Tag selfcare

Staying fit and healthy through the holiday season

We all know how busy the holiday season can get especially when you’ve got multiple tasks to juggle. Let’s not even talk about trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle! This is why I’ve pulled together 5 women’s fitness and self-care tips to get you through the holidays!

The holidays can be super emotional around this time of year, given what we’re all dealing with globally. But we can’t allow our health and wellbeing to suffer because our bodies need all the support we can give them. This is true particularly for women, with multi-tasking and trying to stay on budget. A lot of us or our neighbors have lost jobs, fallen sick with, lost loved ones, etc.

What can we do to stay healthy (even during a pandemic)?

Even if we feel like we have no control over what’s happening locally and globally, there are a ton of things we can do to not just stay healthy, but make our lives more meaningful and infused with joy this holiday season. You don’t need a lot of money or complicated skills to do a lot of little things that will make a huge difference for the mind-body-soul connection.

With these 5 women’s fitness and self-care tips, you’ll be able to carve out time for yourself without getting overwhelmed. Part of being there for your family means being there for yourself when you give your needs the attention they deserve.

With that in mind here are a few powerful tips you can get and stay in “shape” this season

These are just a few tried and true solutions I’ve used over the years for myself as well as clients. The key takeaway is that you are the only one who can make these changes in your life. No one can or will do this for you so if you want to get healthy and stay that way even in tough times, do the work.

1. Start your day with a 5-10 minute “self-check” session. Lay in bed or sit in a quiet place and just take stock of how your body feels, your mood, and your general mindset. This will help ground you as well as keep you from stressing out at the start of your day.

2. Get your body moving (formal exercise or just a quiet walk). When you get your body in motion it triggers the release of those “feel-good” chemicals in your brain, releases tension, and increases focus. It’s good for your cardiovascular system as well as your mental health.

3.  Take 10-15 mins to meditate and set your intentions for the day. This allows you to focus on the activities that will give positive results rather than the negative. There is a lot of truth to the phrase “create your happy”. When you direct your thoughts and energy to those things that yield “good” outcomes, etc you’re less likely to get stressed out and overwhelmed. You feel more aligned, in control as well as focused on the things you want to achieve.

Now for the internal

4. Drink a cup of daily detox tea, water, or smoothie. If you need a few ideas, start with my super green smoothie right here!  Also, this recovery smoothie is awesome as both a  post-workout and a detox smoothie. The ingredients have anti-inflammatory as well as nutritional benefits. This helps to cleanse the body of harmful toxins, by-products of chemical processes in the body as well as support your body’s natural self-healing abilities.

5. Substitute healthy ingredients for “unhealthy” ingredients in your favorite fall and winter must-have meals. That also includes “detoxing” your fridge and pantry so that you have budget-friendly healthy meal options. If you’re  not sure where to begin, grab my FREE Pantry Detox Gude GUIDE HERE

Also, for a complete Introductory Produce, Shopping Guide grab a copy HERE!!

Final thoughts

Be grateful for those little things in our lives that create beauty in their simplicity.  Also, stop focusing on the things that are beyond your control and literally choose joy and positivity instead of the negative. This will also help you feel better physically and less drained energetically. Remember, you’ve got this and you are not alone!

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. She helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her belief is that “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies”. This means that she helps each woman in a way that is unique to each woman. By doing this, she’s better able to help them transform their lives from the inside out. Her ultimate goal is to help women become healthy and empowered through the transformative self-care journey!

For me, nothing says self-care like a homemade creamy avocado face mask. My unending love affair with avocados, won’t be over anytime soon, lol! Today I decided to share one of my go-to Avocado face masks that are great for a dewy complexion and a must for the summertime (I’ve switched up my recipe since my last blog post and this version is just as awesome).

DIY Fresh Avocado Face Mask: Ingredients

1. Avocado: An excellent ingredient for moisturizing the skin, it’s a good source of potassium which is also known as the ”youth mineral”. Avocado also boosts collagen production, contains vitamin E, softens, reduces the appearance of fine lines, and wrinkles. This recipe requires one ripened, medium-sized avocado (enough for two applications).

2. Turmeric: helps with acne scarring, anti-inflammatory; calms the skin, dry skin, wrinkles, contains antioxidants and helps with a variety of skin conditions. You will use one tablespoon (organic) of turmeric powder as part of your face mask recipe.

3. Raw honey: antibacterial, loaded with antioxidants, moisturizing, soothes the skin, evens complexion (lightens the skin), heals the skin, and aids in regeneration (I’ve also got an awesome raw honey face mask recipe too! I typically add one to two tablespoons of raw honey to my mixture.

4. Cinnamon: helps eliminate acne and pimples on face and body ( kills bacteria associated with acne production), anti-fungal, adds moisture to the skin by improving blood flow to the surface of the skin, stimulates skins natural collagen, fades acne scars, blemishes, etc. This recipe requires cinnamon powder and not the sticks! You don’t need a lot of cinnamon for your DIY mask; simply use 1/2 a teaspoon full.

5. Spirulina: A blue-green algae rich in antioxidants, vitamins C and E which help reduce inflammation and neutralizes the damaging effects of free-radicals. It also detoxifies, tightens, brightens, lifts, and hydrates the skin. Be sure to add one level tablespoon of organic spirulina and be sure to fully incorporate it into your mixture.

Avocado Face Mask: Preparation

Make sure the avocado is well-ripened. Next, use a fork or hand mixer to blend the honey and avocado mixture. Gradually add in the dry ingredients and blend until fully incorporated and chill the mixture in the fridge for 5-10 minutes. Any surplus face mask mixture can be stored in the fridge for a few days in a tightly sealed container to avoid oxidation.

DIY Avocado Fresh Face Mask: Usage and application

Apply your mask to clean dry skin and leave on for 10 -15mins and then rinse off with tepid water. Follow up with your usual skincare routine afterward. Have you tried any of my other recipes? Check out this recipe from an earlier post right here!

About your ingredients: Where I get mine

A rule of thumb for me is to always buy your ingredients from trusted sources. Even when I buy produce from conventional grocery stores, I make sure that they are organic. The same applies to most of the spices used in both my culinary and DIY recipes.

Etsy is also a great place to shop online for both locally sourced and organic ingredients. While I do recommend amazon for some things, when it comes to food grade items and spices, I stick to local and organic for best practices. In my experience, you’re less likely to get poor quality and or contaminated items.

If Etsy is not an option for you can buy some of your ingredients from amazon once you’ve done some in-depth review of the vendors (I start with the average review score coupled with what the lowest customer review state. It’s a good way to get past those reviews that are either paid or promotional).

DIY Fresh Face Mask: Usage and application

Apply to clean dry skin and leave on for 10 -15mins and rinse off with tepid water. Follow up with your usual skincare routine afterward. Have you tried any of my other recipes? Check out this recipe from an earlier post right here!

About your ingredients: Where I get mine

Rule of thumb for me is always buying your ingredients from trusted sources. Even when I buy produce from conventional grocery stores, I make sure that they are organic. The same applies to most of the spices used in both my culinary and DIY recipes.

Etsy is also a great place to shop online for both locally sourced and organic ingredients. While I do recommend amazon for some things, when it comes to food grade items and spices, I stick to local and organic for best practices. In my experience, you’re less likely to get poor quality and or contaminated items. When I go grocery shopping, I always keep this in mind whenever I’m picking up produce and meat items.

Speaking of grocery shopping, If you’re feeling overwhelmed about how to shop for fresh food items that are pesticide-free and minimally processed, you can grab my Introductory Produce and Pantry Detox Shopping Guide grab a copy HERE!!

 

“Avocados are packed with powerful anti-oxidants that fight the appearance of dark spots and helps heal the skin!”

A little about Tonyé

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quickly. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

If we’re honest, we all love to get something special for Valentine’s Day! But, have you ever tried gifting yourself with some TLC?  My 14 Ways to love yourself this Valentine’s Day, flips the script on the usual! Nurture yourself and stop giving from an empty well. To help you get started, I’ve got an introductory list of 14 ways you can show yourself some much needed TLC!

Too many times, we women overlook our own needs and desires in order to tend to those around us. Experience has shown me that on those “special” days, I need to find meaningful ways to show myself some love, especially on Valentine’s Day. Self-sacrifice is a noble thought, but neglecting your own health and wellness will take you down an ugly path of dissatisfaction, poor health, and burnout.

Every year we find new ways to up our romantic game for Valentine’s Day and rarely put ourselves in the equation for some “self” love. Department stores, media outlets, and just about “everyone” out there is trying to sell you something to buy for someone else, as a token of your affection. But I say, how about YOU show yourself some love! Prove to yourself, that you matter. Show yourself that you are more than enough without needing someone else to validate your worth. 14 Ways to love yourself this Valentine’s Day, helps you do just that!

With that in mind, I’ve pulled together  helpful ways that you can show yourself some TLC. These 14 ways to love yourself this Valentine’s Day will help you shift the way you think about yourself as well as begin to set concrete standards (i.e. boundaries) for how you allow yourself to be treated. You can read more about shifting your mindset and ditching the guilt and self-sabotage in one of my earlier posts here.

Carving out space for loving yourself:

1. Screen your phone calls (keep conversations /interactions with disruptive people to a min, including family members-aka, boundaries)Pick your “yeses”- don’t say yes to everything or everyone; to avoid falling into the “superwoman” trap.
2. Eat mindfully-savor your food/meals, don’t rush through eating like a truck driver at a truck stop. It’s not healthy and it’s also stressful.
3. Meditate. As much I moan and groan about this sometimes, taking up meditation is literally life-changing!
4. However or whenever you do it; sleep. Whether it’s in chunks of 3, 3 hr “naps” per day; it’s critical that you power down enough to get quality sleep.
5. Take yourself on a “self-date night”! That’s right. Go see a movie, go to dinner, etc by and with yourself. You’ll be amazed at how much this exercise will help you gain self-confidence and a sense of self. It forces you to confront any insecurities you might have about o.p.e and especially the external view of you.
6. Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers. It doesn’t have to be over-the-top pricey, so appreciate the woman you are by treating yourself the way you want to be treated. When you do this, it signals your subconscious to internalize the fact that you are worthy of both love and appreciation. Also, you’re shifting your mindset into one of positivity and gratitude.

These 14 ways to love yourself this Valentine’s Day is an ever-growing list of activities that help me remain grounded and mindful.

Here are some more quick tips on how to love yourself this  Valentine’s Day:

7. Take a social media vacation: yes. Turn off and tune out all social media for at least 24 hrs. In fact, there are a number of studies that support the idea that too much social media surfing negatively impacts mental health and wellness.

8. Take a detox relaxation bath. That’s right ladies! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come home from a long stressful day at work, stripped out of clothes, and jumped in the shower even though what I really wanted was a long relaxing bath.

9. Journal. If you’ve never journaled before, this is a great time to start. You can use this as an opportunity to really have a conversation with your core self. It’s also a great way to help you get in touch with your feeling.

10.  Show some love to the person you see in the mirror today. That’s right. Sit yourself down, gaze into the mirror, and accept everything that you are today, including your imperfections. How do you do this? First, you need to accept the fact that you are far from perfect and that’s true for every other person on the planet. Next, speak aloud about everything you have accomplished to date and express your gratitude for this day.

Here are a few more ideas to round out your Valentine’s Day self-love session:

11.  Get creative! Yes, this is a great time to really dig into your inner creativity; we’ve all got it. It can be something as simple as trying out a new recipe from Pinterest or your favorite cookbook to painting a nature scene. Whatever you do, make sure it’s something that sparks your inner child.

12.  Touch every part of you. All right, here is where we’re digging deep and headed into some not so comfortable places. By this I mean, wrap your arms around yourself, and speak loving words of appreciation and acceptance to yourself about your body. You can either stand or sit in front of a mirror or find a meditation space.

13.  Deliberately structure a day for yourself alone. This is an important exercise. Don’t call any loved ones, friends, acquaintances, etc just be very deliberate about structuring a day that is fully dedicated to your own needs (and I don’t mean running errands or to-dos). Use this 24 hour period “mindfully” engage with your inner self; digging into those areas of yourself that you’ve neglected. Next, after taking the time to do this, end the day with a ceremonial (i.e. deep breathing exercise accompanied by a personal self-affirmation, etc) activity to seal your intentions.

14. Breathe. Do some deep breathing exercises and keep your mind completely blank. Just, stay in the moment and don’t allow your mind to drift beyond the present. When you do this, you release stress and mental clutter, so try it!

Final Thoughts on How to love yourself this Valentine’s Day (and every other day of the year):

These are just a few ideas for how you can show yourself some love this Valentine’s Day however if it’s a struggle I’m far from surprised. Read up on why it’s so hard for women to self-care and more in one of my earlier posts right here! Here’s another thought: get out of your comfort zone and embark on a self-care retreat to revive, rejuvenate, and empower you! At the end of the day, it’s all about honoring who you are, your needs, and embracing your authentic self. My hope for you is that this list of 14 ways to love yourself this Valentine’s Day, marks the beginning of your self-care journey.

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quickly. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

Aging gracefully?

Very few women want to age gracefully these days and I’m one of them! Forget the old stereotypes of crows feet, ”dress your age”,  the 40-year slump, and so forth. I’m also a firm believer in self-care and self-love and THAT means doing those healthy ”things”, that stave off premature aging, weight gain, and the slowing down of my metabolism. There are a number of ways we can increase our strength and youthfulness and that’s through exercise, diet and excellent selfcare! I’ve got 5 exercises for women over 40 that are simple, straight forward and easy to do.

The fab 5 exercises

Today we’re talking about some of the top 5 exercises for women over the age of 40. The truth is, we’re ALL aging and breaking down-yes even the little ones! This is the natural life cycle in nature but that doesn’t mean we have no way to slow down the aging process and in some instances, reverse it. I’m all in for anything (healthy that is)that will help fight signs of aging on all fronts.

As you know, I’m also a skincare freak and I have a ton of helpful tips and tricks to help you get fit, get and maintain the best version of your skin, and more!  But this post isn’t about that! For some of my top secret anti-aging remedies read up on ”The 5 Skincare Ingredients You Need On Your DIY Face Masks”.

The reality of it all

Exercise, diet, detox and “de-stress” can both slow and reverse the effects of aging as well as combat the effects of the environment. I don’t know why so many women are afraid of lifting weights, but this is one of the surest ways to increase muscle tone, tighten the skin and increase bone density!

A combination of cardio and “real” weight training go a long way to increase your physical strength, silhouette and muscle tone. Want toned tight arms and legs? Weight training, baby! The realities of the aging process make it even more important to hone in on those workouts that get results. This is why I choose to highlight these top 5 exercises for women over 40 everywhere!

With that in mind, let’s get cracking! The first exercise that I call “pain in the butt” (because it works) is:

1. Squats. Squats help build your leg muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves), aids in burning more fat, as it is one of the most time-efficient ways to burn a lot of calories.

2. Planks. The plank is one of the better workouts for core conditioning but them too works your glutes and hamstrings, supports proper posture, and ameliorates balance. As someone who hates doing crunches, planks are a godsend! Plus, your risk of injuring your neck is lower and this works more than just those core muscles. These are a great exercise for women over 40 who want well-defined abs and a strong core.

My all time favorites

3. Lunge. Before you start moaning girl, just let me tell you, lunges are a girl’s best friend! They’re not just for twenty-somethings, lunges are for every woman! The lunge aides in sculpting, strengthening and toning your legs and glutes. They also improve the flexibility of the hips. While they are uncomfortable, lunges will quickly get your butt lifted and sculpted if you’ll commit to it.

4. Burpees. These are a full body strength training exercise within every rep. Not only that you will work your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and abdominal muscles.

5. Dynamic plank.  Like the previous exercises, the dynamic plank is an excellent way to isolate the core area without crunches. I’m no fan of crunches (even though I do break down do them on occasion). I always recommend planks if you’ve got issues related to the neck area. Not only does this exercise strengthen your core, it also works your chest and shoulders.

What to keep in mind here

While there’s no magic pill to help sculpt the body you want, these 5 exercises will get you well on your way to looking better and looking better without the pressure.

Having said all of THAT, any good fitness guru will tell you that without a healthy diet, you still won’t get the results you want!

So for those who are still struggling with where to begin, grab my FREE Pantry Detox Gude GUIDE HERE

Also, to help you fill your fridge with produce that’s free of toxic chemicals get the complete Introductory Produce, Shopping Guide grab a copy HERE!!

About the author

Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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Hello, goodness and all my fellow skincare freaks! I make no bones about splurging on skincare, especially when I come across a brand that’s all about eco-friendly, animal-friendly, and plant-based skincare. Today I’m sharing my new secret weapon from Benu Cosmetics.

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I know it can often be hard to see the forest for the trees in the world of cosmeceuticals, skincare and wellness industries, BUT I would be doing us all a huge disservice by not featuring this up and coming skin care gem. I hate when old favorites keep messing with their formulas in the name of “improvements” (it’s just reformulating and branding, seriously, who gives a flying fig?) to the point where my skin straight up lodges a serious rebellion and I’m forced to go a-hunting for a new line that’s all natural, loaded with anti-oxidants and won’t throw me into a tailspin. Well, enough of that! I recently got the opportunity to try out “Hello Skin” serum from ©Benu Cosmetics, and needless to say, I am a fan.

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 I love the feel and texture of Benu Cosmetics’ “Hello Skin” serum! It’s an awesome new line, founded by a millennial who’s serious about making changes in both the skincare industry and the environment! It’s vegan, organic and uses all natural ingredients that will nourish, moisturize and heal your skin. Additionally, if you’ve got sensitive skin like I do this is one item you won’t want to pass on. My love of organic and all-natural skincare is what fuels my interest in this particular brand.

Don’t take it from me though, grab yourself a bottle of Benu Cosmetics’ flagship serums, “Hello Skin” and try it out for yourself. It’s not every day that you encounter a product that is both simple and complex in one encounter. Boasting a short list of ingredients (no more than five ingredients) blended together in a unique proprietary formula, ©benucosmetics is my new bestie for my skincare needs. While it isn’t always the case that I fall in love with a particular skincare brand, I had to share my review of ©Benu Cosmetics “Hello Skin” serum ’cause I’m all about loving the skin I’m in!

Plus, since I’m also a great shopper I’m sharing my discount code with ALL of you>> RIGHT HERE!

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Tonye Tariah, Holistic Health Strategist and founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog, helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her approach is “the cookie cutter method only works for cookies,” meaning she helps each person in a unique way helps them transform their lives from the inside out. She’s not about helping you lose weight quick. She’s about changing your habits and helping you fall in love with yourself so you can live a life with pure joy.

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