What I stopped doing --> Can you by Monday?

Yep, I finally convinced myself that weekends were not for derailing all of your progress but instead a time for a "wellness retreat" as I like to call. So what did I stop doing? Telling myself I would fix it on Monday and changing my mindset to make the weekend a place of self-care, fun and rest! Why wait? Plus feeling better about yourself gives you the inspiration to plan for the week ahead.

You are probably asking, Hey Holly. How do I create a "wellness retreat" over 2 days when I am exhausted from the week and our schedule is packed?  Check out these tips. The theory. Glow by Monday. You can do it!

1) STICK TO A CLEAN MEAL PLAN
- I have lots of meal plans on the blog but I start each day with a nutrient-packed smoothie, followed by a super salad with lots of crunch, protein-packed snacks and then limit my treats to one a day. This typically means wine or dessert on Friday and Saturday, but not both.

2) HYDRATE + CAFFEINE CUTBACK
- Have some fun with those cool new juices from Whole Foods, add lemon and cucumber to your water and stock up on LaCroix! (Ok, I have a semi-obsession with LaCroix, but it counts as a serving!) I love the Whole Foods fresh pressed juices. They are too expensive to drink every day, but 1-2 days a week is totally doable for a treat!

- Take a minute to monitor your caffeine. I try to aim for 1 serving a day on the weekends. Give your body a chance to regulate.

3) SLEEP
- Take a minute to think about your sleep habits. Are you getting enough sleep? Do you need more sleep? What is your bedroom environment like? We recently re-did ours and the goal was to make it relaxing (with new gray paint), clean (i.e. no clutter to stress me out) and quiet and dark.

- Wake up with intention. I recently finished the Miracle Morning book which I probably have told every single person I run into about. The routine is amazing. Try it!

4) SWEAT IT OUT
- Every Saturday I do a fun cardio workout with my favorite playlist. Every Sunday I do 30 minutes of yoga before everyone is up. It is my time to have some fun, dance and then take a minute to appreciate the quiet.
- Get outside. Take a walk. Involve the family. This is a great time of year for family hikes and hitting the metro parks!

5) COMMIT TO A DAY OF FUN
- Get your work done early. Have a plan for what you need to accomplish and then disconnect! Get out and have fun.
- On Saturday nights as an example, I set my phone upstairs at 8pm. And I don't touch it again until after my Sunday yoga. Disconnect. Be present.
- Sometimes just mixing your routine can be fun. What can you do different this weekend?

6) PLAN FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
- Batch cook (you can read my tips on this here!)
- Review your calendar for the week ahead
- Schedule your workouts, activities etc. for the week (and set some goals too!)

Happy weekend! And happy planning! (The templates below are on the blog to help with your wellness weekend!)