Tag: Wellness Guide

WHY YOU EAT WHEN YOU’RE BORED AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STOP!

Published on by Lee2 Comments

YOU’RE NOT HUNGRY, YOU’RE BORED.

Don’t be a victim of mindless snacking (I’m talking to myself too… “Why did I buy those m&m peanuts again?” *face palm*)

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5 Tips to Curb Those Cravings

1 | MAKE SURE YOU’RE EATING ACTUAL MEALS DURING THE DAY.

This may mean that you have to plan your meals in advance. Eating actual meals (and meal planning) will ensure that you’re getting enough protein, fats, and carbs to sustain you between meals. It’s when you don’t have that in-between sustenance that you start snacking…

Ever notice how restricting food intake all day leads to eating a whole pizza, half a sleeve of oreos and some Ben & Jerry’s at night? That’s because the body is meant to eat small meals throughout the day so it doesn’t think it’s starving to death.

2 | DRINK MORE WATER.

People often confuse hunger for thirst. Symptoms of thirst are very similar to that of hunger and the same part of the brain is responsible for both. The next time you sense that you’re hungry, take a moment to ask yourself the following 2 things:

♡. When was the last time I ate something? 

If you’ve eaten within the last 2 hours, you’re probably not hungry.

♡. When was the last time I drank water?

If it’s been over an hour, you’re probably thirsty.

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3 | IDENTIFY YOUR HUNGER CUES.

 Late night snacking while binging Netflix is not acceptable.

Start tracking the times you crave food. This is where a food journal can come in handy. Make a column for the times you crave food and a column for the times you eat, in addition to what you eat or drink throughout the day. This will help to identify patterns that can illuminate what’s a mindless craving vs what is actually hunger.

4 | BRUSH YOUR TEETH

Your taste buds are triggered to hunger receptors in the stomach-brain connection (it’s all connected). For many people, the hunger satiation receptors don’t “go off” until all the taste buds have been stimulated. Ever noticed how after a huge dinner, you somehow miraculously have room for dessert? That’s because your “sweet” taste buds weren’t stimulated enough during dinner, so your brain thinks you have room for it, when in truth, you are stuffed.

Brushing your teeth can give your taste buds the kick in the pants that they need to signal to your stomach-brain connection that you’re good, and that no, you do not need that snack.

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5 | ALWAYS REMEMBER BWYFWSBF: BUT WOULD YOU FUCK WITH SOME BROCCOLI FIRST? 

When all else fails, this one never does. It’s simple and it’ll help you check yourself.

If you’re desperate enough to eat broccoli, then you’re actually hungry. If you’re not, you’re probably just bored.

Drink some water, go for a walk and/or organize something. Your brain is lacking stimulation, so do something that’ll occupy it with mindful activities. Studies have even shown that playing Candy Crush Saga can help curb bored-hunger. You’ve got options. Pick one.

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8 TIPS TO COMBAT STRESS + ANXIETY

Published on by Lee4 Comments

I’ve battled with severe bouts of anxiety since I was a child. I won’t get into my life story spiel on that here today, but if you’d like to see a video or potentially even listen to a podcast episode about that, please comment below! I released my first audio download to test the waters on the idea of doing a podcast, so if you’re interested in that medium and want to hear my intimate answer to the frequently asked question “When/Will you ever be coming to YouTube again?”, subscribe to BeautyLeeBar.com for all the updates!!

What I’m sharing here in this post today is a collection of lessons and practices in no particular order that I’ve learned to put into practice over 20 years of battling with this mental health issue. I am 23 years young, just keep that in mind. I promise you that at least one of these 8 tools will help you help yourself and your mental health TODAY! I use all of them regularly, depending on what my mind and body need on any given day.

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Journal – Brain dumping your emotions, thoughts, and circumstances onto a piece of paper gets them out of your racing mind and onto something outside of yourself that you can digest and reflect on. It doesn’t have to make sense, doesn’t have to be intentional, but it has to flow out of you onto that paper. You can make sense of it and set intentions for yourself regarding what to do with it later. The simple act of doing it will usually provide an immediate sense of relief on its own.

Serving Others – Perspective and purpose is everything. Both can be found in serving others. When we’re drowning in our feels and stuck in a shitty season, it can be challenging to see the potential, opportunities, and blessings we have in our grasp. Being of service and helping others provides a great sense of positive purpose that can enlighten and evolve our perspectives and passions. 

Therapy – I struggled with therapy for a long ass time. I’ve talked and walked my way out of therapist’s offices since I was a kid, but boy oh boy, am I a prime candidate!

I didn’t want to feel crazy. I didn’t want to need therapy.

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So I successfully convinced countless therapists I was fiiine after just a couple of sessions. It wasn’t until my emotions got aggressively thrown out of whack when I decided to work in retail that I finally sought and consistently stick to the regular therapy I’ve needed for far too long. It’s something I look forward to every week. It’s like a verbal journaling session with some friendly professional guidance on the digestion and reflection part.

Support – A therapist is an important form of support because they’re completely unbiased to your situation and emotions… and they’re paid to listen. However, the people who love you are important to support tools to get comfortable uncomfortably leaning into when you’re in need. You may feel ashamed or embarrassed about what they’ll think of you or even feel that you don’t want to burden the people you care about with your shit. Those feelings come from a place of care and consideration for those people, which is something that I’d put good money on is reciprocated. They’ll more than likely want to be there for you in your moments of need. I forget to do this one a lot myself, but I’m lucky to have a friend that knows me better than myself some days and pushes me to lean in just when I need to.

Exercise – MOVE. YOUR. BODY. Endorphins are magical things!!! Sweat that anxiety out of your pores one mile or burpee or downward dog at a time. Actively moving your body works wonders for your mind. ALL THE TIME.

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Pray – Whether you’re praying to God or the universe or your loved ones passed or… the black space you see when you close your eyes, whatever works! And it works. Simply voicing your please’s and thank you’s is something we forget to do when we grow up and take the burden of life directly on our backs. Thank you for this and please help me with that. These are super simple sentences that make a big impact in making you feel like you can push gratitude and desires out of your mind and off of your shoulders alone.

Read – Knowledge is power. Educating myself in digestible tidbits daily has done wonders for my confidence and anxiety. Learning is a powerful tool for gaining perspective and inspiring passion and purpose. It’s also just a great temporary distraction from your own whirling thoughts!

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Just Fucking Cry – Self-explanatory. Sometimes, ya just gotta do it and when you give in to that moment, it can feel so good. I’m not a crier… unless I’m watching Forrest Gump, Irreplaceable You, Blue Is The Warmest Color, Freedom Writers, Moonlight, The Pursuit of Happyness, Pearl Harbor, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Fruitvale Station and Boys Don’t Cry. I’m a sucker for a heartbreaking/heartwarming story and usually, my tears come from empathy for others, but I don’t cry often for myself. I used to. Then life happens and you get used to sucking it up and moving forward, but sometimes that bottles something up that needs releasing. If that anxiety has you stuck, it’s usually a good time to let the waterworks flow for a hot minute. Indulge in it and let it out.

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These obviously aren’t all of the ways you can relieve anxiety, but they’re mine and now, if any of them resonated with you, they’re yours! They’re simple, you don’t need a prescription for any of ‘em and you can practice them anytime, anywhere. It’s good to have a few of these tools in your back pocket at all times because as I’m sure you already know if you’re reading this, anxiety can be one unpredictable witch!

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Anxious? Try This Doctor-Approved Breathing Trick

Published on by LeeLeave a comment

Anxiety has a very unwelcome way of popping up when you least expect it.

When you’re anxious or stressed, you don’t usually pay attention to your breathing. You either overdo it, taking short breaths or don’t do it at all. It’s quite possible to suddenly realize you’ve been holding your breath and clenching your jaw for ages if you’re stressed out.

Just thinking about your breath and paying attention to it can have a calming effect though. It’s not something we do very often but breathing properly is so important. And using a focused breathing technique can be even more helpful when you’re anxious or stressed. 

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It’s a technique that has been used in yoga for thousands of years and yes, it focuses on breathing through the nose. Hillary Clinton gave it a shout out in her autobiography, What Happened in 2017. It was one of the things she said she used to recover from losing the American election to Donald Trump in 2016.

And, hey, if it’s good enough for Hillary…

It’s a very simple trick to master and you can use it anywhere – once you get the hang of it.

HOW TO PRACTICE ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING:

Step One:

Sit in a comfortable position if you can. On the floor on in a chair with your back straight and feet planted on the ground.

Step Two:

Using your right thumb, gently close your right nostril and inhale slowly through your left nostril.

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Step Three:

Gently close your left nostril by pressing on it with your ring (third) finger. As you do so, open your right nostril and slowly exhale out of it.

Step Four:

Still in this position, inhale through your right nostril, then close it, before opening your left nostril and slowly exhaling thought it. Then inhaling once again.

And that’s basically it! You can repeat the moves five to ten times and the technique will get smoother after a few goes.

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Taking deep slow breaths in this way could help you find your way out of feeling anxious or stressed. Fans of alternate nostril breathing also reckon it helps with focus, lowers the heart rate and makes you more alert too. 

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HAPPY PEOPLE Do These 10 Things Differently

Published on by Lee1 Comment

It’s more than normal to have some “happier” days than others, especially given everything going on in 2020. To help create big positive energy in everyday life, we’re taking a look at the habits genuinely happy people typically have in common. With the help of these practices and our simple self-care hacks, here’s to the power of self-soothing tips to get us through hectic times and land on the happier side. Learn the 10 things that happy people do differently below.

1. Happy people practice gratitude.

Having an attitude of gratitude is one of the most popular habits among the happy because it works. When you’re constantly noticing all the blessings and awesomeness in your life, it is physically impossible to be unhappy. Seeing the world through thankful eyes skews your perception toward positivity. 

What you can do today:

Keep a gratitude journal. I did this when I changed my life, and it seriously made all the difference.

2. Happy people put themselves first.

Happy people always put themselves first, so that they can take care of others second. I am talking about self-care. Putting your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health first is a must. Being balanced and feeling good about yourself and your life helps. Because when you’re happy, you have so much more to give.

What you can do today:

Do something nice for yourself today. Take care of your own needs.

3. Happy people give.

The fact of the matter is, giving makes us happy. As much as we think (and are taught) that obtaining more is the solution, it’s not. Studies have also shown that people who volunteer have shown better mental health, well-being, and even longevity. You can give your time, your love, and your presence, even if you can’t give money.

What you can do today:

Find a cause that you care about and learn how to get involved or support it.

4. Happy people stay inspired and have fun.

Happy people make it a point to have fun on a regular basis and do things that help them grow and learn. To them, having fun is not a lost ar—it’s part of the daily happiness upkeep. It’s important to experience and see new things, since it helps us stay inspired and excited.

What you can do today:

Do something thrilling today. Try a new activity, have a picnic, go on a day trip somewhere cool, or visit the zoo (animals always inspire).

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5. Happy people stay present.

Happy people do their best to stay present as much of the time as possible. Think about it: if you’re living in the future, you’re probably anxious, and if you’re living in the past, you’re probably depressed. Which leaves the present as the one and only moment any of us really need to pay any attention to. That’s why happy people practice mindfulness, the art of staying present.

What you can do today:

Take a meditation or yoga class.

6. Happy people develop healthy coping strategies. 

Happy people encounter stressful life adversities, but they have developed successful coping strategies. Learning how to seek lessons after a challenging event gives people a renewed appreciation for life, the ability to recognize new paths for themselves, enhanced personal strength, and improved relationships with others. Happy people become skilled at seeing the good that might come from challenging times.

What you can do today:

Try reframing.

7. Happy people focus on health. 

Happy people take care of their mind and body and manage their stress. Focusing on health, though, doesn’t just mean exercising. Happy people actually act like happy people. They smile, are engaged, and bring an optimal level of energy and enthusiasm to what they do.

What you can do today:

Take a walk, run, bike ride, or read a book.

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8. Happy people cultivate emotional awareness.

There is a growing body of science suggesting that emotionally aware people are happier, healthier, and recover more quickly from traumatic events because they understand what they are feeling. 

What you can do today:

Journal your highs and lows every day.

9. Happy people don’t dwell on problems. 

Where you focus your attention determines your emotional state. By fixating on your problems, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinder performance. Focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances. 

What you can do today:

Reframe any situation with a positive ending.

10. Happy people finish what they start.  

Coming up with a great idea means absolutely nothing if you don’t execute on that idea. The most successful and happy people bring their ideas to fruition. 

What you can do today:

Create a step-by-step plan for your goals.

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