Exercise

Here’s a fun and effective way to move more and all you need is your phone or a simple pedometer. Using a step app or pedometer, track your average daily steps without added intentional extras or exercise time. Once you know your average steps, set a larger amount as a goal, aim to hit it every day this week.

For example, you might do 8,500 steps without trying, so you could set your goal to be 10,000 steps. Make it a fun challenge to move more and reach your goal every day. And be sure to celebrate when you do!

Nutrition

Simple breakfasts are a must when you’re flat out. On cooler days especially, it’s nice to have something warm to keep your tummy happy, so I’ve come up with a template for making your base and at least 4 different types of warm breakfast bowls. These can easily be made in bulk at the start of the week, then just reheated each morning too (below template makes 4-6 serves)

1. Choose your base grain. Cook in a rice cooker or on stove top according to packet instructions.
   1. Brown rice (2 cups to 4 cups water)
   2. Quinoa (2 cups to 4 cups water)
   3. Brown rice (2 cups to 4 cups water)
2. Choose your flavour:
   1. Pumpkin spice (Per serve: 100g roasted pumpkin, ½ cup coconut milk, 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
   2. Choc-banana (Per serve: 1 banana, chopped, ½ cup coconut milk, 1 teaspoon carob/cacao powder, 2 tablespoons shredded coconut)
   3. Berry bowl (Per serve: ½ cup coconut milk, ½ cup berries, ½ frozen acai packet blended, 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed, top with berries)
   4. Green goodness (Per serve: 1 cup broccoli florets sauteed, handful of rocket, 1 poached/fried egg, ¼ of an avocado, ¼ lemon wedge, sprig of a fresh herb (ie. parsley), handful of sprouts, 1 tsp of tamari sauce)

You can download your copy of the Breakfast bowl guide here: https://www.unleashfitliving.com/blog/breakfast-bowls

Mindset

If you were asked to list all the things you love, how long would it take for you to mention yourself?

It’s a sobering question, hey.

Over and over I’ve heard many people say that when they lose weight or feel confident in that bikini or their partner is happy with them – then they’ll value themselves and think they’re worthy and be happy.

But we’ve got it backwards! If we come to a place of acceptance and love for ourselves right now, wherever we are on that journey, and we choose to believe we are already ‘enough’ and worthy, THEN we WILL treat ourselves with love and respect and honour and kindness in our daily thoughts, words and actions.

Being able to love yourself is not about selfishness. It is all about having healthy self-worth. And self-worth is “characterised by a quiet sense of self-respect and a feeling of satisfaction of who we are. True self-worth, unlike pride, is not based on our performance” (Robert McGee, The Search For Significance). It is based on our value as a unique individual whose purpose in this universe no one else can fill.
If there is just one thing I could wish more than anything for you, it is exactly this. The ability to learn to love, treasure and value yourself as the beautiful, priceless treasure that you are! Right now! As you are! Just imagine how your thoughts towards yourself would be different if you adopted this, let alone how you treat yourself and your body. I dare you to love yourself starting today!

Copyright © 2021 Alisha Christie