10 Wellness Habits That Aren’t Bullsh*t
From the girl who has tried them all.
My tried-and-true list of the wellness habits that I’m certain aren’t bullshit and, thereby, have actually been able to commit to on a daily or weekly basis. Obviously, do what works for you and your body (wellness tip #1) but if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or lost with all the wellbeing gobbledegook (my fitting new fave word thanks to the Belle Gibson 60 Minutes interview) that’s online currently, this may be a good place to start. That was rather cocky of me, wasn’t it?
Bone broth on an empty stomach
Full of collagen and rich in essential vitamins and minerals (it is also high in protein!), I start every day with a warm cup of bone broth on an empty stomach. Whether it’s at 5:30am before my morning workout (a note for the girls: follow with a date or half a banana to ensure you don’t stuff up your hormones by exercising on an empty stomach) or enjoyed on a morning sunrise walk, I never skip this ritual.
The biggest differences I have noticed are in my energy levels during and after exercising but also in the strength of my hair, skin and nails (thank you collagen) and in my digestion. It gets everything kick started each morning so I have found my bloating has reduced significantly and you just feel energised and in flow. A real game changer for me!
Lymphatic drainage rituals
I have been an avid dry body brush-er for a few years now but my lymphatic drainage knowledge was recently expanded when I attended a half-day wellness retreat with Abby from Play Pilates.
Taking us through the lymphatic and fascia systems, I was introduced to two new tools (a body gua sha and body cup) that help to drain excess fluid and get your body back into flow. Used with a luxe body oil (I like the Costa Brazil Firming Body Oil) or during your shower with a body wash (Nécessaire make nice ones), the tools help to reduce swelling, bloating, tension and overall water retention. Game changing, tbh.
Cycle syncing
If you’re one of my girlfriends, you’ve probably heard me harp on and on about the hormonal changes that happen during our menstrual cycle and how this should govern how, when and why we move our bodies (and even what we eat!). But it’s true—cycle syncing has made a massive difference to how I feel throughout the month, my energy levels and my PMS symptoms.
If you’re not familiar with it, I encourage you to read up on it from a much more qualified source than I but basically it just means tuning into your fluctuating hormone levels and exercising accordingly. During follicular and ovulation phases you’ll likely feel balanced and full of energy so HIIT, running, spin and higher intensity workouts will be best here. During the luteal and menstrual phases, energy is low so slower-paced, nourishing exercise like yoga, Pilates, walking and, yep, full-blown rest will be best.
I could go on and on about this topic (including how to eat for each phase, seed cycling—the whole nine yards), so if you want me to write a newsletter on it please do let me know! Thanks! Love ya!
Delaying your morning coffee
One of the harder wellness habits I’ve adopted in the last six months, delaying my morning coffee has made a huge difference to how I feel throughout the day (aka no 3pm crash). I try to avoid coffee until about 8:30am/9am each day, as I have typically been up for over three hours by this point and have had a high-protein breakfast already, which means that I won’t be messing with my cortisol levels when I do enjoy that all important oat cap. If nothing else, just try to avoid having it on an empty stomach. Even just try it for a week, I promise you’ll feel a difference.
Upping your protein (and fibre!) intake
Now I really feel like one of those hectic fitness influencers who eats what seems to be an entire cow each week (did we all see the guy who started seeping cholesterol out of his pores because he ate too much? No? Just me? Cool) but, in all seriousness, upping your protein intake will make a huge difference to how you look and feel. I try to aim for around 140-150g per day (it’s tough sometimes!) but so long as you’re trying to get about 30g per meal and keeping your snacks high-protein, you’re doing a good job.
One important thing to remember here though is to ensure you’re eating enough fibre to help your body break down the increased protein. Things like legumes, leafy greens, chia seeds, oats and high-quality fruits and veggies will help you here.
Journaling
Get those crazy ass thoughts out of your head and onto paper, girl! If nothing else, journaling provides a running record of all the stuff you’ve been able to conquer so can be really cathartic to look back on. For me, as a girl that has a lot of thoughts and is partial to a lot of overthinking with a little anxiety, journaling just helps to get the thoughts out of my head which, in turn, almost makes them easier and more tangible to deal with. I’m not religious with it because, life, but when I feel myself getting a little loopy I like to make the time.
SLEEP
I know that everyone says it and when they do it feels like when your parents made you go to bed before Neighbours when you were six but, seriously, sleep will heal all. It is the greatest wellness and health hack there is. You should be getting at least eight hours each night to give your body enough time to properly recover and recuperate. Especially if you are someone who exercises frequently, sleep is the only cheat code (okay and maybe nutrition) that will help you recover in a timely enough manner for you to go again the next day.
Tuning in
Soooo much easier said than done but tuning in to your body, what makes you feel good (and maybe more importantly, what doesn’t) and how different situations make you feel will make a world of difference to your health and life. As a chronic people pleaser, this has taken me a long time to learn but taking the time and space to tune into how you feel after interacting with a person/group of people or after doing a particular workout or after a particularly challenging work day has made me much kinder to myself and, in turn, others. If something makes me feel anxious/sad/annoyed/confused/icky, I just don’t do it again. And I don’t need to explain why to anyone, it just doesn’t serve me and that’s okay. It’s truly freeing and a vital wellness hack.
Daily movement
If you haven’t figured it out by now, I love to exercise. It sounds wanky but I do. It is truly the one thing I do for myself each and every day that makes me a better person. I am calmer, more level headed and a more confident version of myself because I’ve moved and done something I enjoy.
As I mentioned above, how I move throughout the month can vary but I generally find a mix of HIIT, strength, running, Pilates and walking each week. Build it into your routine so much so that it’s a habit rather than something that requires an immense amount of motivation. My biggest tip is making it a social thing (go to the gym with friends, run in a running group or walk with your mum) so you actually look forward to it.
Saunas
Last but not least, saunas are my latest obsession. A luxury? Yes. A well-worth-it luxury? Also yes. I’ve been trying to go at least once a week (hot tip: Nimbus in Bondi do date night on Thursdays so you and a friend/boyfriend/girlfriend can go for the price of one) and have noticed such a difference in not only my muscle recovery but also how clear and ‘well’ I feel. The benefits are hard to describe tangibly but you just feel the difference as soon as you’re consistent. Trust.