5 Tips to Beat the Afternoon Slump

Lunch is over, and you've already had enough caffeine for the day, and now your eyelids are getting heavy. Before you grab that Diet Coke or indulge in a sugary treat from the vending machine, remember there are much healthier ways to beat the afternoon slump. Most of us can't pause for a nap, so try these 5 easy tips to stay motivated and get through the 3 p.m. slump. I get this way everyday and when i was working i was dragging in the afternoons. these are some pretty good tips. ENJOY! 

Don't OD on caffeine

How often do you get the triple venti and finish it off before even getting to the office? Instead of guzzling the entire thing at once, try to enjoy smaller servings of caffeine throughout the day. When you quickly drink a large coffee, the caffeine peaks in your bloodstream much sooner than if you spread it out over time.

Take a lunchtime walk

Just as sunshine helps you wake up in the morning, exposure to some natural light later in the day can help blunt an energy dip. Step outside for a short walk around noon, before you start feeling sluggish—the combination of sunlight and heart-pumping exercise can't be beat.Try to fit in a 10-minute walk during your lunch break, or even take a walking meeting. If you can't get outdoors, sitting next to a window and looking out is the next best thing.

Avoid fat, sugar, and grease

All of your favorite things, you say? Well, no longer. Instead, make sure each meal contains a balance of whole grains, monounsaturated fats, and fruits and vegetables. At snacktime, instead of cookies or chips, opt for a banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter for a dose of the energy-boosting minerals potassium and magnesium.

Drink more water

Staying hydrated is one of the simplest ways to keep energized and focused. Additionally, thirst is sometimes mistake for hunger as well, so it's very beneficial to drink your 8 glasses. Aim to refill your glass every hour or two.

Get some green in your office

Beating the afternoon slump can be as easy as plopping a plant in the office. Research from Texas A&M discovered that volunteers who kept a vase of vibrant flowers on their desks, along with green plants elsewhere in the office, generated more creative ideas than those in a vegetation-free setting.

10 Ways to Spread Kindness Today

Hello loves! Miss me? I miss myself and the blogging community too. 

Sometimes it's the little things in life that can make or break someone's day. Have you ever been having a rough time, only to have some stranger smile or say hi outta the blue and your day just turned a 360? We all need more people like in in our lives and we need to be one of those people. It is the little things we can do to make someones day without even knowing it! PAY IT FORWARD! 

Make KARMA your best friend you wont regret it! 

1. Write someone a kind note. Leave a note for the evening janitor, your roommate, or even a friend or family member who's been helpful to you lately or could use some kindness in their life. Tell them how much your appreciate them and make sure to be specific. It will likely change their whole day (or week) around. 

2. Go out of your way to do something nice. Hold the door for someone who is coming far behind you or offer to take care of your friend's kid while they go do something for themselves. Doing something completely selfless like this will make both parties feel good. 

3. Listen.Really listen to someone. Look them in the eyes, ask follow-up questions and truly try and understand their problems. You'd be surprised how rare that is. 

4. Volunteer.Take some time to volunteer for a local organization. Choose something you like to do -- if you like working with children, check out a local boys and girls club, if you like to cook, go to the local soup kitchen, etc -- and spread even more kindness while you're there. Organizations always need help and it will be good for your soul. 

5. Help out your parents. As our parents age, they need more and more help from us. Offer to help Mom or Dad learn some new tricks on the iPhone, clean out the garage or choose what to get rid of and what to keep in the house. They'll love spending time with you and will appreciate the gesture more than you realize. 

6. Pay for the person behind you's cup of coffee. Make someone's day and ask the cashier if you can pay for the person's coffee behind you. The surprise will make their day.  

7. Give up your seat on the bus/train.Offer your seat to someone else on the train or bus that probably needs it more than you. Even if they don't take you up on it, they'll appreciate the offer. 

8. Tell your boss how great someone else is doing. Get some time with your boss or supervisor and let them know how well your coworker is doing at their job. It can help your boss realizes what's going on deeper within the company and it can certainly help your coworker if he hears the compliments through the grapevine. 

9. Leave a positive review.Do you just love your local coffee shop? Let them know it (and help their PR) by leaving a review on Yelp or another local review site. Especially if it's a small business, this can make a big difference. 

10. Smile.At everyone. Smiles are infectious and if you kindly smile at others, it may lift their spirits. 

Healthy Wednesday! {2}

I love watching Dr. Oz and reading anything he has to say, for my healthy Wednesday i thought i would share 23 essential health tips from Dr. Oz

Laughing- it eases stress, promotes social bonding, and lowers blood pressure. Make sure to bring some humor into your life.

Don't Skip Breakfast- Fiber in the morning means less hunger late in the afternoon, when you're most likely to feel tired and gorge yourself in sugar.

Hit the sack- Set a bedtime and stick to it. Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night is essential for your health.

Admire your work- this might be TMI but you all need to know and do this. Don't be trigger happy when the flusher. Turn around and take a look at your poop, which speaks volume of your guy and overall health. Poop should be smooth and S- shaped, like your colon. If it comes out lumpy, or drops into the bowl like marbles, your're constipated. Increase your fiber and water intake.


Don't pamper your bad back- Even if your hunched over in agony, taking your bed will only make a bad back worse. The latest research shoes that bed rest weakens back muscles. Get up, take a pain reliever and be a solider.

Taste the colors- Foods with bright, rich colors are more than just nice to look at, they are also packed with flavnoids and carotenoids, powerful compounds that bind the damaging free radicals in your body, lowering inflammation. Eat nine fistfuls of colorful fruits and vegtables each day and you'll reap the benefits.

Take a deep belly breathe- Do this anywhere, anytime. Push out your bellows and suck air through your nose until your lungs are full. They'll fill with nitric oxide, a chemical found in the back of your nose that opens up blood vessels. The dose of oxygen will make you feel happier and more alert.

Join a yoga class- yoga eases stress, lowers blood pressure, slows heart rates and increases flexibility.

Don't be an island- don't keep everything bottled up. if you face life's stresses alone, you will make yourself older. With another person's love and support, that inner aging can be reduced.

 Avoid fad diets- the real trick is to lower your daily intake by about 100 calories. You will hardly notice it.

Be a smart patient- your doctor can help keep you in good health, always get second opinions, keep a medical history diary.


Lose the belly- Grab a tape measure and put it around your body at the level of your belly button. That number should be less than half your height. So for my 6'1" frame, I need to keep my waist under 36.5". Just think—you’ll be avoiding heart attacks and diabetes

Go Green- It's packed with heart-boosting and cancer-stopping polyphenols that black tea doesn't offer. (These beneficial chemicals are lost when it's fermented.) Green tea also delivers a boost of alertness, but from a smaller dose of caffeine than black tea. Green tea can even fight dandruff, although only if you pour it directly onto your scalp. (It's probably a good idea to let it cool down first.)

Sweat till you're wet- If you can work up a sweat for just 1 hour a week, you'll enjoy a range of benefits: reduced risk of heart attack, better mood, and lower blood pressure. I like interval training on the elliptical, with 15 pullups and 15 dips every 10 minutes. Your muscles will become more efficient, so you'll have more stamina for more enjoyable activities that also work up a sweat.

Put it in the bank- finances is people's number one stressor. Stress not only shortens lives, it also drives people to bad habits like smoking, drinking, or bingeing on food. Save, save, save money!

Have as much sex as possible- haha listen to this... If a 50-something woman could have sex 700 times a year, the exercise and stress reduction would make her look and feel years younger. I wouldn't recommend quitting your day job in order to hit that number—but what's the harm in trying? The next time you don’t feel particularly in the mood, remind yourself that not having sex is literally killing you.


Know your numbers, then aim lower- change your diet to help, cholesterol, blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar.

Add some weights- Just 30 minutes twice a week spent on lifting weights can build some good muscle.

grab some nuts- nuts are among the best sources of healthful fast and protein. Eat a handful 30 minutes before a meal and it will temper your appetite.

Hit the dance floor- it turns out that any kind of dancing with complex moves is stimulating enough to give your neurons a work out.

Learn to cook- if you can cook, you not only save money but control over what goes into your meals

Some pills should be popped- Unfortunately, roughly half of us are deficient in vitamin D which the sun is a major source. This crucial vitamin may aid in fighting cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. I take a 1,000 IU supplement each morning.

Brushing is not enough-  If you plan to spend your later years eating more than yogurt and applesauce, invest in some floss. No matter how thoroughly or long you brush your teeth, you're missing a good portion of their total surface. That's like washing one armpit after a workout. But the dangers of skipping floss go beyond hygiene: The bacteria that linger can increase your risk of heart disease. I use Reach Ultraclean floss, which stretches to glide between teeth.



I enjoyed reading these tips and will definitely work on doing these! Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!



http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/dr-oz-improve-your-life?page=1

Healthy Wednesday

Tevis got a Healthy Living magazine in the mail the other day and there are some interesting facts & thought i should start doing Healthy Wednesdays to keep everyone informed and motivated. I am doing my own little goals to help myself get into a new healthy life style.

Today i wanted to first share...

5 ways to stay injury free while exercising and getting fit. 

1. Create a game plan- when exercising most injuries occur in the frontal and transverse plans of motion, which includes side-to-side and rotational movements. Learn to use multiple planes of motion on your workouts. Try side lunges or lateral walks, a rotational movement would be mimicking a golf swing with floor to overhead diagonals using a medicine ball or dumbbell. Also incorporate cardiovascular, resistance and flexibility training into your program.
2. Introduce yourself to a foam roller- proper use of a foam roller will help realign your muscles, resulting in better movement patterns that decrease your change of injury.
3. Be kind to your muscles- to prepare your muscles for a vigorous workout, try stretching before or a 5-10 minute brisk walk before your normal routine. 
4. Listen to your body- The saying, "no pain, no gain" isn't always true to joint pain, and when you feel pain to the knees, neck, lower back, etc. stop the exercise and listen to your body. Use lighter weights or shorten the range or motion
5. Learn from a fitness professional- Getting advice from a trainer wont hurt, it may give you some insight to what kind of things you should be doing that fits your body. 

Next I read about some things we can eat and take to give us some natural energy. It does not matter how much i slept the night before or what i did during the day by the time 2pm or 3pm rolls around i always want to take a nap, i always say i need/want a pick me up. 

B vitamins- foods that include these are, cheese, eggs, lamb and fish, as well as fortified cereals and soy products. There are also many multi-vitamins that include B-complex vitamins. 

Caffeine-  when used in moderation, caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and can support metabolism, mental alertness and energy levels. Natural foods and beverages include, coffee, tea, kola nuts and chocolate. Caffeine is also added to many energy drinks and sodas and cane be taken in supplement form.

Chromium- this mineral support healthy glucose levels and carbohydrate metabolism, which may support every levels and promote a healthy body weight. Whole grain foods, green beans, broccoli and bran cereals have this mineral. 

Ginseng- A study in psycho pharmacology found that ginseng may support mental function. It may encourage the uptake of blood in blood glucose by the brain. It can be taken as a supplement or the dry root added to tea or chewed

Green Coffee- unroasted green coffee bean supports energy levels. It can be taken as a supplement or added to a beverage. 

Green Tea- it boosts energy levels and support healthy blood glucose and metabolism. Dried tea leaves are available in capsule form or liquid extract can be made from the leaves and leaf buds. 

Guarana- This can be taken as a supplement or added to food and beverages, 

Multi-vitamin- There are plenty of multi vitamins to choose from that boosts energy and support metabolism. 

Taurine- this is found in meat and fish proteins. 

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