Slow down eating, exercise and life. Turtle and words "slow down" on road.

SLOW DOWN Eating, Exercising and LIFE

Technology has made us impatient

I’m going to start by putting a lot of blame on technology.  With texting, email, online ordering, etc. we are always looking to get things done, answered, and delivered as soon as possible.  This is the first place we have sped up our lives and while there are definitely some benefits, it has put our lives in a constant state of go, go, go.  Let’s work on slowing down in the following three areas…

slow Down Eating to savor and enjoy

I’ve spoken before about making small changes in everyday habits.  Here is an easy one I hope you will consider giving a try.  SLOW DOWN when you are eating a meal or a snack.  When having a snack, let’s say it’s popcorn, instead of taking a handful of popcorn and shoving it in your mouth all at once, try taking just one piece at a time and finishing that piece before having another.  The same goes for eating a meal.  A way to force yourself to slow down is to take a bite, put your fork down and chew and swallow before picking up your next bite.  Have you ever done that?  Give it a try.  

By slowing down when you eat you are likely to realize you are full “before it’s too late” and you will consume less to be satisfied.  I read somewhere that it takes about 5 bites of food to satisfy a craving.  Enjoy your time eating, taste the flavors you have on your plate and avoid overeating, all by slowing down.

Exercise at a slow and steady pace

You know the saying “slow and steady wins the race.”  Well, unless you are competing in an actual race let’s think about slowing down our movement when we exercise.  Focusing on what we are doing and the muscles we are using will help us get the most out of the time we spend exercising.  There is definitely a time and a place for quicker exercise, but when you are working on your strength, building and/or toning muscles let’s put the brakes on a bit and make sure we are really using our muscles, not just moving our muscles.

Free up your schedule for some downtime

Most of us, no matter the phase of life we are in, are OVER BOOKED.  You need to take the time to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and just relax for a day or two.  It is important to GET AWAY.  It is our nature to do what we see needs to get done which means in order to truly slow down and relax you need to get away from your everyday environment.  Vacations can be stressful, especially if you have a list of things you want to see and do.  I’m not talking about that type of getaway.  I’m talking about making no schedule, having no set plan, just doing or not doing whatever you want for a day or two to really relax and recharge.  Have you ever gotten away completely alone?  Give it some consideration the next time you need a rest!

We all know that life is short, but by rushing through it and trying to do everything for everyone we will miss out on the enjoyment of life.  Stop and smell the roses every now and then, enjoy someone’s company without thinking about what you are not getting done, and consider taking time for yourself.  

Self care is not selfish…you need to take care of yourself to be healthy BEFORE you NEED to be healthy and slowing down is an important part of that!

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