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Audrey JoAnn | Content and Copy Writer

Compelling Copy for Female Founders

10 Easy Ways To Feel Healthier During The Holidays

December 2, 2015

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Y’all, Thanksgiving straight destroyed any inkling of healthy eating I’d been maintaining beforehand. Luckily, I somehow found the motivation to get small workouts in between all the face-stuffing, but I feel like a run or elliptical workout here and there did little to amend the damage of my carb- and sweets-onslaught. I didn’t hate it, though. Not even a little bit.

My body, on the other hand, isn’t in its happiest state. During this little break between the holiday of turkey and the holiday of more turkey (or, in my case as a vegetarian, so many delicious sides and desserts), I plan on taking a few steps to cleanse my body of the goodies it’s not so used to. While I’m no doctor or nutritionist, I do know what works for my body and what makes me feel good.

If you feel so inclined to join me in a pause from the holiday indulgences to make space for a little bit of health, try one or two of my favorite ways to cleanse my body from all the pie, stuffing, and so, so much bread. Each of these can be easily incorporated into your daily exercise and nutrition routines. Happy cleansing!

Exercise Cleansers:

  1. Sprint intervals: Intervals break up treadmill runs and make them feel less like an eternity, to me. I like to do 3 minutes at 6.5 MPH followed by 2 minutes at 8 MPH, all at 0.5 incline (it’s easier on my joints to not be completely flat). Do this set four times and you’ve completed a tough, calorie-squelching 20-minute run.
  2. Planks: Squeeze your legs and butt, don’t lift it higher than your (flat) back, flex your arms and tummy, and pretend two walls are squishing the top and bottom of your body together. I usually do 3 or 4 one-minute planks, with 30- to 60-second rests in between.
  3. Squats: I took a weight-lifting class in college (I know, I know, but I promise I’m not a tool), and one thing that the instructor told us that I’ve continued to believe is that, if you’re crunched on time, always do a leg workout. Your legs have the biggest muscles in your body, so working them will burn the most calories. Squats are my favorite, and there are so many varieties you can do to mix it up. My go-tos are Sumo squats with a 20-pound kettle bell; I do three sets of 15 to 20.
  4. Long walks: These can be therapeutic as much as they’re simple calorie burners. I like to leash up Piper and head out to explore new pockets of my neighborhood or other neighborhoods around Dallas. A brisk walk for 45 to 60 minutes can burn upwards of 300 to 400 calories, depending on your weight.
  5. Yoga/stretching: A good sun-salutation sequence can get your heart pumping (say what? By doing yoga? Yes!), calm the mind (which everyone needs during the holidays), and make your joints and muscles feel delicious (because who doesn’t want that?).

Food and Drink Cleansers:

  1. Water: If you normally drink three glasses a day, drink six. If you normally drink six, drink 12. I drink a lot of water generally, but I’ve consumed more salt than normal lately, and the only thing to combat puffy eyes and tummies is more H2O.
  2. Raw vegetables: I didn’t see much of fresh anything over Thanksgiving weekend, except freshly baked pecan pie, but it’s actually incredibly simple to incorporate fresh veggies into any meal: throw some halved cherry tomatoes on your plate with toast and eggs, toss a side salad together to go with a lunchtime sandwich, or slice up some pretty radishes or cucumbers as a colorful side for dinner. The additional nutrients and fiber will make you feel more full — meaning less room for junk food — and provide a solid dose of daily vitamins and minerals.
  3. Organic Green Juice: If you’re not a fan of plain raw veggies, disguising them in a juice might be better. Look for juices made with organic fruits and vegetables and no added sugars, and make sure there’s something sweeter, like pear or green apple, to hide the taste of plain liquid vegetables.
  4. Tea: Lately, after dinner I’ve been opting for a non-caffeinated cup of tea rather than a chocolate bar. Other than the obvious lack of calories, sugar, fat, etc., drinking tea also soothes and relaxes me before bedtime, instead of getting all hopped up on sugar.
  5. Ezekiel 4:9 bread: I know it might seem weird to have a bread on a list of cleansers, but if you haven’t tried or heard of it, Ezekiel bread is heavenly. I’m the type that cannot cut carbs out of my diet if my life depended on it, and this bread has been a lifesaver. While it’s still full of carbs (it’s bread, after all), its other nutritional elements make up for it: no flour, six grains and legumes, organic, no preservatives, source of complete protein, and rampant with vitamins.

The pictured herringbone cutting board ($24.99) is from World Market and was a birthday gift from a sweet friend who somehow remembered my crazy-girl infatuation with pretty wooden cutting boards. And the couch ($349) is 9 by Novogratz.

1 Comment in Food, Health

Welcome! I'm Audrey, and I adore connecting with female founders and telling their stories in a way that matters & lasts for years to come.

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audskelton

I used to hardcore resist SEO in my writing work. I used to hardcore resist SEO in my writing work. 😂 It felt formal and stuffy and forced, so I just sorta... ignored it. 

As someone who appreciates copywriting for the creative and storytelling sides of it, I have struggled with some of the technical pieces like search engine optimization. 🥴

But... my clients wanted SEO, and truthfully I know it *is* important, even if ~cReAtIvE writer Audrey~ wanted to pretend it wasn’t a thing.

I began paying more attention to how to do it in a non-icky manner and sort of backed into this simple method for incorporating SEO best practices in blog posts in a way that is natural (aka, doesn’t read like a robot wrote it). Here’s what I do!

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Motherhood is the only time I’ve worked hard at Motherhood is the only time I’ve worked hard at something every day but haven’t been able to problem solve or research my way into feeling very much better at it.

I know what you’re thinking. It’s only been 6 weeks! You have a *lifetime* to keep learning. I KNOW. It’s ridiculous but this is how my brain works.

And some days I just thank God over and over for a beautiful and healthy and good baby. Like, I still can’t believe he’s real. Then... there are times I just need a quick sob on the floor (😂😅) because he won’t nap longer than 20 minutes. It’s a real ride, over here. 

Most days I’m in leggings and the only thing on my face is coconut oil. I usually don’t get to brush my teeth until 10 a.m. or later. I want to cry every time he cries and I can’t figure out why.

It’s this constant mix of feeling unproductive because I’m literally not producing or accomplishing anything most days, let alone getting dressed (a la this photo), and feeling the most productive I’ve ever been because... I’m keeping this tiny being alive! (Using my boobs! That is insane, no? Why don’t we talk about this??)

Anyway. That’s the end of my jumbled rant on 6 weeks of parenthood that no one asked for. 😂 I just hope Wally knows how infinitely loved he is, always and forever. Even when I can’t figure out if it’s witching hour or sleepy cues or just gas.
Little valentine, thank you for being mine. ♥️ Little valentine, thank you for being mine. ♥️

#valentinesday #valentinesbaby #6weeksold #babyboy #boymom #valentine #babyoutfit
It’s the hands and the half smile for me. 🤗 It’s the hands and the half smile for me. 🤗

One month old tomorrow and I *can’t* believe it! 🎉 He’s the sweetest babe, loves bath time, sleeps in 3.5-5 hour stretches at night (for now...), responds to smiles, and is already here for a good book, much to both of his parents’ satisfaction! We love you, Wallace. 🤎
Who do you think was more excited about this day t Who do you think was more excited about this day trip out to the coast... us or Wallace? 😅😂 I love them. Also, I can’t get over the burp cloth on John’s shoulder. Ya know, just in case. #newparentlife
One hour, just us two in our backyard with a big c One hour, just us two in our backyard with a big charcuterie board, a deck of cards, a couple glasses of rosé, and no baby monitor. 🤎

The first week of Wallace’s life? I ached even being in another room from him (#hormones). I was a wreck of emotions and had legitimate baby tunnel vision... preeeetty much nothing else mattered. But things have been balancing out this past week, and today was so needed.

My mom is in town all month and watched Wally for us so we could have some time just us two—yep, in the backyard because of shelter in place restrictions from COVID. (Plus let’s be real... I’m not quite ready for an out-of-the-house date yet anyway. 😂)

As much as I desire to be a present + loving mama and ambitious business owner, it’s just as important to me to prioritize our marriage with little moments like this to just be in each other’s presence (and not just talk about burping and swaddling and bedtime routines, like most of our recent convos).

Here’s to (almost) 2 weeks of being parents, @the_beermonger. I think we’ll do okay.
My two favorite guys in the world. 🤍🌎 My two favorite guys in the world. 🤍🌎
Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands Me, trying to figure out what to do with my hands without a bump. 👐🏼 Wallace, trying to figure out what we’re doing out of the house. 🤨

First family walk in the books! All of 10 minutes. 🤪 (Also, does anyone else notice the rainbow over Wally?... My heart. 🌈🥺)
1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & mos 1 week old. 🤎 The hardest, most emotional & most rewarding week of my life. Babies’ sleep schedules, y’all. They are not for the faint of heart.

Wallace is hitting all his milestones, has learned the alphabet, and is picking up Latin. Just kidding. But he CAN poop 3 times in an hour and a half 😎, and he eats like a champ, is so strong that we prefer to tag team diaper changes for now, and makes the sweetest, cutest noises all day long. (And night.) Like even his cry is cute. 😩

One of my friends called this time the “wet weeks”: urine, breast milk, spit up, night sweats, tears, blood, more tears. It’s a lot, and it’s temporary. So even in the hard moments, we are reminding ourselves that the hardest things are often the best things. 

And this really has been the best thing.

So, so thankful for a hands-on husband who’s been so involved in everything... there’s something indescribable about watching your partner care for your child and step into a big, new role like this so gracefully. And we are thankful for ALL of the support, near and far (... mostly far), from our family and friends and coworkers. What a week... here’s to continuing to figure it all out together as a family. 😌
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