I received compensation from Bayer Consumer Health, makers of MiraLAX® to write this post. MiraLAX® is a laxative used to treat occasional constipation. All opinions are entirely my own. #EaseTheDay #CollectiveBias
When you're a woman who's constantly on-the-go it's easy to forget that you need to take care of yourself. It happens to me all that time, I start the day early - usually with nothing but a cup of coffee in my belly, and I don't stop until early evening. In between that time I probably have a quick bite at a drive-thru for breakfast and a quick lunch at home that I barely had time to chew because I am always in a hurry. Did I have any water? Well, I meant to. But even though drinking more water is always at the top of my mind, I even have tons of cute water bottles to encourage the habit, I usually run on some sort of coffee.
What this means for my body in the next few days is stomach discomfort and sluggishness - and this complete lack of energy that makes me feel like a zombie. The last thing I want to do when I am having occasional constipation and feeling like a slug is get up the next morning and do it all over again. But most moms don't have the luxury of being able to take the day off from work, taking care of their family and running a household.
Here's where a little bit of self-care is necessary, and I don't mean getting up at the crack of dawn for an hour of yoga and meditation. My kind of self-care tips are those that you can easily add to a busy daily routine, small things that we can all do so that our bodies don't take as big a hit as they usually do.
5 Tips To Keep Your Body Feeling Good & Energized
GET EXTRA SLEEP
An extra hour of sleep really does make a difference. I spent my younger years trying to get up as early as I could to get as many hours into a day as possible. The more time I had in a day, the more I could achieve, right? These days I cherish that extra hour of sleep - I find that when I am more rested I immediately wake up feeling more refreshed and ready to face a busy day.
DON'T SKIP BREAKFAST
Having breakfast is one of the best things you can do for yourself, yet it's so hard for many of us. Throughout my single mom and full-time career years, I trained myself to run on coffee and even now I find it hard to break that routine. My stomach just doesn't crave breakfast and I'm not used to a big heavy meal first thing in the morning. But something small like a fruit salad or oatmeal I can definitely do.
If you're not a big morning eater like me, look for light options, but make sure you have something for breakfast. Your entire day will be better if you start it off with the most important meal of the day.
RELIEVE OCCASIONAL CONSTIPATION WITH MIRALAX®
Something else that happened routinely during those years as a single, full-time working mom is the occasional bout of constipation. I think it happens to many of us women, we're just too busy to eat right and treat our bodies better.
MIRALAX® is one of those products that you can find in my medicine cabinet, for those times that I really need it. MiraLAX® Mix-In Pax® are the perfect solution for women on-the-go.
MiraLAX® isn't a scary laxative and that's why it's the one I trust. MiraLAX® is different from stimulant laxatives. MiraLAX® works with your body’s natural process to provide effective relief from occasional constipation. MiraLAX® provides a gentle experience, so you don't have to worry about any "surprises" right in the middle of your busy day. Use as directed.
DRINK MORE WATER
Yes, collecting cute water bottles are fun - but filling them up and actually using them through the day is a much better use of them. I will probably never meet the recommended 8 glasses of water per day, unless it's really hot, but if I can drink one or two of my current bottle, then I call it a win. When I drink more water, my body feels more hydrated, I feel less of an urge to grab an expensive beverage and even my skin looks better.
Yes, collecting cute water bottles are fun - but filling them up and actually using them through the day is a much better use of them. I will probably never meet the recommended 8 glasses of water per day, unless it's really hot, but if I can drink one or two of my current bottle, then I call it a win. When I drink more water, my body feels more hydrated, I feel less of an urge to grab an expensive beverage and even my skin looks better.
PACK HEALTHY SNACKS
I tend to do this more for the family when we go on an outing but never remember to do it for myself. But packing a bag full a good-for-me snacks is such a lifesaver, especially for helping avoid the hunger monster which leads to a greasy burger. Packing a few pieces of fruit for yourself each morning is so easy, and within a few hours you will be so glad you did.
There are a myriad of other things we can do to help our bodies feel more energized and overall, better. But even by following these simple tips, you'll see how much better you'll feel at the end of another long day. We take care of everyone else, why don't we start by taking care of ourselves first?
