Tag: Advice

Tips to losing that stubborn quarantine 15

Tips to losing that stubborn quarantine 15

by Maelyn Murray ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Covid-19 has rocked our world into unrecognizable chaos and pain. And among the many parts of our lives it has impacted, personal health has taken a toll. I know I gained some stay at home weight and probably bad habits (eating late) since the stay at home order, and maybe you have too. 

Now, if you are anything like me, you did the unrealistic search “how to lose 10 pounds in a week”. The search is not really practical and the results are far from comforting. I mean, I guess it feels like a step in the right direction to even search it, but the good feeling ends right there. 

One night, while I was scrolling for some miracle, I realized something, every time I’ve done this search, I hope for a different result. And what’s even worse, I often already know the answers! I decided to really take a look at my routines and see where I could make some real changes. 

Here are my top 5 tips to losing that stubborn quarantine 15, which have actually proven to work! 

  1. Lose that take out app! I deleted not one, but two take out apps from my phone. I had monthly subscriptions with them (free delivery? Count me in!), and they all had my card saved for easy impulse clicks from any craving I might have. Now that I think about it, this was probably my biggest downfall. 
  1. Wake up early (it doesn’t have to be before the birds wake up, but early enough to be able to do a “for you” activity). I have found that a workout, a meditation session, or reading an inspirational chapter of a book are all great. These things have helped me have better and more productive days. Sometimes I feel like I have enough hours in my day to enjoy it, right up until bedtime! 
  1. Go to bed at a good time. Most of my biggest cravings and impulse actions happen at night. It’s when I settle in for an episode of my favorite show or stand in front of my pantry/fridge looking for something to keep me entertained (I love me some popcorn!) 
  1. Drink more tea & water – being hydrated has helped me curb a lot of my “I’m bored” or “I’m hungry” trains. It is also super affordable to keep a nice selection! 
  1. Lose the weight in phases. Do it with mini goals – if you make your main goal weight the end goal on the first day, it might end up being too overwhelming and progress won’t match up with your dream result. If I say – I’m gonna lose my 15 pounds in X amount of days (unrealistic time frame), and I get to that day and I havent hit that goal – I feel the failure set in and my brain goes back to those comforting take out apps, and the cycle starts all over again. 

Try these tips out, and if one doesn’t work for you – swap it out with a tried and true action that has helped you in the past. Everyone is different, and what helps one person may not help another, and that’s okay! The important thing is to make it doable, and realistic for you! 

Share your tips in the comments below! I am always looking for more ideas to add to my new and improved routines!

Family vs. family

Family vs. family

by Maelyn Murray ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

In the department of communication, my husband and I come from very different family styles. My family is wordy, they love planning a call, text, email, or even a visit at least once a week, if not more. My husband’s family is the opposite, a text, call, or visit,  once a month or every other month works great for them. There are things that are so starkly opposite between our families, that it often amazes us that we were able to find each other in the middle, and fall in love. 

A conversation with my family is like opening a large filing cabinet drawer, but accidentally opening the other drawer above it, because the file tabs are so full. Our conversations usually start one place, and end up on a completely unrelated topic. Sometimes it even feels like opening a web browser with a bunch of forgotten search tabs open – and in order to close the browser, you have to decide to close all of them or one by one. This often means lengthy conversations, that includes some range of emotions. My family is filled with social workers, HR representatives, nurses, teachers, and counselors. And yes, we are all in these professions for a reason. We like to talk, we like to help, and we like to connect about the past, present, and future- sometimes all in one conversation.. 

My husband’s family? Conversations with them are more like headlines, often only the important bullet points. Conversations have a clear beginning and a clear ending. His family comes from a background of engineers, techs, and other straight forward analytic professions. Conversations have a purpose, and once there is a found solution, case closed! There are times when there is a catch up call, but once everyone is all caught up, we are good to go until the next update. These conversations are not any less meaningful or special, but they definitely tend to be much shorter than conversations with my family. 

As a married couple, our worlds have had to collide and become one. My husband has learned how my family communicates, just like I have learned how his family communicates. It’s a learning curve for both of us, but it is one we welcome because we both prefer the split of communication styles. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is definitely a whole lot of love from both sides, and we realize we are lucky and so grateful for it. We have come to realize that  it’s helpful to remember we all have different ways of showing up for one another, and that’s okay! 

You learn a lot about your partner through their family, and a lot of times you will learn how to better your relationship with them, based on what you find.