Supporting our health is non-negotiable

I have a few non-negotiables I’ve set for myself. One is to support my health by making it a priority each day.

Although it seems to be a New Year’s resolution each year to want to lose 10lbs, this year, I want to make a more meaningful effort to get to my overall optimal health. This includes being active with consistent exercise, being more intentional about the foods I eat and how much water I drink each day. Getting enough rest and protecting myself from getting sick are also important. 

Non-negotiables this year – supporting our health

I am committing to:

• Drink half my body weight in ounces of water each day
• Exercise a minimum of 3 days a week for 1-1.5 hours
• Get Rest – 8 hours of sleep each night
• Take supplements – Vit D, Iron, and Fish Oil supplements

Exercise to Reach Optimal Health

I used to love training for half and full marathons for the goal achieving part of it and the calorie burning effect! But I’ve been on exercise hiatuses over the past year that have left me feeling less healthy.

It took me a while to get back up to running 5 miles routinely. When I started running again, I could barely do 1 mile! The body will punish us when neglected. 

Once we become active, it’s important to stay on track. Set boundaries for what you will and will not allow when it comes to your commitment to exercise. 

I’ve set a few rules for myself to keep me on track. For example:

• If I go for a run and don’t feel like completing the full 5 miles, if I stop, I’ll add the remainder miles onto the next time I run. This usually motivates me to just run the full 5 miles!
• If I skip a run, I do not allow myself to have my evening glass of wine. Hey, whatever works, right? I love my daily glass of vino! 

When we get more active, supporting our health in other ways sort of falls into place on its own. I drink way more water. I tend to make better choices with my diet, like not wasting the 5 miles I just ran with a pint of ice cream (except on occasion, the run gives me a pass to indulge), going to bed early because my body is so tired from the workout that morning, and being more cautious about keeping germs at bay so I don’t mess up my work out routine. 

Products to Support Our Health

In focusing on trying to keep myself and my family healthy this year, I’m testing out some products that align with this goal through the Walmart Health Support campaign. I grabbed my items at Walmart through their online order system which has free 2 day delivery on most products! I was blown away when I received my items less than 24 hours after ordering on a Friday afternoon.

Dial Complete Antibacterial Foaming Hand Wash

Did you know even rubbing your eyes will get you sick if your hands have virus germs on them? It’s so important for us to wash our hands frequently. For our kids who are constantly in public spaces like school where germs fester everywhere, it is even more important.

I have this hand wash in every bathroom of my house.  I like how it is gentle on our skin without compromising its 99.9% germ-killing power.

Align Dualbiotic Gummy and Metamucil Premium Blend 

No one likes to talk about being “regular” with our digestive system, but when we aren’t, how bad do we feel? I’m checking out these two products to help me support a healthy gut.

Align Dualbiotic Gummies are easy to chew gummies that contain a prebiotic fiber and inulin to help nourish good bacteria in your digestive system. They are naturally flavored and contain less than 1g of sugar per gummy. My kids can have these too!

Metamucil Premium Blend is the only leading brand that contains naturally sourced psyllium fiber which helps promote digestive health and regularity.  It helps trap and remove the waste that weighs you down so you feel lighter and less sluggish. This product is sweetened with plant-based Stevia and contains no artificial sweeteners or colors. And guess what? The natural psyllium fiber helps curb your appetite so you feel less hungry between meals!

Vicks VapoCool Severe Medicated Drops

For those times when we end up with a sore throat, we use these VapoCool medicated drops to soothe our pain. Its cooling relief with the powerful rush of Vicks Vapors is hard to match with other brands. 

Health is our number one asset to being able to enjoy life! I am committed to being my healthiest self this year, and I hope you’ll join me!

“Flavor your life with an Ounce of Salt.” A lifestyle blog by Jen Oliak.