Happy Halloween!

TRICK OR TREAT.  What are you doing this year to celebrate Halloween?  'Tis the week, if not month, to go crazy with all the candies that have gone on sale!  Right??  WRONG.  Don't waste all the hard efforts of eating cleanly for months on a mere week of sugar highs.  A couple pieces here and there is fine, but don't go on a binge.  It's definitely not worth it. 

Googley Candy Corns

It's just the beginning of our holiday season so in a couple weeks it will be Thanksgiving and then Christmas and then New Year's and then Valentine's Day and then Chinese New year!  I could go on and on, but we all know what happens once fall and winter begin to merge.  We get caught up in all of the holiday spirit and sometimes we end up losing ourselves.  Try to avoid the domino effect by staying on top of your game and keeping track of everything you eat, one day at a time.  The last thing you want to do is have a ton of superficially sweetened fun and end up feeling like a mummy the next day...

Mummy Dogs

Be smart and get your sweat on consistently.  Treat yourself when you feel you've earned it.  And if you still don't have a costume planned for tonight then think of the scariest version of yourself and AVOID LOOKING LIKE THAT two months from now.

From my Zombie Pirate Chihuahua to You,
Have a Happy and Healthy Halloween!!

Get Up, Get Moving

I don't know where you work or what you do, but what I do know is that you need to get up and get moving!  Yes, right now!  It's nearly lunch time and you deserve some good ol' blood circulation.  In yesterday's post I mentioned that it was a good way to wake yourself up (both mentally and physically), so here we go!

Stand up, bob your head, raise your arms, stomp your feet, shake your behind, and turn yourself a couple of times!  Get into it!  Just make sure your boss isn't watching (haha).

This is one of my fave songs to work to because it gets me pumped, keeps me alert and motivates me to keep moving!  Of course, by 'moving' I mean moving forward with my work and not so much dancing (although bobbing my head is acceptable).

The track may be 7 minutes long but it acts as a trigger that is mentally stimulating enough to keep you up and running at a good pace for hours to come.  So stand up and get shakin' like nobody's watching!  Except maybe the funny lizard.  He's staring at you hardcore.

Morning Yawns

Do you ever feel like you're stuck at work and
you can't shake off the morning yawns??

Pic of my dog, Moki, in Dec 2009.  He feels for you.

Well, I will be the first to admit that I am not at all a morning person.  However, I've found a few ways to manage throughout my most tiring days.  

1)  Drink a glass of water.  Fatigue can be a sigh of dehydration, so whether you chug a cold glass here and there or you sip gradually throughout the day, water will keep your body hydrated and your mind focused.

2)  Eat some cold fresh fruit.  They are easy to digest so they serve as quick fuel.  The citrus also gives you energy, so try drinking a glass of orange juice or eating an apple.  Munching on something like grapes can work as well.

3)  Get up and walk around.  Raise your heart rate and get your blood flowing, even if it means walking up and down the stairs for a few minutes.  This will put your body in exercise-mode and will definitely activate your mind and body.

4)  Go outside and take a quick breather.  Fresh air and some mindful breathing exercises can calm your nerves but also wake up the brain.  Once you come back in, you'll feel refreshed and more able to focus.

5)  Try to stay optimistic and focus on the positives.  Negativity is energy draining and will leave you more tired and cranky than necessary.

6)  Avoid caffeine and excess sugars because they usually lead to crashing.  Point blank.

7)  Eat a healthy snack that has good protein.  Yogurt and eggs are excellent sources and they also contain tyrosine, which helps your brain produce more dopamine and norepinephrine to keep you motivated and energetic.

8)  Get better quality sleep the night before!  If that means going to bed earlier or cutting out the caffeine/alcohol or working out a couple hours before bedtime, just do it.  Good sleep will lead to more refreshed mornings.

Cheers to being productive!

NAKED

GREEN MACHINE.  

MY ABSOLUTE FAVE 

NAKED DRINK.

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about 

MY SHAKEOLOGY 

=P

Stressed Much?

Whether it's because of your kids, the rain, your boss or a fight with your significant other, I think everyone should take 8 minutes out of their day to calm themselves from their daily stresses.  No matter who you are, you deserve it.

No one said that the mere act of relaxing oneself had to cost an arm and a leg for some massages and spa treatments (although those are nice every now and then).  There are several ways of lowering your blood pressure naturally and this has been clinically proven to be the most effective relaxing song.

Listen to this track during your lunch hour, when you come home from work or even right before bed.  Close your eyes and begin to release all the tension you've gradually built up. Ease the wrinkles on your forehead, loosen up your tight shoulders, and take a few deep meaningful breaths.



The above video parallels the spiritual effects that this composite song has on one's mind, body and soul with the wondrous effects of freediving.  It's a matter of being alone yet not lonely, of freeing yourself from all that surrounds you and simply being One with the universe. Although this video is less than 5 minutes long, you start to get the idea of what yoga and meditation and the like can do for your mental health.  If interested, below is the full 8-min track.

Namaste, my friends.

Happiness Comes From Happy Thoughts

"The happiest people in life don't have the best in everything

They make the best of everything they have."

Make it a habit to think of at least one thing that made you smile today
before going to sleep and see if that affects your dreams and mood in the morning.