By: Brianna Harris, RD
As women, we often get caught up in the daily grind of working, or being a mom, going to school, or whatever it is that ends up filling our day (without leaving much room to think about ourselves!). Working full time as a Registered Dietitian in a hospital and Chief Vitamin Officer of VitaCup, I’ve learned many things women overlook or forget to put focus on throughout the day that are essential for keeping you as happy and healthy as you can possibly be, both mentally and physically!
In honor of Women's Health and Fitness Day, I wanted to share some important tips to keep all of you strong, beautiful women at the top of your game.
TAKE YOUR VITAMINS
Vitamins are an essential part of pretty much every function your body carries out to keep you healthy. From digestion to the formation of healthy hair, skin and nails, making sure you get enough vitamins should be at the top of your list.
Keep in mind, vitamin necessities change with various factors in life, such as age, health goals, deficiencies, and life stages, like pregnancy or menopause. In general, always make sure to get enough B vitamins, Vitamin D, and Vitamin C. During pregnancy, make sure to up your folic acid (or Vitamin B9), and during menopause, it's important to get enough calcium and B12.
The best way to get your vitamins is with food. Planning out meals that contain protein, fiber, healthy fats, and healthy carbs (from veggies) is the best way to ensure you get what you need. However, we understand that eating a perfect meal, every meal, is not always possible. The best way to make sure you don’t become vitamin deficient is to supplement your vitamins. One of the easiest ways to do that is in your morning cup of coffee or tea! Coffee and Green Tea already have lots of antioxidants in them (which are great for you), but VitaCup also fortifies all of their blends with a variety of vitamins, nutrients, and superfoods! Easy and delicious.
STAY HYDRATED
Hydration is one of the most important things for women (and men) to stay healthy and perform at peak levels. Every organ, tissue, and cell in your body depends on water to function properly. Staying hydrated is essential for your body to exercise, flush out toxins and cleanse the body, and keep your skin plump, clear, and glowing.
Sometimes your body is telling you that it’s dehydrated in ways you wouldn’t normally attribute to drinking water. When you’re dehydrated, you may feel tired, dizzy, have dry mouth, get muscle cramps, and more. Every morning when you wake up, drink a big glass of water with lemon to start off your day feeling healthy! That’s a great way to accomplish something healthy first thing when you wake up and be inspired to continue it as the day goes on.
One trick I love for staying hydrated is to get a gallon water bottle and write tick marks on the side that say the time of day. I keep the water jug on my desk or with me at all times and I know the amount of water that I should have consumed by what time of the day. It helps to keep me accountable, but most importantly, fully hydrated.
CHOOSE A WORKOUT YOU LOVE
The best fitness tip, even though it seems self-explanatory, is to choose something that you LOVE (or at least like) doing. The American Heart Association recommends that you work out at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise. Why would you spend that time doing something you absolutely dread?
I understand that some people are just never going to love any workout because they don’t enjoy physical fitness. That’s ok. Try to choose something that relates to something that makes you happy. If you love to dance, take a Barre class or take a friend to go Salsa Dancing! If you love animals, volunteer at a shelter to take a bunch of dogs on a walk. If you enjoy relaxation and meditation, take a low-impact Yoga class. The point is that you'll have a much easier time getting motivated to get up and moving at least a few times a week (which is so important as we get older!) if you choose something you feel good about by the time it’s over.
What are YOUR favorite health and fitness tips, ladies? SHARE with us in the comments below! Or, do you have a question for me? Ask in the comments and I’ll answer your questions.
Make sure to visit us on social media @DrinkVitaCup for more tips, recipes, and giveaways!