healthy body and mind.

I firmly believe that the state of our minds also affects our eating habits. When you're depressed, you eat crappy, you're sluggish, you crave all of the sweets and unhealthy foods and it's terrible. When you're in a good place and happy, you eat healthy, you're energetic, you crave healthy foods, and it's awesome. I have been down in the dumps over the past few months just trying to figure out which path I want to take with my life. I've definitely had my ups and downs and it has directly affected my eating habits, as well as my exercise habits.

I can honestly say that there have been days where I have so much self-pity that I all I want to do is lie on the couch and eat chocolate (there have been rare* ENTIRE days where I have done so, but yes, rare!). I'm done with this occasional self-pity mode for good. No matter how I feel at a given amount of time, I need to keep my head up and make healthy/wise decisions that will benefit me in the end.

Now that you have suffered through my self-righteous rant. I'm asking all of you to share some healthy tips. My way of living a healthy lifestyle is always changing when I'm finding new and fun ways to stay healthy, new and great recipes/exercises/practices, and so on. I took up occasional yoga a few years back and really got into it. It has this unbelievable calming power for me when nothing else works. I can get antsy but my brain beats any race within my body. My brain can run and run and run sometimes, never stopping and eventually I get to the point of freaking out. When I practice yoga, it literally calms my brain as well as every other body part. I feel so refreshed coming out of that hour of quiet and...sweat...

I also am a huge believer in everything in moderation so that means I cannot give up my cupcake creations (well every once in a while) but yes, everything in moderation.

My one vice that has been extremely difficult to give up is diet soda. I got hooked on it during college and haven't stopped since. Even after reading the articles explaining how detrimental it is to our health, I continue to drink it. What is wrong with me?? It's like a drug. I have slowed down a bit; allowing myself only a certain amount and have been drinking plenty more water than I ever have, but it still is around. Baby steps, my friends!

As for exercise, I absolutely love it. I love anything that gets my heart pumping or tones my body. Like I said I love yoga but I also love walking, (I'm getting back into running), kickboxing is one of my favorite forms of cardio exercise, and interval training. I love, love, love Jillian Michaels and all of her exercise programs. Yoga keeps me toned when I practice often but Jillian Michaels kicks my butt so badly, that I can't walk for days and that feeling...I love. Creepy, huh? haha

What are some of your healthy habits, as well as unhealthy habits??

Here's to healthy minds and bodies :)

xoxo