is different, and while there are some tried and true techniques available to help you lose weight, you may not have found the best delivery method for said wisdom.

Thankfully, empowering yourself to lose weight is something anyone can achieve, all you need is a little friendly push. Perhaps you’d like to consider the following:

Try a New Food Plan

It might seem that the cliche of ‘trying a new plan and every supplement there is’ will simply waste your time, but sometimes, trying a new diet can actually help you learn new food habits, and shouldn’t be brushed aside so easily. Diets (and I use that term loosely because I loathe the word) such as ketosis, paleo and others can help you make different food choices every day, and thus might give you more room to schedule what you eat. After all, if we simply rest on the same indulgences and do not limit ourselves through routine, we can often fall back into the same daily choices. When you have a set program to follow, even if it’s just cutting out alcohol or sugary foods, you’ve begun to draw the boundaries necessary for success.

Consider Your Body

It might be what works for you is different from what works for a personal trainer, or for your friends. For example, it might be that running as an exercise, even if you will it, is too hard on your joints and could injure you. Swimming, in this case, might be the answer or joining an aerobic exercise class. Maybe you should start shopping at a new grocery store with only organic produce to help you start learning to cook more appropriately.

Just like those who decide on gastric sleeve surgery or joining a camp for an intense training program, your success depends on finding the correct, tailored approach just for you.

Pay Attention to Health

Often, simply getting healthy is enough to start dropping weight. Things that increase weight gain include:

  • eating at irregular times
  • lacking sleep
  • being sedentary
  • being stressed

Ensuring that the factors of your life are well taken into account can help you more clearly ‘set the stage’ for your body to lose weight. To that end, you might be positively surprised.

With these tips, we hope your weight loss journey feels much more satisfying to follow.

Healthy Ways to Socialize and Have Fun

Posted on by lauranau17

Image Credit: Unsplash

When you think about going out to have fun with friends, it probably involves some sort of alcohol and high-fat and salty food. This isn’t a bad thing if you only do it occasionally but it is quite a limiting way to enjoy time with your friends.

Reducing your alcohol consumption, in particular, can be quite tough when your friends encourage you to drink all the time. If you have real concerns and you are worried that you can’t stop drinking there are Treatment Centres for Alcoholism in Canada that can help.

It doesn’t matter whether you are on a health kick, looking for a new lifestyle or worried about drinking too much, finding fun and healthy ways to socialize will build your friendships in a positive way. When you get out and do different things together, you will learn more about each other and find new ways to bond.

Go for Coffee

Having a drink together is a nice way to chat casually and relax. But you don’t need alcohol to do that! Swapping out a glass for a mug is a small change to make but it will make a big difference to your lifestyle.

If you are worried about swapping alcohol for caffeine, please don’t. No-one is going to judge you for going decaf! Coffee comes with all kinds of benefits from making you feel happier to possibly helping your liver. For a start, you can go for a coffee at any time, evening or day, and you won’t suffer the consequences in the morning.

Of course, you don’t have to go out for coffee. With a few gadgets, you can make some awesome coffee at home. A handheld milk frother is all you need to make a wide variety of coffee shop coffees and investing in a couple of syrups is a good idea too – just be aware of the amount of sugar they contain.   

Take a Walk

Going for a walk might not sound that exciting but actually, it’s a lovely way to connect with friends. Taking a walk removes all the usual distractions giving you proper time together. Plus, if you take a picnic, you can make a full day out work for everyone.

Of course, there are a few other reasons to go for a walk. You will get some fresh air, clear your head and all of this comes for free! All walking counts so whether you are planning a hike up a mountain, a wander around the shops or something in between, the main point is that you are out and moving.  

Walking is also a nice way to make new friends and network. Walking clubs can be found almost everywhere and the people are usually welcoming and friendly. You don’t need to be super-fit to manage and if you need to go slow, that’s fine too.

Try Cultural Pursuits

Taking in some culture is a great way to spend a weekend and it doesn’t have to be expensive. Going to the cinema or the theatre are more obvious routes for fun outings with friends but don’t exclude museums and art galleries.

If you are willing to open your mind, the humble museum can spark plenty of interesting conversations and could even be a good location for a date! Lots of exhibitions are free for you to enjoy but do buy a ticket if you have a particular interest you want to pursue.  

Going around museums is a good way to chat casually, another way to get a walk in and an ideal location for conversation starters. Try going to some of the more unusual museums in your area and don’t worry about taking it all too seriously! Museums are designed to make you think and hopefully enjoy yourself – and you don’t need to be a professor to do that.

Cook Together

It might sound weird to cook together but if you think about how barbecues work, it’s not so mad after all. Indeed, barbecues are the ideal way to enjoy an afternoon together with a large group and you can all get involved with the cooking and fire-making.

The danger with cooking together is that you might slip into old bad habits. However, there’s nothing to worry about as long as you provide some alternatives. There are all sorts of delicious mocktail recipes you can try and if your friends fancy a tipple, they can always add their own alcohol to the mocktail base.

And there’s no reason for barbecued food to be less healthy than your regular grilled dishes either. There are lots of great homemade burger recipes and as well as all the side dishes you could want for a healthy barbecue. Putting out a big bowl of salad and fruit on the table is a good way to encourage healthier eating too.  

Play Sports Together

Sport is a great bonding exercise as well as a way to get out of breath building your strength and stamina. Just make sure you drink plenty of water! You might decide to form a team together if there are a few of you but you could join an existing team with one other friend. Alternatively, going to exercise classes as a pair can be really fun and you can support each other. Even a casual kick-about can be a lot of fun.

The real bonus that comes with doing sports activities together is that you can develop your skills together and have another activity to bond over. You don’t have to be good at sport – in fact, being terrible at sport can be just as fun! The most important thing is that you have a good time.

You don’t have to drink alcohol or eat badly in order to have a good time. In fact, there are lots of activities that can get you moving and don’t require anything but good company. The more you branch out and do different things, the more fun you will have with your friends. What other plans could you come up with?

Do You Struggle to Drink Enough Water? #DrinkHydrant

Posted on by lauranau17

How many times have you been told “just drink more water”? You’ve heard it for years, but you still struggle to get enough into your body. Enter: Hydrant hydration!

#drinkhydrant

What Is Hydrant?

So, what is Hydrant and what makes it unique? Unlike the alternatives that contain way too much sugar and artificial ingredients, Hydrant is an explosion of electrolytes and contains just a small amount of sugar to turn on the sodium glucose pump and increase your body’s hydration.

Other reasons that Hydrant is so unique:

  • Hydrant is underpinned by science to optimize hydration.
  • Incorporating Hydrant into your daily routine, once in the morning and once before bed, leads to optimal hydration and a better you.
  • We all know the importance of drinking water, but drinking enough water is hard and can become a chore. Hydrant’s unique ingredient blend allows you to absorb water more efficiently, think of it like a hydrant that sends water quickly and efficiently to your cells.

Who Is Hydrant?

Hydrant was created by an Oxford Biologist. The Optimal Hydration Mix fights the fatigue that 75% of us experience from dehydration every day. Formulated to make water work better, instantly and conveniently, Optimal Hydration Mix keeps you healthy and hydrated.

How Do I Use Hydrant?

Mix! Mix! Mix! Then drink! The colder the water, the better the taste. If you like a more concentrated flavor, stay closer to 8oz of water/packet. If you want a more dilute taste, you can fill up to 16oz for that one packet.

This is also great to use during workouts, after drinking alcohol, and when your body is dehydrated from vomiting/diarrhea.

Are You Ready to Try Hydrant?

From a wellness perspective, I know how important hydration is to our minds, bodies, and even complexions. Too many people get fooled by companies claiming to offer healthy and safe “waters” or alternatives.

Hydrant is a fantastic addition to your health and wellness routine! I can’t wait to try the lime flavor! Just in time for summer, am I right?!

Use promo code: HYDRANT33 to save 33% off your first order at Hydrant! (Restrictions May apply and offer is valid through 5/3-/19)

What flavor will you be trying?

North Face Deals at Macy’s

Posted on by lauranau17

It’s been a minute since I’ve blogged about my love for Macy’s and clothes, so it only seems appropriate that I get back to it and tell you about this incredible North Face sale that’s going on!

Do You Love a Good Sale?

Obviously, that’s a rhetorical question! I love snagging great deals and it wouldn’t be fair to keep them to myself. Right now, you can get 25% off select The North Face styles.

I had to share a few of my favorite items that are on sale now!

So, we all know that fanny packs are back and I haven’t seen one that’s this cute before. Check out this North Face fanny pack here. And you can get it in either this pretty pink or a shady blue.

I am obsessed with this waterproof rain jacket. Obvi, pink is my favorite color but it comes in several different colors. It’s also super lightweight so it’s perfect for rain and wind.

And while it’s technically Spring here in Indiana, we’re having a rainy and cold weekend. This means pulling out my favorite hoodie. This one will be a staple in my closet for sure!

Head Over to Macy’s for These North Face Deals!

Don’t wait to take advantage of these great North Face deals. They are good through 4/22/19. But Macy’s is also having other great deals throughout April, so you’re sure to find something perfect for you!

What are your favorite things to get at Macy’s?

Top Swaps for a Healthier Lifestyle

Posted on by lauranau17

Photo by manu mangalassery from Pexels

Living a healthier lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all your favorite things. There are several things you can swap in all aspects of your life. Check out these awesome ideas!

Swap white pasta for whole wheat pasta

If pasta forms a staple part of your diet, don’t worry, you don’t have to get rid of it altogether. Whole wheat pasta provides more fiber and contains more vitamin E, B vitamins and antioxidants than white pasta so you could make a switch to that or go one further and make ‘courgetti‘ (spiralized courgette) or ‘boodles‘ (pasta made from butternut squash) to boost your vegetable intake.

Swap white potatoes for sweet potatoes

It’s an easy, cheap and tasty meal, but there’s a way to make baked potatoes healthier. Have a sweet potato instead! You can baked them, roast them, or smash them. Either way, they’re delicious and offer a ton of nutrients!

Swap Watching Your Children Play For Playing With Them

Don’t just stand there. Get moving. Get your heart rate up and not only will you be getting some exercise but you’ll be spending quality time with your kids and making memories.

Swap Screen Time For Play Time

Whether you have kids or not, most of us are spending too much time in front of screens. Ditch those for ‘play time’ – which can be whatever you want it to be. If you do have kids, then get out to the park, play football with them, whatever it is that will get them outside.

For yourself this is important too, but if you must watch Netflix, why not get a mini trampoline or an exercise bike and work-out while you’re watching it. The TV is a great distraction, and before you know it, you will have done half an hour.

Swap Cigarettes for E-Cigarettes (for now)

E-cigarettes aren’t entirely risk-free, but experts estimate that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking cigarettes. E-cigarette vapor contains some potentially dangerous chemicals also found in tobacco smoke, but at much lower levels. You can even get some great flavors too and avoid the traditional smell of smoking. Have a look at Daniel Fung of Watertown CT for more options. This may be a good transition to quitting altogether.

Swap white rice for brown or ‘cauli-rice.’

Brown rice is better for you because it has more fiber than white rice, but Cauliflower rice is another excellent option if you want to reduce calorie intake and up your veg count, too.

Swap fruit juice for the fruit itself

Next time you go for a glass of orange juice, it might be worth a re-think. Fruit juice is high in natural sugar, and it’s missing the fiber that the fruit provides. Drinking a glass of orange juice means the fruit’s sugars are more readily available and more easily absorbed by the body than just eating the fruit itself.

Make the swap for a healthier lifestyle

When you’re wanting to start living a healthier lifestyle, it can be overwhelming. Instead of quitting everything cold turkey, start making small swaps here and there. It will add up and your body will thank you!