There’s no shame in indulging over the holidays and letting life be lived! However, if—like many of us—the post-holiday whirl has you feeling out of balance there are a few simple tools you can use to get back in a good groove. Holistic nutritionist, Kristin Dahl, is sharing this one-day wellness recovery guide, based on her 21 day program, for both mind and body—basically a self-loving, body-nourishing command+Z to get us back on track as smoothly as possible…

It’s that time of year when we begin to become conscious of our overindulgences and reflect on intentions we set a year ago at this time. Planning a cleanse and kicking your wellness into high gear is easy, but how can we create sustainable wellness that will last all year long?

Taking a day to “reset” our body allows us to tune into the areas of our that life need support. This simple act of tuning-in creates a stronger mind-body connection that often inspires the implementation of more wellness-centered practices into our everyday life.

The following guide is the perfect jumpstart to your wellness regime, and it’s something to come back to whenever you’re feeling like you need to reclaim balance and reboot your routine.

Morning

*The morning is a very important time to set the tone for how you want your day to go. Create a daily routine that supports you and your lifestyle; make adjustments whenever you need.

Tech Break: Allow yourself 30 minutes to 1 hour to ease into the day and ground yourself before offering all of your energy to your phone. Give your life space away from technology so that you have more of yourself to offer and, in turn, more to offer to the world. I find it’s helpful to shut down several hours before bed and take full days or weekends away from technology! Practice little things like leaving your phone in the car when you meet up with friends for dinner, hiking phone free, and going a few hours some days without checking your phone.

Upon Waking: Drink warm water + lemon (if you’d like). Mix 8 ounces of warm water with ½ a lemon squeezed in + 8 more ounces of room temperature water. Focusing on hydration first also stimulates the bowels and supports digestion throughout the day. For proper hydration, shoot for half your body weight in ounces daily. If you can bear it, skip the morning joe and substitute green or tulsi tea – or stick to just one cup of coffee after breakfast.

Sipping on nettle, burdock or dandelion tea helps support elimination and liver detoxification. Ginger tea with lemon is another great option!

Meditate: Set yourself up for success and quiet your mind with a ten-minute meditation upon waking. If you’re not sure how to begin or your mind is as rapid fire as mine, try guided meditations. Sarah Blondin has some gorgeous ones. Beginning your day this way helps to ground, soothe and center your body and mind – which can be incredibly helpful for reducing anxiety, stress and overwhelm throughout the day. Most people report benefits from meditating as little as three minutes. Do this anytime you have a few extra minutes and especially when you are faced with challenges. The pause creates a space for less reaction and more grace when faced with stress or adversity.

Try: pausing for a 10 minute meditation before diving into your day, taking a moment in the car to breathe and meditate before or after a meeting or adding this to your nighttime routine just before you doze off.

Eat: Have breakfast within 30 minutes to 1 hr of waking, unless you head straight out to exercise. This will help to regulate your blood sugar throughout the day. Be sure to start the day with protein to give your body sustainable energy, balanced moods and balanced blood sugar throughout the day.

A couple of great options include a simple protein smoothie with blueberries, protein powder and almond milk or eggs, veggies and greens. Quick, easy and delicious.

Move: If possible, head straight to workout after your meditation (or dropping the kids (this makes for zero excuses to fit in exercise!) even a morning walk is great if you don’t have the space for a full sweat sesh. Otherwise, have breakfast and get moving. Moving your body early in the day ensures that you will never miss a workout. This also gets your blood flowing, skin glowing and provides your body with extra energy to face a multitude of tasks throughout the day.

Movement may look different every day – walk, hike, dance, class, yoga. Move daily and adjust to more gentle activities as your body needs or depending on the phase of your cycle.

Mid-Morning

Enjoy a large glass of water and herbal tea of your choice.

Mid-Day

Eat: Avoid the afternoon slump by eating a medium sized lunch. Load up on a variety of colors, especially protein, veggies, greens and healthy fats to keep you energized and fueled. A soup and salad combo is the perfect option, topped with some type of plant or animal protein.

Move: Go for a light 10-20 minute walk outside after lunch.

Mid-Afternoon

Snack: If you’re hungry, slice some vegetables, like carrots or celery, and dip in some hummus. Or an apple with a handful of almonds. Only snack if you’re hungry – otherwise, water and herbal tea.

Sip: Drink a large glass of water!

Meditate: Break for five minutes to mediate or practice some deep breathing. This will help keep you centered, connected to your body and mindful about your choices.

Try Calming Breath (4-7-8) Use the 4-7-8 breath by inhaling through the nose for the count of 4, holding for 7 seconds, and releasing out the mouth (as if you are blowing out of a straw) for 8 seconds, releasing all emotions, feelings, and thoughts as you breathe out. Repeat at least 5 times.

Evening

Eat: Keep it simple while focusing on whole-food, plant-based ingredients. Combine protein (animal or plant) with cooked veggies, greens, and healthy fats (like tahini or avocado) Top with a variety of fresh herbs to enhance nutrition and mineral content. Beautiful options include: parsley, basil, cilantro.

*Aim to eat 2-3 hours before bedtime. (the earlier the better) That way, you’ll stay in alignment with the natural rhythm of your body. Late evening is for resting and digesting. (Plus, if you’re in a rhythm of fasting, this will help elongate your evening fasting window.)

Move: Go for a light 10-30 minute walk 30 minutes post-meal. This will help to support digestion and balance blood sugar.

Wind down: Create a bedtime routine for yourself—nothing stimulating at least one hour before bed. Turn off all screens, read, listen to a book on tape, meditate, stretch and practice deep breathing.

Bathe: Pre-bath, spend 5-10 minutes massaging yourself from head to toe with oils. Send love and good thoughts to every inch of your body. Then hop in the bath. Fill your bathtub with hot water, add in 2 cups of Epsom salt or magnesium flakes.

Try: creating your own detox bath – 2 cups of epsom salt and 1-2 cups of baking soda.

Sip: Have a cup of lemon balm or chamomile tea, which soothes and relaxes the nervous system.

Create a gratitude practice: End your day reset by journaling and writing down the things that filled your cup today. Focus on any area of your life that feels abundant – give thanks and reflect on what’s filling you with joy. Begin to view the areas of life that feel less full as areas of spaciousness and opportunities to call in more beautiful blessings in your life.

Sleep: The body regenerates itself at night. Shoot for eight hours: 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. or 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. is best!! We get the most beneficial hormonal secretions and recovery by sleeping between the hours of 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Getting on a regular schedule will help regulate your circadian rhythms. This will give your adrenals a chance to regenerate and offer you lasting energy throughout the day. When we don’t get enough sleep, it stresses our hormones and creates imbalance in the body. It also increases the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and causes cravings for carbohydrates and sugar.

For a deeper reset, 1-1 support or guidance moving into a more structured routine—reach out for a session!  

The Chalkboard Mag and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. 
All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health related program.