I'm Running a Half Marathon!

       I've been running for a little while now, loving it more and more with each run. Its been a goal/dream of mine to run a marathon some day, but I figured I'd better start off with a half marathon first! 
                             I am running my first official half marathon in 10 days!!!!!

How Exercise Makes You Happier

    

 

We all love to be happy, right? Some times, when life gets crazy, stressful or unfamiliar we can lose some of that happiness. How can we get it back? How can we be happy no matter what is going on in our life? One answer is simple, exercise!

 

Health and Fitness New Years Resolutions

     The New Year is here! Welcome 2017 and all that you have to offer! I can't wait to see what this next year holds for me! The new year is a great time to get back on track and start being healthier. Even if you already have a healthy lifestyle, its still a good time to shake things up and get back on track!

 

Foods to Eat for Better Sleep

       We all would probaly like to get more sleep, or sleep better at night than we do now, right? I mean, what is bad about getting more sleep? Nothing! So why don't we sleep more or have a good night's sleep every night? One of the culprits might be in your diet. There might be foods lacking from your diet that are hindering you from getting sleep, or there might be foods that you do eat that are hindering your sleep. Eating better means you will sleep better and sleeping better means you will feel better!

     There are a few important things to watch out for when it comes to your diet and sleep. Potassium, Magnesium and Melatonin.  What are these things? They are the keys to actually falling asleep and staying alseep for longer. Eating foods that have these things in them will aid you on your way to dream land!

Quite a few foods contain the above-mentioned keys to sleep success. You might actually be surprised at some of the items on this list!

     Bananas are full of potassium! They also contin the amino acid, tryptophan, which breaks down into melatonin and serotonin ( hormones that promote relaxations) in the brain. Eating a banana before bed can help you calm down and fall asleep easier!

     Another food that contains this wonderful amino acid, tryptophan, is walnuts! Eating a handful before bed can help you sleep better!

     Besides walnuts, Brazil nuts( best source of selenium-another key to better sleep) and Almonds ( high in potassium and B vitamins) are some great nuts to eat before bed to help sleep better and longer!

     Carbs actually are pretty beneficial when it comes to sleep. Eating whole grain carbs like whole-wheat bread, oats, brown rice and quinoa raise blood-sugar levels, which plays a role in regulating your body's sleep/wake clock. This helps you feel energized when you should and sleepy when you should!

     Spinach, Kale and other dark-leafy greens are really great for sleep! They are packed with calcium, potassium and magnesium. Ever been told to drink a glass of milk before bed? Calcium is just another one of the keys to a better night's rest! You will actually benefit more from eating these dark greens for your calcium intake over milk! Have a nice big salad for dinner and sleep like a baby!

     Chickpeas or Garbanzo beans, are really helpful in the getting-to-sleep process. They contain B vitamins, which are needed in producing melatonin!

     Kiwi Fruit and Cherries are two more fruits that are excellent for better sleep. Kiwis are rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium( all very important for good sleep) and Cherries are a really great source of melatonin!

     None of these foods are hard to find or expensive. Which means you have no excuse( unless you are allergic) to eat more of them! Try adding more of these foods into your diet and see and feel the effect they have on your sleep! Not only will you be sleeping better and longer at night, but you will feel better and more energized during the day! And plus, who doesn't want an excuse to eat more delicious food?

I hope you have found this post to be helpful! Everyone wants to get better sleep, so please share this post with your friends and family to help more people get the sleep they need and deserve!

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I post every Friday, so check back every week for a new post, or follow by email and never miss a post again!

Stay Healthy, Happy and Lauging!

~Hannah~

How to be an Early Riser

    Waking up early can seem hard or impossible for some people, but, getting a few extra hours in your day is never a bad thing! Those extra hours could mean the difference between getting a good grade, turning in a test on time, getting to work on time, or simply, just getting stuff done! At first, it might not seem worth it, but trust me, waking up early can, and should be, a part of your day!

I wake up early 6 days out of the week. Why? Getting up early allows me to get in my run before we have to start school. Just because I am homeschooled, doesn't mean we get to do whatever we want whenever we want! We have to do our school work just like everyone else, we just have the choice of whether we want to wear our pjs all day or not!
     So, I get up early and get my run done before I shower and get on with my day! I find it puts me in a good mood and helps me to fell energized all day long!

Make a Plan

    Waking up early just for the sake of waking up early is a bad idea. You need something to motivate you, to excite you, so that you don't just hit the snooze button and go back to sleep. Sometimes I make a list of everything I need to do the next day. Its also a good idea to write down some goals you have for the next day, or even the next week. Planning something fun for breakfast, or setting your coffee maker to go off is a great motivator to get up in the morning!  Having these things written and planned  makes them more real, and you are more likely to stick to them than if they were just in your head.

Lay it Out

     The night before, lay out the clothes, bags, shoes and anything else that you need for the next day. If you plan to workout first thing in the morning, lay out your workout clothes and shoes, so that you have no excuses! Waking up and seeing the things you have layed out, makes you WANT to get out of bed! If you have a fun day planned, the things you lay out in preparation for it, gets you excited and ready to go in the morning!

Set an Alarm

     I know, I know, typical for this kind of post, but its so true! Setting an alarm gets you planning for the next day and hearing the alarm gets you AWAKE in the morning, which is key to getting up earlier. Maybe the sound of a blaring alarm in the morning isn't the best wake-up call, but you can kind an alarm that sounds nice ( your phone probaly has several to choose from) and will be great to wake up to!
     As to setting your alarm, I like to do 2 alarms. One for 15 minutes before I want to be up and one for when I want to get up! That way, if you roll over and go back to sleep after the first one, you have the next one to wake you back up!
     Another great tip for your alarm is, Move It! Move your alarm clock, phone or whatever you are using as an alarm to the other side of your room. Having it right next to your bed makes it too easy for you to hit the snooze button! Put it in a place where you have to get out of bed to turn it off, but not too far away that you don't here it! :)

Go to Bed

     You have to actually be in bed alseep before you can wake up early. Going to bed at a reasonable time if the first step to waking up earlier. I know, it doesn't sound super fun, but if you want a more productive and longer day, you have to go to bed early. Start by going to bed half an hour before you usually do and see how it feels! I bet you will like it!

Relax

     So, you've made a plan, you layed out your clothes, you've set your alarm and you're in bed....now you have to go to sleep! For so many people, getting enough sleep is hard. Whether its stress, kids, or going to bed too late, people get robbed of their sleep. Heres by tip- RELAX! It might just be 10 minutes before you go to bed, but take that time to sit down and do something that relaxes you. Read a book, drink some tea, do a craft or write in a journal, whatever relaxes you. Not only will it help you feel better and sleep better, but it will help you get the sleep you need AND wake up early!

 

 

I hope these tips have helped you and you can use them to become and earlier riser! If you have found this post helpful, please share it with your friends and family!

 

Check back every Friday for a new post! You can also follow the blog via email and social media so you never miss a post!

 

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Stay Healthy, Happy and Laughing!

H. Banana

Staying healthy during the holidays

Lets be honest, its can be hard to stay healthy during the holidays! There is the almost constant temptation of sugary and high calorie foods and then its seems so hard to stay motivated to workout! Here are a few tips that I hope will help us all stay healthy during the holidays!

#1 WATER!
There is often so much going on during the holidays that we forget to drink enough water! Not drinking enough water can cause you to become dehydrated which will make you feel lazy and sluggish. Drinking water ( and the water in hot cocoa, coffee, etc. doesn't count!) will help you feel more energized, give you clearer skin and keep you hydrated!

#2 WORKOUT
Its hard to find time to workout when its cold outside and there is a warm fire to sit by and drink hot cocoa, but its important that you make time! Play some Christmas tunes while you workout, find some Christmas-themed workout moves or find a workout buddy! If you have company and you don't feel like you can leave them to workout, maybe go to the mall ( Shopping is Cardio!) and walk around for an hour or two. Its important that you get moving! Lying around all day will make you feel lazy and lower your motivation level.

#3 INDULGE
Are all those Christmas treats tempting you? Well, live a little and enjoy them...in moderation! Not letting yourself enjoy your favorite treats will make you feel discouraged and deprived. Enjoy those yummy treats a little at a time. Eating one sugar cookie, one candy cane, a cup of cocoa or a piece of fudge won't set you back or make you gain a ton a weight, but loads and loads of them will! Enjoy in moderation and don't worry about it!

#4 VEGGIE-UP!
When is comes to your diet during the holidays, make sure that veggies are present at every meal. As long as they aren't coated in  butter, cheese or grease, make sure that at least half of your plate is full of veggies. You can have the other food items like, ham, bread, scalloped potatoes and cranberry sauce, just make sure your giving some love to the veggies too!

#5 SLEEP
It can be tempting to stay up 'way past your bed time' but its so much better for your body if you make sure you get enough sleep! Sleeping in is a great feeling and, if you stayed up late the night before, let yourself have more sleep, your body will thank you! You will have more energy and motivation if you give your body the rest it needs! Bring on the Zzzzzzzzzs!

I hope these tips can help us all stay healthy and motivated during the holidays! Let me know if these tips help you and if you have any to add to the list! If you have enjoyed this post, please share it with a friend!

Keep healthy and SAFE!
Happy Holidays!
H.Banana