8 Feel-Good Tips For the Busy, Health-Conscious Woman

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Meet new guest blogger Cynthia Parrott, a busy working woman who manages to find the time for fitness, diet and the writing of great advice for health-conscious women like you.

As a Holistic Health and Nutritional Counselor, I am all about balance.

Holistic means whole. Holistic counseling is exploring, nurturing, and healing the three components of who we are: body, mind and spirit. If one of these components is out of balance, we become tired, frustrated, overweight (or underweight), unhealthy, unhappy, and bored.

As women, we wear at least a dozen different hats and are always juggling things. We work, we play, we love, cook, clean, shop, kiss and bandage cuts and bruises, pay bills, take care of elderly parents...

Life is busy and I can't think of one woman who isn't health conscious in some way, shape or form.

Here are 8 ways to stay healthy and balanced in your hectic world:

Put yourself FIRST!!

Be selfish. Many of us are taught as young girls that we should be self-sacrificing and put the needs of others before ourselves. What happens when we do this on a continual basis? We become exhausted, disillusioned and miserable.

We become martyrs, casting aside what we want to work on and working instead on something else. We don't want to wake up one day in our fifties and ask, "Who am I?" Your dreams, your goals, your health and your happiness are more important than those of your boss, your husband or mate, or your children and should NEVER be put on the back burner!

Decide what it is that you want, need, what makes you happy, or what you must do to be and stay healthy and GO DO IT! You might experience resistance, guilt and discouragement from others but once they see you are committed to yourself first, everything will fall into place and your joy and happiness will be contagious!

Eat well!

Our diet is the foundation of our existence and our health -- you are what you eat!

If you continuously consume a diet of pre-packaged, processed, fast food, eventually you are going to feel the effects. You will begin to feel and look like the food you eat.

Do you always feel fat and bloated? Those fast-food combo meals you eat at lunch every day are most likely to blame. Is your skin dull, flaky and lifeless? You need water, fruits and vegetables to keep it glowing.

A good and healthy diet takes some planning, organization and a bit of dedication. Make the decision today to love your body and feed it REAL food that is healthy and nourishing. Think lean protein, whole grains, lots of fruits and veggies and the occasional treat.

MOVE!!!

You must put out more than you put in! As we age, this becomes even more important because our metabolism slows down and it takes longer to burn calories.

Whatever our body doesn't need and what we don't burn off by exercise gets stored as fat and shows up in places we don't want... places like our hips, our thighs and our backside!! It slowly creeps up on us until we see a photo of ourselves and say, "Oh my goodness! I had no idea I was THAT big!"

Join a gym if you can afford it. Invest in some exercise DVDs you can do at home. Take the stairs instead of the elevator at the office. Park your car far away from the grocery store entrance. Buy a bicycle... and ride it! Put on some great music and dance around the house -- and get your kids to join in with you.

If you feel tired all the time, GET UP AND MOVE!

Have A Girl's Night Out

Get the girls together and go have fun! Grab some dinner, watch a movie, go dancing, watch the sunset at the beach, or just get a bottle of wine and sit around and chat all night.

You are a woman, first and foremost, and nothing can lift your sprits more than getting out and being a little impulsive and silly with your girlfriends. Make this a priority and get everyone together at least once a month. You will come home refreshed, renewed and full of life!

Love

What is life for if we don't love and we are not loved back?

Invest time in the people in your life. Make dates with your mate and cherish stolen moments to keep things spicy and alive. Watch cartoons with your son, take your daughter shopping, have breakfast or coffee with your parents.

No one special in your life? Get a pet. I live alone and love coming home to my little cat, Sambo. He greets me at the door and is always ready to get or give love.

Chill

Take time for yourself and do absolutely nothing.

Soak in a tub, light candles, sip wine, and release the cares of the day. Take a sick day, stay in your pajamas and watch movies, get a manicure, a massage, or go explore the woods near your home. Lock yourself in your room, turn off the phone, the computer and the television. Pray, meditate, paint, do yoga, or sleep the afternoon away.

Do whatever it takes to clear your mind, cast aside your cares and burdens and rejuvenate. This is crucial to your well being.

Learn

Feed your mind.

Read books that interest you. No time to read? Turn off the television and you will be surprised how much time you do have! Go to the library and get audio-books and listen in your car as you drive to and from work or while running errands.

Take an online course or go back to school. Most local libraries offer classes on everything from flower arranging to ballroom dancing. You can rent DVDs that teach you how to belly dance, to bake a cake, to create an Excel spreadsheet.

Just do something or learn anything that will keep your mind sharp, keep you interested and make you even more interesting. Who wouldn't be completely fascinated by a woman who knows how to belly dance?

Journal

Keep a diary and write in it as often as you can.

Record your hopes, your dreams, your wishes, and your frustrations. Make a plan of where you want to be next week, next month, next year, five years from now. Have a vision and write it down, reflect on it, and read it over and over until it becomes your reality.
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Don't let the chaos of life control you and interfere with who you are and who you want to be. The most wonderful gift you can give to yourself and to the ones you love is the best version of you...

The best version of you is a woman who's happy, healthy, balanced and in love with life.

About Cynthia Parrott

I am a Certified Holistic Health and Nutritional Counselor. My company is Metamorphosis Consulting and I have been in private practice for over 10 years. I believe we can completely transform our lives by nourishing our bodies, our minds, and our spirits. It is my desire to help others achieve their health and nutritional goals, their personal goals, and to live the life they have always dreamed of. If you want to learn more about what I do, visit me at www.truemetamorphosis.org and www.cyndaily.com

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