Food for the Soul

Get outside. Drink tea. Eat well. Close your eyes. Breathe deep. Walk. Stretch. Be near the beach. Music. Books. Love. Nap. Escape. Heal

Ways to unwind mindfully-

Comfort foods included! 

Life always has challenges. Sometimes your soul just needs a little healing.

My housemate can always tell when I've had a bad day because I'll be eating peanut butter straight from the jar. It's kinda weird I know.. but we all develop little habits to deal with stress and it's often food related. Such as skipping a workout to zone out in front of the TV with a block of chocolate or bag of Doritos.

It's even more important to be mindful when we are feeling like shit. Because treating our bodies badly while we are stressed is just going to create guilt and fuel more negative emotions.

Try these couple of ideas on your next blah day. Don't beat yourself up if you aren't in the mood for a workout or doing something super productive. Comfort yourself, sometimes you need it. 

Mindful comfort. 

Walk or stretch.

If I’m a bit sore or tired and my body is telling me to rest I’ve learned to skip an intense workout and go for a long walk instead. I love wandering along the beach with my dog listening to relaxing music. You’re still moving your body but having time out as well. 

I love yoga to unwind. Rather than a gym workout or bikram yoga class sometimes I like to stretch at home. I’ll set aside 15 or 20 minutes and work through an easy flow a couple of times. Remember to breathe. It helps, I promise.

Cups of tea.

It’s like getting a hug! Even if you don’t like tea just make one anyway, cradle the mug in both hands and take a big, deep breath. Keep your phone well away from you and just sip the tea. Light a nice smelling candle. Give yourself that time.

Meditate.

It’s not for everyone, but you can look up a 10 minute guided meditation and give it a shot. It will give your brain something else to think about and leaves you feeling light and fresh, like a weight has lifted off your shoulders. It’s a much more productive way to spend a few minutes rather than watching TV. 

Life coach Rachael Campbell is one of my inspirations when it comes to having a balanced and happy life.  She introduced me to an open air meditation session at Brighton Baths. It's the nicest way to round off a weekend feeling calm and focused. For more info check out 

http://brightonbathshealthclub.com.au/

http://www.rachaelcampbell.com/

Guilt free comfort foods.

 It’s so important to love and appreciate our bodies! Fuel yourself with delicious and nourishing treats instead of processed foods. These snack ideas are a different type of comfort food. Super easy to make and sweet too. Fruit has natural sugars for energy and honey and cinnamon give you that little bit of sweetness to get you through a slump.

Easy Apple- Thinly sliced apple spinkled with cinnamon- this is even yummier baked in the oven! Tastes just like apple pie!

Banana Split- Slice a banana lengthways and add natural peanut butter, some slivered almonds, chia seeds and drizzle with honey.

Honey fried bananas- Thanks to my bestie Cara for telling me about this super easy and crazy delicious treat. Simply slice up a banana and add a few teaspoons of honey to a fry pan. After a few minutes the banana will caramelize and brown a little. Awesome as a dessert!

Protein balls- For your cacao hit it’s a great idea to have some protein balls made up. I love chocolate so protein bliss balls are a great alternative to a block of Cadburys! You can add any variations you like but here is a pretty simple one that I love from Raw Blend.

 http://www.rawblend.com.au/raw-protein-balls-recipe.html

Chia pudding- Put a scoop of chia seeds into a bowl and pour enough liquid over to cover completely (I use almond milk). Add some berries, raw cacao or toasted coconut and put in the fridge. Will take about an hour to set! Makes a delicious breakfast or dessert!

 

Do something that your future self will thank you for. Slow down. Eat well. Take some time for yourself. Feed your soul.