An Apple A Day
You know the drill. We’ve all perfected it. You hit the snooze button on your alarm clock a few times more than you probably should. By the time you finally get dressed, spritz on your perfume, step into your shoes and perfect your pout, you realize you’re running late and grab a sugary muffin, a breakfast drink to go or worse, skip breakfast altogether. You finally get to work, are an hour into your morning meeting, and all you can think about is a strong cappucino and toast. Buttery, delicious toast.
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You get home from work, kick off our shoes, unburden your tired shoulders from the weight of your laptop bag and switch on the TV. Work was tough today and you deserve a little down time by way of Lena Dunham or Mindy Kaling. Before we know what, its 9pm. You fell asleep on the sofa again and the gym is due to close in an hour. By the time you change and drag yourselg over there, you’ll probably only get a 20min workout in. What’s the point in that? You’ll just be super strict with yourself, wake up earlier tomorrow and try again. And so the cycle repeats.
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I’m just as guilty of being a victim of this cycle as the next girl. I don’t eat as healthy or exercise as much as I probably should, and somehow, no amount of exotic, colourful fruits or super chic gym gear can convince me any of it is a good idea on a day I just can’t be bothered. However, it is important to take care of yourself – you’ve got to live with you for the rest of your life, and sometimes, subtle lifestyle changes can be exactly what you need to feel better on the whole. Here are a few simple choices that don’t disrupt my day, but massively impact my mood, my skin and my self esteem in the best possible way:
Make healthier beverage choices
I love a diet drink with my lunch, but we all know how bad they can really be for us. Its funny just how many calories we consume in beverages everyday. I now try and stick to water with all my meals, and stay hydrated with drinks I actually like through the day like fresh pomegranate or sweet lime juice, coconut water or green tea.
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My favourite haunt in Mumbai, Suzette does an absolutely amazing, refreshing kale smoothie (which is a lot yummier than it sounds, believe me!) And if I’m awake in the morning, I try and stop outside Jogger’s Park in Bandra to get a vegetable juice from a mobile juice van that does the rounds of the area upto about 10am. I don’t do all of these everyday, but at least try and squeeze at least one a day in.
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Take the stairs
Which is a little easier said than done considering my new home is on the 17th floor! But I grew up on the third floor in a bungalow with no elevator, so taking the stairs is second nature for me. Sometimes, if I know I won’t get the chance to squeeze in a workout, I actually walk ALL the way up, or stop the elevator half way through and walk up about seven flights instead. It is great cardio, great for your calves and saves you feeling guilty for skipping the gym again.
Nourish yourself regularly
For years I believed that if I was ‘eating healthy’, I needed to eat a lot less. As a result, I’d go without food for a few hours, but then be ravenous and end up binging on the first thing that popped into my mind. I know better now and make it a point to eat something tiny ever couple of hours so I’m never really hungry. I usually reach for nuts, a couple of Digestive biscuits, an apple / banana / bunch of grapes.
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Multi task
Another great way to burn a few extra calories is immerse yourself in a household task. If you’ve been meaning to clean out your closet, do it instead of your workout. You won’t burn as many calories, but you’ll burn more than what you would being plonked on the sofa. Plus your new season wardrobe will look great and you can do it while listening to music, Skyping with your best friend or watching the new Anne Hathaway movie you’ve been meaning to catch up on.
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Make more fun plans
Have you noticed how all of our plans seem to revolve around food? We either go out to lunch or dinner or coffee or sit around at a bar getting drinks. Why not try and make your plans a little more about being on your feet than on your butt?
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Hit the mall for a shopping spree with your BFF (track your steps using an app on your phone – you’ll be shocked at how much you’ve walked at the end of the day!), walk around the city taking photos, go for a swim at a local pool, go bowling or take a dance / fitness class together like the SATC girls.
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You could even go on a hike if the weather is on your side or for a walk along the beach / seaside. And instead of sitting at a bar on a night out, go clubbing instead. Dancing is fun, burns calories, makes you feel alive and leaves you with great pictures for your Instagram feed the next morning.
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Treat yourself to a sparkly little reminder
It can be hard to constantly tell yourself to make better lifestyle choices, But luckily, I’ve found the perfect little reminder – a gorgeous Diamond Apple pendant that sits sweetly between my collarbones and is the first thing I see when I look in the mirror or take a selfie.
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Graceful and delicate, it serves as the perfect little nudge when I feel too lazy to take the healthy road, and serves as my conscience when I feel an unnecessary craving coming on. In fact, I’ve grown to depend on this little piece of bling so much, that I’ve completely stopped using apps or setting reminders on my phone to work out. Every time I see it, it fills me with a sense of duty to myself and reassures me of the fact that I’m worth making a little extra effort for.
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Handcrafted in Singapore, these gorgeous little apples, available exclusively on blingtales.com in 18K gold, rose gold and white gold make for perfect presents, too. So if its your mom’s birthday, your best friend’s bachelorette party or your anniversary with your girlfriend, show the women in your life a little love and remind them that they’re worth going the distance for. (P.S they’re having a fun ‘Diamond Story’ contest on their home page where you could win a chance to visit a diamond center in Belgium!)
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What are the simple little methods you use to take better care of yourself everyday? Share it with me in the comments section below!
{PHOTOGRAPHY} Askara Zagday at Yellow Pixel
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* This post has been sponsored by BlingTales.com, however, all opinions are entirely my own. Read more about how I keep my integrity while partnering with brands by scrolling down to the ‘You Must Probably Know’ section on this page.
