It’s officially March which also means it’s my birthday month! There are many awesome reasons to love this month- International Women’s Day, World Water Day, National Peanut Butter Lovers’ Day, March Madness, International Waffle Day, and Spring Equinox! With that said, it’s equally important for me to not overindulge and disrupt the healthy progress I’ve made with my body so far. Here are my hacks for 3 Healthy Ways to Celebrate Your Birthday. Trust me…you can still have your cake!
3 Healthy Ways to Celebrate Your Birthday…
- Invest in time for yourself whatever that may look like. It could be taking a short road trip to a neighboring city. The coronavirus has unfortunately shut down and scared a lot of us from flying, so something like a road trip for a weekend vacay might be just what the doctor ordered. A change of pace is always a good idea. This past weekend I drove down to San Diego from L.A. and had myself a great time at staying in the Gaslamp District. I walked around Balboa Park first for fresh air and sunshine, then went to a fascinating exhibit on the brain at the Fleet Science Museum. My night was spent at The Hard Rock Hotel in the Gaslamp District where I dined at Nobu, wore a face mask before bed, and just journal’d and relaxed. It was a wonderful gift for myself to relax and recover from a crazy work week.
- Relax around your food choices and enjoy the moment. As a food coach, I can be a bit tough on myself at times, especially around sweet tooth choices. I’ve been on a sugar cleanse since January 2, so I knew this birthday month would be a challenge. I ultimately made the choice to let go and relax this week. Friends were bringing me cupcakes, gourmet chocolate, and homemade cookies. Why would I turn that down during a week of celebrations? Where is the fun in counting my calories for times like this? I have the rest of the year to be more stringent. Our relationships with food can be tumultuous. We beat ourselves up instead of finding the balance and being ok with times where the “healthiest” option may not make the most sense in the moment. So the next time you are out for a birthday dinner and your friends order you the chocolate cake with a candle on top, relax and enjoy the moment. It doesn’t mean you’ve lost all your healthy habits. It means you have a healthy and realistic relationship with food. This tip is probably my favorite of the 3 Healthy Ways to Celebrate Your Birthday.
- Keep Moving. This idea is super important, especially during a week (or month) of eating cake and other birthday sweets. While I was in San Diego for my birthday weekend, my steps totaled 22,000 steps. That was a good thing given the birthday donut I had that afternoon when I arrived and the miso creme brulee I ALSO had from Nobu that night. Movement keeps a steady caloric burn. It also can help to battle any stomach bloat you may have from nights of drinking or eating out. Another thing I did upon my return to L.A. was to hit the gym with compound movements. These are exercises that focus on multiple muscle groups working at the same time. Choices like squats, bench press, weight glute bridges, deadlifts, and shoulder presses, are all types of compound exercises. These are valuable in that they allow your body to burn a higher amount of calories and keep your heart rate very similarly to cardio. So keep these types of exercises in mind as you are getting yourself back on track after your birthday fun.
I hope when your birthday comes around you’ll have as much fun as I’ve had. Keep these 3 Healthy Ways to Celebrate Your Birthday in mind and feel free to tweak to your own individual needs.
Xoxo, Natasha
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