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carol@inkwellcoaching.com

Crown Point, IN

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March 14, 2024

10 Muscle Building Tips for Women

Most women I talk with would like to build more muscle and lose more fat. While strength or resistance training is a key component to building muscle,

March 7, 2024

A Taste of Spring

In case you’ve been missing out on some of the most delectable oranges, this is your friendly reminder that we are in the midst of SUMO season. This

February 29, 2024

10 Healthy Snacks for Busy People

My family loves snacks. I love snacks. Who doesn’t love a good snack? I believe snacking can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle. When you c

February 21, 2024

Saving Dough and a Surprise Cake from Mr. Non-Compliant

Some say it’s expensive to eat healthy. I believe it’s even more expensive, especially in the long run, to eat unhealthy. Today I present some tip

February 14, 2024

My Best Workout Tip for Top Results

Ever wonder how to get the most out of your run or walk or strength training workouts? It’s the same way you can feel the most productive about your

February 8, 2024

Celebrating the Birth Month Without FOGO

This year’s birth month is a rare one because I get to celebrate for 29 days. Those of you who get 30, or if you’re REALLY lucky, 31 days, may not

February 1, 2024

How to Stick with Exercise

Work is really busy. Or your kid is going through a “phase.” Or it’s chocolate season. Any number of obstacles, distractions, and competing dema

January 24, 2024

Find the Right Foods for You

You know what it’s like to create a pump-up playlist, right? You compile a list of songs that—when they come on—make you say: “Yes, I feel lik

January 18, 2024

Mastering a Dry or Damp January with Style

As the new year begins, many of us look for ways to reset and rejuvenate our bodies and minds. One popular approach is embarking on a ‘Dry Janua

January 11, 2024

Gluten-Free Substitutes for Healthier Baking

The world of gluten-free baking can be rather intimidating. Experimenting with various “other” flours and mixes can sometimes result in frustratin

4 Tips to Help You Spring Ahead

Yes, it’s that time again, when we must spring ahead an hour to help the farmers or the chickens or someone.

We observe Daylight Saving Time, or “Summer Time,” in order to make better use of the long sunlight hours of the summer.

By “springing” clocks forward an hour in March, we move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening.

 I think this could benefit the farmers. The chickens, maybe not so much. 

Daylight Saving Time (DST) was originally instituted in the United States during World War I and World War II to take advantage of longer daylight hours and save energy for the war production.

After WWII, states and communities were able to decide for themselves if they went along with DST or not, and it was very confusing. Congress passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966, which standardized the length of DST for the country.

Whether this helps the farmers or not, that hour messes with me every time.

4 Tips to Help You Adjust to Daylight Saving Time

  1. A few days before springing forward, go to bed 15 to 30 minutes earlier than your usual bedtime. This gives your body extra time to make up for the lost hour.
  2. Be consistent with your other routines, such as meals, exercise, and socializing. Exposing yourself to the bright light in the morning will also help you adjust.
  3. Avoid taking long naps to get you through the transition, as this could disrupt your bedtime sleep. If you must nap, keep it to 20 minutes or less and take it early in the day.
  4. Cut the caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime and avoid alcohol late in the day. Having more than 1-2 drinks in the evening can interfere with deep sleep.

Good Sleep Hygiene Habits 

  • Slow down a few hours before bedtime.
  • Put away electronics and phones.
  • Practice going to bed and waking at about the same time each day. Sleeping in on weekends can disrupt your sleep cycle.
  • Limit fluids late in the day so that you don’t wake up for bathroom breaks.
  • Avoid large, heavy meals late in the evening. Ideally, allow 3 hours for food to digest before going to bed.

 Fun fact: Every hour of sleep before 12am is worth 2 hours after.   

Remember to spring one hour forward before you put your head on your pillow Saturday night. Technically, DST begins Sunday, March 13 at 2:00am.

The good news: Spring is almost here.

Sweet dreams,
Health Coach Carol

“Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.”– Jim Carrey

A Cure for the Blues

I don’t think I’m alone in feeling very sad about the events happening in our world today.

It’s heartbreaking.

We wish we could do more. We wish we knew what to do. We wish and we pray, and it is the season of Lent.

For those of you who take up some practice during Lent, which began March 2 with Ash Wednesday, here’s an idea.

Practice generosity. 

“The Generosity Habit” by Matthew Kelly is a book that offers 101 creative ways to be generous. Here’s a twist: it doesn’t have to be money or material goods.

Have you told someone how much you appreciate them lately? When was the last time you had a conversation with someone and REALLY listened? The cashier at the grocery could probably use a loving smile and hearing her/his name (if they’re wearing a name tag), to help balance out numerous complaints.

We all have too much stuff—at least I do, and I hear that same sentiment from many others. A plan is to find something to give away each day that someone else would enjoy. By the time Easter arrives (April 17), you’ll have a full box or two of goods to take to your local thrift store.

Food pantries will always accept donations, as will your favorite charities.

Surprise a friend with a special meal. Be generous with forgiveness.

Matthew’s teachings offer a different way to be generous for each of the 40 days of Lent, and beyond.

Yes, you could give up chocolate. And/or you could give some(things) away.

Thinking of ways to give will lift your spirits, help you feel more positive, make you happy, bring you more friends, lead to better health, give you hope, and bless your life. And these are just a few of the benefits of living the generosity habit.

To hear more about this habit, check out Matthew’s video by clicking here: The Generosity Habit

Sending lots of love,
Carol

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”—Leo Buscaglia

Feeling Stressed? Gorge on Bliss

I’ve had conversations with lots of people lately, and everyone is a bit stressed. Well, maybe more than a bit.

Stress shows up lots of ways. It is cumulative and sometimes feels as though it compounds daily.

We’re all expected to “handle” it. Many times, we think we are, then the bottom falls out.

We get sick; we blow up at a loved one; we binge on junk food or alcohol; we sleep too much or not at all; we lose our joy.

It’s time to do something that you love doing—just because.   

Not everyone can take a vacation now, which I strongly suggest doing if it’s at all possible.

If not, figure out what you can do. It doesn’t have to cost money or take an entire day or weekend, although it can.

Take a break from your routine in some way and have stress-free fun.

Some ideas:

  • If you can’t take any trips in the very near future, plan your next vacation and figure out a rough timeline of when you can get away. Having something to look forward to is part of the fun and gives you daydream material.
  • Go on a planned date with your spouse or significant other. Again, make it an event that you can look forward to: the symphony, a concert, play or movie, bowling (if that’s your thing).
  • Stay at home and binge watch movies or read or cook interesting food.
  • Athletes, if you haven’t planned your next competition or race, check out some ideas for your next event. Shop for new gear for your sport. Isn’t it time to replace those shoes?
  • Gardeners, plan your spring planting schedule. Need some new tools? Spring really is almost here. My daffodils are peaking through the ground.
  • Get together with friends and cook a themed meal together. Include everything from music to drinks to the food.
  • Go on a positivity diet. I got this one from my coach, Emily, and it has nothing to do with food. She recommends doing this for a minimum of 3 months. (Sounds like a good Lenten practice, which begins March 2.) Take it a week at a time and see how much better you begin to feel. Watch only funny or cute videos, movies, etc. Only listen to happy music, and only have positive conversations. No gossip, and no mean self-talk either. She says you are to “fast from cynicism, sarcasm, and gossip, and gorge on bliss.” (Rose, Emily. Break Your Bad Love Habits: 5 Steps to Free Yourself from Heartbreak and Transform Your Relationships Forever (p. 10). Kindle Edition.)
  • Bake a birthday cake and pretend it’s your birthday and celebrate amazing you.
  • Anything else you can come up with that makes you feel joyful and is not stressful.

Remember to do your best to get your sleep, drink your water, and eat some vegetables. Exercise helps a great deal too. Choose one to prioritize and practice. During stressful times, things start to slide that help us cope.

Success is showing up and doing something. It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beneficial. 

Oh, Mr. Non-Compliant baked me my birth month cake and it was amazing. It made me very happy. I’m spoiled.

Blessings and love to you,
Health Coach Carol

 “A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.”Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The One Habit that May Reduce Stress, Improve Sleep, and Increase Productivity

This one habit may also help improve your relationships and encourage more consistency with healthy nutrition and fitness.

This magical habit: bookending your days.

Intentionally mark the beginning and end of each day.

This is something I could improve upon.

In the morning, spend anywhere from 5 minutes (to get started if that’s all you can manage) to one hour (ideally) setting yourself up for a great day. This is time that is set aside for you to ramp up your energy, focus your mind, and help you grow as a person.

During this time, you could:

  • Do some light stretching, take a walk, or go for an intense workout
  • Meditate or pray
  • Study a topic of interest or personal development by reading or listening to a book or course
  • Set an intention for your day (not a “To Do” list, but an attitude that you’d like to carry with you. Examples: being present to others; having a spirit of forgiveness; peacefulness; clarity)
  • Do a brain dump and write 3 pages longhand, whatever comes to mind. Also known as Morning Pages.

If you typically begin your day listening to the news, reading emails, or scrolling social media, try some different habits for two weeks. Take note of what your day is like depending on how you begin it.

See if your new habit helps you feel calmer and clearer—more productive.

At the end of the day, bookend with another habit. An hour is ideal—do what you can.

Maybe:

  • Cook a simple meal, which can be meditative (If you enjoy cooking, that is)
  • Read something lighthearted
  • Listen to music
  • Stretch or meditate
  • Do a brain dump or gratitude journaling
  • Take a bath or shower

Any calming activity that helps you relax is a good choice.

Again, try this for two weeks and see if you find your overall quality of life improving.

Consistency in bookending your days may lead to a variety of positive results.

Experiment with the amount of time you spend and the activities you select. These may change over time, or even daily.

Do what works. The goal is to have set boundaries for your day, separating the time you give to others and the time set apart for you.

Bookends. 

And in case you’re wondering, I’m still in full birth month celebration mode. I think I may need to bookend my birth month with a warm-up month prior to and a wind-down month after.

I’ll see if I can convince Mr. Non-Compliant to go along with that idea.

Cheers to more February fun,
Carol

“Though, February is short, it is filled with lots of love and sweet surprises.” ― Charmaine J. Forde