The Four Steps To Following Your Intuition

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We’ve all experienced it, the ‘hunch’ or ‘gut feeling’ that propels us in a direction we may have never historically chosen, only to lead us somewhat seamlessly to the decision or outcome we were hoping for. Whilst intuition can sometimes be hard to channel, we’ve all got one. How well it works simply comes down to how open you are to receive its guidance. Read on for how you can awaken or strengthen your own intuitive side…

Identity and release your core beliefs: Whether we like it or not, our core beliefs, often formed in early childhood, remain with us throughout our lives, continuing to be shaped by circumstances, our environment, our interactions and all that’s in between. When it comes to enlivening our intuitive sides, we must let go of our externally developed perceptions of ourselves and the world around us, for our higher selves to be able to shine through and lead us in the direction we are meant to go. Whilst it’s not always easy, letting go of preconceived notions of how things should be is the first step to opening yourself up to the beauty of intuitive thinking. More on this below.

Listen to your body: Think your mind and body don’t communicate on all levels? Think again. Whilst we are all well aware that if we are sick or in pain, our bodies make it very clear to our minds, did you ever consider the opposite – our minds communicating through our body? Apparent on both sides of the emotional spectrum, we’re sure you know all too well the feeling of excitement that can be felt so strongly in your stomach, but also the feelings of heartbreak or sadness that can be felt deep within your heart. By working on really feeling into your emotions and pinpointing where they develop, you are taking the second crucial step in awakening your intuitive power within.

Be open and willing: When you’ve identified and let go of your core beliefs and tuned into the wisdom of your body, it’s time to let your intuitive knowing take the reigns. For this to occur, it’s important that you stay open-minded and willing to hear and recognize your intuitions signs and signals. Whilst being a critical thinker is great, if tuning into your intuitive side is what you seek, practice shutting this off during times of intuitive pursuits. By doing so, you may just find it easier to tap into that inner power without the internal conflict that critical thinking can elicit.

Trust in yourself: Whilst rational thinking is sometimes required in the decision making process, for those evaluations that elicit a ‘gut feeling’ reaction, it’s important to honour the fact that your body may be trying to tell you something, to push you in a direction you may not have otherwise chosen to take. Like with anything, it’s not always possible to predict the outcome of any given situation, but trusting in yourself to make a decision that you wholeheartedly feel is the right one when that ‘gut feeling’ hits will help to strengthen your intuitive muscle and pull you in the direction you’re meant to go.

Words by Zsa Zsa Vella

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If You Do One Thing This Week, Set Goals, Feel Awesome!

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No matter how big or small, it’s never too late to set goals and achieve them! This week, we’ve rounded up our top 10 tips to help you get organized, get inspired and get goal-setting!

  1. Define your goal: What is it that you wish to achieve? This can be anything from a workout you’d love to try, to a job you’d like to acquire.
  1. Be realistic when you set goals: Whilst we’re all about dreaming big, sometimes a big goal requires achieving lots of little goals before it’s able to become a reality. Make sure to always take the process into account.
  1. Embrace the process: As mentioned above, reaching a goal can be a long (albeit satisfying) process, that like anything in life worth having, requires a journey to get to. Whilst it’s easy to get carried away in thinking you’ll only be truly satisfied once you reach your destination, there is a lot of happiness and beauty to be found in the journey too – embrace it.
  1. Surround yourself with like-minded people: When you’re trying to achieve a goal there’s nothing better than surrounding yourself with people who understand what you’re hoping to achieve, or even better, people who have achieved what you have your mind set on – the ultimate motivation!
  1. Track your progress: If you’ve attempted to set goals and achieve them before, you’ll know that sometimes it can be hard to notice the small changes that occur along the way, those which can often be the most encouraging! With this in mind, one of the best things you can do to keep tabs on how you’re progressing is to make sure you track your progress. A surefire way to stay motivated and inspired throughout your goal-getting journey, choose the most suitable form of tracking for whichever your goal may be and enjoy recording your journey!
  1. Learn from the slip-ups: Let’s face it, when it comes to changing behaviours slip-ups are inevitable, but they don’t have to be a setback! Change your mindset to perceive slip-ups as a valuable learning tool to help you get back on board more motivated and eager to succeed than ever! Whatever you do don’t wait for the next day, or even Monday to start over. Take a moment to breathe, reconnect and get back on board immediately.
  1. Practise the art of positive thinking: If you’re not familiar with the art of manifestation, get acquainted. One of our favourite modes of self-encouragement (and just a little bit magic), manifestation comprises of visualizing yourself having achieved your end goal. Try doing this every morning when you wake up and every evening before you go to sleep, and remember: what you think, you become.
  1. Don’t look back: Whilst at times it may feel like you’re going nowhere, like all your hard work is not paying off and that maybe you’re not even worthy of achieving the goal you’ve set out for yourself, it’s time to revisit your self-love letter. Hip & Healthies NEVER give up, and just by reading this you have made a pledge to yourself not to! So stay positive, embrace the challenge and know that we believe in you 100%! Happy goal-getting!

Words by Zsa Zsa Vella

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The Best Vegan Burgers Recipe… ever!

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These butternut squash & black bean burgers with avocado cream, rainbow slaw & homemade spelt bun are not only one of the tastiest recipes on Hip and Healthy, but also one of the easiest. The flavour is only enhanced by Swartz herbs and spices and you’ll find that even those who are not vegan will love the deliciousness of these tasty “burgers”.

Makes 4 x burgers

Ingredients:

1/2 butternut squash, roasted

1.5 cups of black beans  (1 tin)

1/2 cup sweet corn

1 red onions, diced

1 cup gluten-free oats, ground briefly to breadcrumb consistency

2 tsp Swartz cumin

1 tsp salt

2 tsp ground Swartz oregano

1 tsp Swartz chili powder

Method:

Preheat your oven to 190ºC. Peal and chop the squash into small cubes, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and cook for 35-40 minutes, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, rinse and drain your beans and place them into a large mixing bowl. With a masher (surely there is a better word for this! No? We will stick with masher then – we presume you know what we mean), mash until roughly half the mixture becomes a paste and put to one side. Then, in a frying pan, add the onions and cook until caramelised. Place in mixing bowl with the spices and sweet corn.

Once the squash is done, mash well before adding to the other ingredients that are in the mixing bowl including the Schwartz spices, mix well. Add the oats to bind and continue to stir. Shape into 8 large patties and place in the fridge to cool.

To cook, heat up a bit of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the burgers for 3 minutes on each side, place on a baking tray and cook at 190ºC for a further 10-15 minutes until crisp.

Serve with one or all of our favourite sides: colourful slaw, avocado cream, spelt bun.

Avocado cream

Ingredients:

1 avocado

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method:

Add to a bowl, mash (lots of mashing) well to combine

Colourful Slaw

Ingredients: 

4 small Beetroot bulbs

4 carrots

3 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup cranberries

juice 1/2 a lemon

Peal & grate the vegetables. Combine with lemon juice, pumpkin seeds and cranberries.

oregano_2012

promo logo

This post is in association with Schwartz

FITSPIRATION – Zanna Van Dijk

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Leading personal trainer, 1/3rd of the infamous Girl Gains and self-made instagram star, Zanna Van Dijk is this month’s FITSPIRATION. Passionate about encouraging women to find empowerment through working out, positivity and a balanced lifestyle, this month we caught up with Zanna to chat all things health and fitness…

What does a typical day look like for you?

It varies every single day. Most mornings I will have personal training clients. Then I will train myself. What happens from then on is a mystery! I could be on a shoot, filming a video, writing a blog post, planning an event or having meetings… or many other things! I love the diversity of my job.

What inspired you to start lifting?

What inspired me was actually online fitspiration accounts on Instagram! I would see girls with amazing bodies lifting weights and I thought… oh that’s how they do it! I was clueless at first and I was completely self-taught. It took me a long time to get to grips with it but now it’s my favourite form of training.

What advice would you give to other girls who want to start lifting?

Just do it! I know it’s scary but it’s worth it. It’s an incredible way to transform your body and mind. My top tip is to go with a friend, it makes it much less intimidating and you can bounce exercise ideas off each other. I have a whole video on my YouTube channel which is a beginners guide to lifting weights packed full of loads more ideas, check it out!

What is your favourite exercise and why?

I have two:

Pull ups: because they make me feel like an absolute badass! They’re so satisfying and challenging at the same time.

Bulgarian split squats: there is nothing more effective to build the booty.

What do you enjoy most about being a fitness blogger?

The chance to meet so many new people and work with such exciting brands. I am a people person, and the social element of blogging is so fun for me! I also find it mind blowing that big brands know who I am and want to work with me. It makes me so excited and slightly overwhelmed!

Do you have a particular role model in the health/fitness world?

Yes, Claire who is the owner of a gym called Transition Zone in SW London. She is just an incredible woman. She owns her own gym, has a family and basically is smashing life. She works damn hard and it’s paying off. Plus she is so lovely and down to earth.

Do you ever have ‘bad’ days, and if so how do you get back on track?

Yes of course, I think everyone does. If I have a day of more “flexible” eating (aka eating anything and everything), then the next day I just focus on getting in foods that nourish my body i.e. fruit, veggies, sweet potato, fish, eggs, lean meats, etc. I never make myself feel guilty and I never restrict myself. I just realise that in order to feel at my best I need to fuel myself well and train hard!

What is your go-to meal and favourite ingredient?

I am not going to lie… I am a fan of a simple stirfry. I just shove loads of veggies in a pan with some meat, rice and spices… 5 minutes later I have a nutritionally balanced delicious meal with minimal mess or effort. My ultimate favourite ingredient is spice mixes or herbs as they make everything more flavourful.

Name 3 beauty products you can’t live without…

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum – amazing for dry skin

REN glycolactic radiance renewal mask – amazing for dull skin/exfoliation

Water!! – to hydrate the skin

How do you de-stress after a busy day?

Many ways. My favourite is by watching YouTube videos, drinking a cup of tea and zoning out while listening to others talk about fitness, fashion, beauty, news, etc on the internet. I also enjoy a good colouring book (no judgement!) as well as a bath when I have time to take one.

Do you have a favourite quote or piece of advice?

“If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely” – Roald Dahl

I think that the power of being positive and happy is incredible. You can brighten so many people’s days by just smiling. If you think good thoughts, good things will happen. This quote just speaks to me.

What do you aspire to do next career-wise?

So many things. My activewear collection has recently come out which is super exciting! I hope to continue to build my blogging career and my personal training business, and to keep on loving my job and loving life.

If you could workout in anything from Hip & Healthy, what would it be?

Can I say everything!? I love the Lucas Hugh Ice Breaker pieces so much!

Interview by Meryn Turner

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Sarah Wilson’s Sugar Free Easy Food Swaps

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On a quest to ditch the sugar but don’t know where to begin? Swap these not-so-healthy sugar-heavy products for the following I Quit Sugar approved alternatives…

Swap champagne for… wine

Swap soft drink for… kombucha

Swap French fries for… baked sweet potato

Swap balsamic vinegar for… apple cider, rice or white/red wine vinegar

Swap sweet chilli sauce for… fresh chilli or harissa paste

Swap margarine for… butter or avocado

Swap pre-made salad dressing for… lemon, olive oil and sea salt

Swap dessert at a restaurant for… a cheese platter

Sarah’s new book Simpilicious featuring 306 simple and delicious recipes to get us all cooking is out now!

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Mothers Day – Last Minute Gift Guide

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Mothers day is just around the corner and it’s not too late to show just how much you love her, by indulging her with one of these lovely gifts. There’s nothing like a bit of spoiling to make your mama feel special; here are some suggestions for that perfect Mothers Day gift…

Neom’s Real Luxury Scented Candle (3 Wicks)
By handing over this calming candle, you give the gift of relaxation. Created to instil calm and banish stress, it’s the perfect gift to transform the way she feels with soothing lavender, jasmine and Brazilian rosewood.

Hip & Healthy Box
Our very own Be Well Box, which we created in collaboration with Liberties of London, to help you feel fantastic in both body and mind. Containing a beautiful selection of products, from a deeply nourishing facial repair mask, to a soothing scented candle, to a super light weight tank top for any healthy or yummy mummy out there!

Jo Malone Vitamin E hand treatment
This deliciously rich and truly nourishing hand cream is packed full of Vitamin E to leave hands soft and supple. It is sweetly scented with pomelo and cassis, leaving a delicate scent. A perfectly luxe Mothers Day gift!

Raw Halo choccie boxes
Does your mama have a sweet tooth? These luxury organic chocolate boxes are the perfect way to treat her. Boxes come in 76% dark, milk and vegan chocolate, so fear not, if you prefer to stick with a healthier option, Raw Halo have you got back. Guilt-free and made with a whole lotta love, these pretty chocolate boxes are a must buy!

Talbot Avenue – Magoa Grey Long Sleeved Top
The perfect gift for any yogi mummy – this super luxurious long sleeved top from Aussie brand Talbot Avenue is sure to make her feel special! From her pilates mat to brunch with her friends, she won’t have to worry about feeling comfortable and looking stylish!

words by Flora Crichton

Baked Stuffing Loaf With Mushroom Sauce + Shaved Sprouts & Pecorino Salad

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The best kind of IQS feast, this baked stuffing loaf and shaved sprouts and pecorino salad will be sure to please even the fussiest of eaters…

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

-5 cups (750g) chopped raw veggies (a combo of cauliflower, sweet potato and celery is great; or a combo of parsnip, pumpkin and carrot also works well)

-1 onion, chopped

-4 cloves garlic, skin on

-3 eggs

-1 teaspoon chopped rosemary

-1 tablespoon chopped thyme plus extra sprigs to garnish (optional)

-Good pinch of sea salt

-3 tablespoons flour (editors note: we love almond)

-40 g coconut oil, melted

-1 cup (150g) chopped pistachios

Mushroom Sauce

-3 knobs of butter

-Pinch each of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

-150 g button mushrooms, sliced

-1/2 cup (125 ml) cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius (gas 6) and line a baking tray and a loaf tin (23cm x 13cm) with baking paper.

Place the vegetables and garlic on the baking tray and roast for 30 minutes. Transfer to a food processor (squeeze the garlic out of its skin first) and pulse until the vegetables resemble bread crumbs. Add the eggs, herbs and salt and blend until combined, leaving some chunks. Stir through the flour, coconut oil and pistachios.

Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin andbake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. (Remove from the oven after 25 minutes and press the extra thyme sprigs into the top of the loaf, if you like.) Set aside to cool a little.

To make the mushroom sauce, place the butter, salt, pepper and mushrooms in a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook the mushrooms for 10 minutes until softened, then stir in the cream. Reduce the sauce until the desired consistency is reached.

Lift the loaf from the tin and slice into thick slices. Serve with the Shaved Sprouts and Pecorino Salad (see below) and the mushroom sauce.

 

Shaved Sprouts And Pecorino Salad

Serves 6-8 as a side

Ingredients

-1 green apple, cut into match sticks

-400 g Brussel sprouts, shaved or grated

-1/2 cup (125 ml) Powerhouse Dressing (Pg 53 of Simpilicious)

-2 big handfuls of rocket or watercress leaves

-1 cup (100g) grated pecorino or parmesan

-chopped hazelnuts and pomegranate seeds to garnish (optional)

Method

Toss the apple, sprouts and dressing in a large bowl and leave to sit for 20 minutes. Serve with the leaves and grated cheese and sprinkle over the hazelnuts and pomegranate seeds, if using.

MORE: Fitspo – Model & HanxFit Founder Hannah Saul

 

Sarah Wilson’s Day On A Plate

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Ever wonder what the queen of sugar free living Sarah Wilson eats on a typical day? Read on for the lowdown…

I wake up at around 6:30 a.m. and drink apple cider vinegar in warm water. I have breakfast at around 10 a.m. and at the moment, that usually includes a green smoothie, using up left-over veggies and a small amount of fruit. I’ll also have a few slices of my home-made bread, with butter and peanut butter. I’ll have a black coffee at around 11 a.m. But I generally don’t snack. I eat like I mean it at meal times.

Lunch is usually around 1 p.m. and again I love to use left-overs. If i’m in the office I might dig a stew out from the back of my freezer and have it with some steamed zucchinis. I’ll also tuck into whatever is being tested in the I Quit Sugar office.

Dinner is usually at around 7 p.m. I’ll often have something like my cauliflower pizza. I always have some cauliflower rice ready to go in the freezer and a tin of tuna in the cupboard. Dinner is also served with a glass of red wine.I don’t eat dessert, I eat large serves of dinner so I don’t need it. If I’m out for dinner with mates and everyone’s having dessert, I’ll order some cheese or a cup of tea.

Sarah’s new book Simpilicious featuring 306 simple and delicious recipes to get us all cooking is out now!

MORE: How To Make 2016 Your Most Balanced Year Yet

Cardamom and Sea Salt Ganache Tart

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One of our favourite recipes from Sarah Wilson’s Simpilicious, this Cardamom and Sea Salt Ganache Tart is a must-make at your next IQS dinner party…

Serves 16

Ingredients

-270 ml can coconut cream

-2 tablespoons cardamom pods, lightly crushed with a flat blade until the outer husks crack-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or make your own; pg 45 of Simpilicious)

-100 g dark (85-90% cocoa) chocolate, chopped

-Pinch of sea salt, plus coarse sea salt to garnish

-Berries, edible petals and Activated Groaties (pg 27 of Simpilicious, to garnish (optional)

 Crust

-1/3 cup (75g) coconut oil

-4 tablespoons rice malt syrup

-2 cups (150g) shredded coconut

-1 tablespoon raw cacao powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius (gas 4).

To make the crust, melt the coconut oil and rice malt syrup in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the shredded coconut and cacao powder and mix well. Press the mixture into the base and up the side of a quiche or tart tin – no need to grease it – so that the mixture’s approximately 5 mm thick all over. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool and firm up.

Meanwhile, heat the coconut cream, cardomom pods and vanilla in a saucepan to a simmer, then turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Allow to steep for 10 minutes.

Strain the coconut cream mixture into a bowl, reserving 4 tablespoons in the pan for emergency use later, if needed. Discard the cardomom pods (or save to spice up chai tea). Add the chocolate and salt to the bowl, whisking it through until silky and melted. If the fats separate and your ganache develops a chocolatey cottage-cheese appearance, just add the reserved coconut cream, whisking swiftly to bring it all back together.

Once silky, pour into the tart shell and refrigerate until the ganache sets (at least 2 hours). Garnish with a pinch of coarse sea salt and berries, petals and activated groaties, if desired.

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I Quit Sugar Founder Sarah Wilson On Her Wellbeing Philosophy

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In light of her recent visit to London to launch her brand new cookbook Simpilicious, this month, we caught up with New York Times best-selling author and I Quit Sugar founder Sarah Wilson to find our more about her healthy living philosophy. On a mission to inspire the masses to JERF (just eat real food), stay tuned this week for her top tips for quitting the sweet stuff, her favourite easy food swaps, day on a plate and two mouth-watering recipes from Simpilicious to get you inspired to live sugar-free for life! First up, her wellbeing philosophy…

What does wellness mean to you?

It’s very much grounded in simplicity in order to create more space. Restriction, or lack of space – between ourselves, between activities, and so on – are at the root of all illness and disease.

What is the first step we should take to upgrade their health?

Quit sugar. Learn to meditate. Exercise every day (but it need only be a twenty minute walk).

What lessons have you learned since starting your health journey that have improved or enriched your life in some way?

That no matter how hard you try to steer things otherwise, life will come to you. I’ve had to learn this from decades of forcing and trying to steer things. It’s only when I’ve stopped doing this that life has rushed in and taken me to the next stage.

What is your favourite quote or saying to live by?

Where the mind goes the energy flows.

What is your exercise philosophy?

The key is every day. Doing something, every day. It need only be a twenty-minute walk, but it’s the every day bit that matters. At the moment for me, walking is one of my forms of transport. It means I get my exercise done, but it also ensures I have pockets in my day – when I walk to the post office, my office, to a meeting – where there is some time to think clearly and recalibrate. Most of us don’t need big slabs of time to recalibrate; just 5-15 mins here and there throughout the day is enough to stay on track.

Sarah’s new book Simpilicious featuring 306 simple and delicious recipes to get us all cooking is out now!

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EMOM and AMRAP: Two Fitness Acronyms You Should Know

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These two acronyms are your tickets to a fitter you. The secret? They are quick and efficient and essentially variations of HIIT workouts with two very different focuses.

EMOM:

EMOM stands for Every minute on the minute and allows for roughly 30-40 seconds of training followed by rest. Once the 60 seconds is up, you continue on to the next portion of the workout for the next minute and so on.

What’s the point?

The key with an EMOM is to practice a specific skill with quality repetition. Over-exerting yourself and performing the workout with bad technique is exactly what EMOMs aim to avoid. Instead, focus is placed on quality rather than quantity, allowing overlooked skills to be worked on.

Take a minute and think of what movements you hate doing in a workout class or want to improve on…

Do you loathe goblet squats, ketllebell swings and running? Perfect, because that is your workout plan done.

12 minute EMOM:

  1. 10-15 goblet squats
  2. 10-15 Kettlebell swings
  3. 100 meter sprint

Repeat these three workouts until minute 12 has been reached. And, while the aim is to work on quality rather than quantity, there is no rest until the last 20 or so seconds of each minute, enabling you to ramp up those energy systems.

 

AMRAP

AMRAP stands for As Many Reps as Possible. Similar to an EMOM, there are 3-4 movements to cycle through, but instead of focusing on each minute , the focus is on seeing how many rounds can be quickly completed in a given time frame.

What’s the point?

This one is all about mental toughness. When starting an AMRAP, the first question is: how much do you want it? A workout that focuses on conditioning, whether it’s 5,10, or 15 minutes, AMRAPs will gas you out and whip you into shape. It’s terrific for all levels of fitness as well. If you can do 10 pushups or just one, you will be challenging your own level of fitness without overdoing it.

According to Personal Trainer and CrossFit coach Mike Lee,

“If I come in and I’m tired, sore. I can still do an AMRAP and keep moving for the specified time and get a good workout.

Alternatively I can come in feeling like the bee’s knees and decide I’m going to see how much work I can actually perform today.”

What kind of workouts does an AMRAP call for? It’s as simple as transferring the EMOM workout mentioned earlier to an AMRAP one. The choice is yours.

What’s more, EMOMs and AMRAPs can be done anywhere and you can become your own personal trainer. Whether at the beach, a hotel room, or home if the mood for a workout strikes, you can do it then and there.

Mix-and Match:

There are plenty of basic body weight movements that you can do with an EMOM or AMRAP. See below for some ideas. Pick one workout from each section or really hone in on one portion of the body to really feel a targeted burn.

Core:

  1. planks
  2. v-ups
  3. crunches
  4. Russian twists
  5. bicycles

Lower body:

  1. lunges
  2. squats
  3. wall-sits
  4. pistol squat
  5. single-leg deadlift
  6. step-ups

Upper body:

  1. push-ups
  2. tricep dips
  3. donkey kicks
  4. handstand pushups
  5. superman
  6. arm circles

Full body:

  1. burpees
  2. tuck jumps
  3. inchworms
  4. mountain climbers
  5. prone walkout

Words by Victoria Engelmann

 

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Top 5 Steps To Mindfulness

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If you’re looking to get down to the core of what wellbeing is really about, then look no further! Read on for a selection of tips and tricks that will help you to think and feel your best this year…

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness has been recommended by the Department of Health and other healthcare professionals as a therapeutic practise that can help people to achieve an improved state of wellbeing. The idea is that we become more aware of our behaviours, thoughts, attitudes and actions in order to gain a better grasp on our lifestyles. It is a practise that involves being ‘mindful’ or aware of the present moment, and being able to remain focussed and in control of our feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations. The practise has been shown to significantly reduce stress and incite feelings of calmness and peace when practised on a regular basis.

Tips

Here’s a few ways that you can begin to practise mindful behaviour in different ways throughout your day…

Mindful Eating – This is a great way to stay healthy in 2016 and remain in control of your eating habits. A mindful exercise is to try and adopt a ‘childlike’ curiosity of the food that you are eating as though each bite is something new and amazing. Start by analysing and viewing the food in front of you and imagining its journey from the fork to your mouth, and all the way down your digestive system. Start to savour each mouthful as though it is your last, chewing slowly to assess the wonderful flavours that are released. Then, when you feel ready, swallow each bite, paying careful attention to the sensation of digestion.Mindful eating is a great way to remain in control of portion sizes and being able to assess when you are full. The practise is also a great way to gain awareness of what we are eating as well as why we are eating.

Mindful Moving – Our movements have sped up three-fold over the past decade as we feel increasingly stretched for time during our daily lives. Many of us tend to race around in a morning in order to get dressed, grab breakfast and dash out of the door to work. This can send our cortisol (i.e. our stress hormone) levels through the roof, which, over time, can supress immunity and cause a surge in blood sugar levels. Practising mindful moving is incredibly beneficial for our stress levels as we try to slow down our actions and not do too many things at once. Start by setting your alarm to wake up 20 minutes earlier in the morning. Give yourself that time you deserve to feel at ease and experience the pleasure in daily activities by bringing your attention to your speed and behaviour. Slow down and start to feel human again – we are not robots, after all!

Mindful Talking – This is a fantastic way to achieve more control and peace in your life, simply by bringing your awareness to your speech. Are you a notorious chatterbox? Do you often find yourself reeling off a dozen sentences every 30 seconds? If so, see if you can try to slow your speech rate down throughout the day. When you talk fast, you trick your body into thinking it is under a state of stress. Being mindful of how we talk helps us to stay in control of what we are saying as well as encouraging feelings of ease.

Mindful Relationships – Relationships are crucial in health management and it is super important to surround yourself with the right people in order for you to remain at peace. When interacting with people both in our personal and professional lives, it is important to always stay mindful of our behaviours and attitudes towards individuals. Try to be kind and treat people the way you wish to be treated, without letting the influence of other behaviours stand in your way. Staying in control and maintaining healthy relationships is a great way to increase total wellbeing!

Mindful Thinking – Many of us can gravitate towards negative thoughts, particularly those that are self-critical and self-damaging. These thoughts are self destructive and will only hinder one person – yourself! Whenever you notice a negative comment pop into your head, bring yourself back to the present moment and become aware of this behaviour. Try to switch your thinking to constructive and positive thoughts, such as ‘what is your proudest achievement?’ or ‘what is your favourite personal feature?’ The more you acknowledge the good in yourself, the less you will take note of the bad.

These tips are just a basis for you to go off and can be practised throughout the day. You may feel silly when doing these practises, but again, being mindful of our thoughts is all part of the practise and we need to recognise these thoughts as random, and return our awareness to the present task at hand, without judgement or negativity.

Be mindful. Be happy. Live well!

Words by Lauren Windas

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