30 Wellness Tips for My 30th Birthday!!

That’s right, today I turn the big 3-0!  I celebrated yesterday by doing the Color Run (recap post to come soon!) and then heading to the casino to play the penny slots for a few hours.  I would have loved to have gone out for a fancy meal too, but I’ll be saving that for once I can reincorporate more foods into my diet.  Later this week, I’m going to sit down and brainstorm my “30 in 30” bucket list, which I’m excited to think about and plan out.

In celebration of my 30th, I thought I’d share 30 of my favorite wellness tips & resources with you! I shared some of these back on the old blog, but here’s an updated list with my favorites.  Enjoy!…

{Disclosure: Some resource/product links are affiliate links!}

1. Set goals or intentions. When it comes to any aspect of your life, having defined and specific goals gives you direction.  Check in with yourself regularly to mark your progress and stay on track.  {Pssst – If you subscribe to my email list, you’ll get access to a free wellness assessment with goal setting printables!  Just sign up in the sidebar.}
2. Sign up for a CSA or visit local farmer’s markets. They’ll have fresh produce at great prices that hasn’t traveled thousands of miles to get to you.  I’m super excited because our new CSA from Paquette Farm starts this week!  {Check out this post for more details on CSAs and other ways to support the local food market.}

3. Carry a water bottle. It makes it easier to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day, and it’s cheaper and better for the environment than buying bottled water.  If you’re looking for a new one, I’m partial to this Hydro Flask Stainless Steel bottle.  It’s a little heavier but keeps water cool throughout the day, doesn’t get tons of condensation on the outside, and is BPA free.

4. Look at the glass half full. Optimism isn’t a false sense of reality; it’s choosing to make your reality a happier place.
5. Model healthy habits for your children. They do look up to you as a role model, even when they’re acting like they’d never listen to you.  If you want a fun book to read to them about healthy habits, check out “The Things You Can Do that are Good For You!”  It’s a top favorite of mine from when I taught in the school setting.

6. Keep your brain in tip-top shape by reading often. I am an avid fan of the library and used bookstore – two free/cheap ways to access lots of new books!  Here’s what’s currently on my bookshelf.  Just finished the first one (an excellent read if you’re into fitness & science) and can’t wait to get started on the other two (I’m definitely more of a non-fiction reader than a fiction reader, as you can tell…).
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7. Skip fad diets. If you see products that promise you’ll lose “x pounds in y days”, cure your chronic diseases, or eliminate hunger – they’re lying.
8. Move your body!  Avoid sitting too much – get up during the day, even if it’s just for a few minutes, to move around.  Schedule regular exercise into your days.  Find activities you love to do!
9. Choose a new fruit or vegetable each week to try.  You’ll have fun looking at ways to prepare something and might discover a new favorite.  In the past, we’ve experimented with things like uniq fruit, pomellos, yuca, and more.
10. Get regular check-ups and have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked. These issues, when caught early, can often be addressed with simple lifestyle changes.  It’s actually easy to use your birthday as a reminder to do this – I just booked my appointment for an annual wellness visit.
11. Sign up for a race. It might be a 5K, marathon, triathlon, cycling event, swimming race – anything.  You’ll be amazed at the sense of pride you feel when you complete it!–> Interested in a road race?  Consider checking out the Rock ‘n’ Roll race series, which is well-organized and brings a very fun atmosphere to the race.  They have races all over the US (and some international ones too!).  Use code SNACKINGINSNEAKERS to get $15 off any US or Canadian half marathon (or marathon) distance race!–> Interested in a triathlon?  Around New England, I’m a big fan of races from Max Performance and Sun Multisport.
12. Find a stress management technique that works for you. Try boxing, running, meditation (I’m a fan of Head Space for guided meditation), journaling, knitting, getting a massage, or any other activity that might help you calm down.  It may be hard to fit in, but I know that I’m a happier and less anxious person when I get in a few runs each week!  And as odd as it sounds, tracking my budget (both personally and for my business) gives me a strange sense of calm, probably just because I like staying super organized.

13. Choose natural whole foods over processed foods. Eating right is theoretically simple (though practically can be tough) – eat real food in the right amounts.
14. Make family fitness fun. Go on outdoor hikes, family bike rides, jump on a trampoline, or compete in some active games for Kinect or Wii.
15. Stop the negative self talk. Love your body and appreciate everything it does for you, regardless of your weight or perceived imperfections in appearance.
16. Take a few hours to organize your house.  Clean up the clutter, file away important paperwork in a logical manner, purge things you no longer need, create some ‘systems’ to keep things flowing smoothly with cleaning and chores.  It’s amazing how a clean environment can also clear your mind.
17. Create a reasonable budget for yourself or your household. Financial health is just as important as every other aspect of your health.  Take a few minutes to think about what financial goals are important to you.  Do you want to buy a house?  Take a vacation?  Be a stay at home mom?  Then sit down and determine how to make it happen.  We use You Need a Budget and absolutely love it to track our finances – but know plenty of others that have success with sites like Mint or even a pen & paper budget.

18. Brown bag your lunches. It’ll allow you to create healthier meals and will save you a lot of money compared to eating out every day.  Consider leftovers from dinner, salads (see this post for some different salad ideas), or sandwiches for easy & quick options.

19. Bike or walk to errands in a reasonable distance from your house. It saves money, reduces your carbon footprint, and increases your weekly physical activity.
20. Don’t worry needlessly about minor mistakes and other people’s opinons. In Bernard Baruch’s words, “those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.”  {This is an ongoing struggle for me but something I consistently try to work on!}
21. Smile and laugh. A lot!  Life is too short to waste being unhappy.
22. Focus on experiences with your loved ones rather than materialism. You’ll come away with many more memories and much less useless crap.  On a side note, I think this is a good idea whenever you can’t think of a gift for someone.  Experiences – a zoo membership, beach pass, amusement park pass, trip, concert, or some other fun outing – always make a great presents.
23. Teach your kids about where food comes from. When I ask a child where we get milk, I love when they can answer “a cow” instead of “the store.”  Visit a farm and let them see the animals or pick some produce (strawberry season is right upon us)!
24. Get outside a lot. Fresh air and sunshine can always improve a bad day.  Be sure to wear sunscreen.
25. Consider volunteering your time or money for a cause that’s important to you.  Research shows those who volunteer are happier and live longer.
26. Travel often. Whether that means day trips to new places around your home state or flying across the world, traveling opens your eyes to new things and makes you feel more fulfilled.  Photos below are from Maui, Prague, and Iceland…
    
27. Cut down on (or even better, cut out) sugar sweetened beverages. They are generally nutritionally void, full of empty calories, and expensive.  It’s one of the simplest nutrition changes you can make that has a large impact on your health.  If you want ideas for drinks besides plain water, consider seltzer, making your own fruit-infused waters, or brewing hot or cold teas.  Tazo passion tea is a favorite of mine.

28. Eat fish regularly. It’s got lots of protein plus omega-3 fatty acids for heart and brain health.  If you’re feeling super motivated, consider going on a deep sea fishing trip and catching your own.  It was seriously one of the coolest things to catch this and cook it the same day.
29. Practice random acts of kindness throughout the year. Here are a few to get you started:

• Pay for coffee for the person behind you.
• Scatter a few dollar bills in the kids toy section at the dollar store.
• Know an employee at a store or restaurant that is always pleasant?  Take a few minutes to speak to their manager and sing their praise.
• Grab the random shopping carts from the parking lot and put ‘em back in the right spot.
• Pay the toll for the car behind you.
• Give a big tip the next time you go out to eat.
• Clean out your closet and donate the extra clothes you no longer wear/need.
• Clean out your pantry and donate some extra canned food (non-expired of course) that you don’t need.
• Send a card to someone you haven’t talked to in a while.  Mail surprises are the best!

30. Nurture healthy relationships, let go of unhealthy relationships, and (try) to be kind to everyone regardless.And smile at cute baby pictures…. 😉

There you have it – my 30 wellness tips!  Share with me:  What would you add to this list??

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Chrissy Carroll

Chrissy Carroll is a Registered Dietitian and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. She specializes in sharing nutrition and fitness tips, as well as recipes, for runners, triathletes, and active women.Chrissy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Public Health, and is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.

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