Building mindfulness into your regular routine will likely bring about improvement in your sense of well-being, relationships with family and friends, your ability to focus, and better overcome the toll of physical and emotional pain. Exercising mindfulness has the ability to lessen stressors in your daily life so you can enjoy it more. Sounds amazing, right?

Follow these tips from psychologytoday.com to build mindfulness into your life.

• Practice deep breathing. It is not necessary to meditate for an hour. Take five minutes each day to focus on your breathing. Concentrate on the flow of your breath and the rise and fall of your belly.
• Tune into your senses. Be present in what you are doing and tune into your senses. Pay careful attention to what you are eating. Notice the color, texture and taste of food, for example.
• Simply be. Leave some time in your daily routine to be aware of what you’re doing. Take a step back from hectic times and take time to simply be. When your mind wanders to thinking, bring it back to your breathing.
• Practice mindfulness when you daydream. Notice where you tend to zone out (e.g., driving, emailing or texting, feeding the dog, doing dishes, etc.). Practice bringing more awareness to that activity.
• Always forgive yourself. Be kind and forgiving of yourself when you build in a new practice like mindfulness. If you skip meditation for the day, don’t beat yourself up. Go easy on yourself as you build this exercise into your daily routine.

Making this personal investment every day is important in your quest for Optimal Wellbeing! Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, about other ways mindfulness is beneficial.

If you are like most people, you’ve been restricted to indoor activities in recent months. With the weather more tolerable now, here are some great ways to stretch your legs and get out to enjoy the great outdoors.

• Play some ball. Do you have kids or grandchildren? Play some ball, whether it’s soccer, baseball, or maybe even an old fashioned game of kickball. It’s a great way to not only get some exercise, but also a chance to bond with the kids.
• Bike around. If you really want to stretch your legs, go for a bike ride. Go to the local park or bike around your home. Challenge yourself with hills. You’ll be surprised how quickly it will become a workout!
• Gardening. With the warmer temperatures and the sun shining a little brighter, this is a great time to plant spring flowers. Research which flowers are best for your climate and create a garden. Vegetables are fantastic to plant too! Gardening is therapeutic and allows you to stop and smell the roses.
• Outdoor yoga. Have you considered outdoor yoga? Whether it’s through an organized group or on your own, try a short session at sunrise to start your day relaxed and awakened. Or practice at sunset; it’s a peaceful way to close out the day.
• Explore your town. Everyone likes to travel, but have you explored your own town? Look for events to attend. Shop at local stores. Try local restaurants. And if possible, park in one spot, combine activities, and enjoy a stroll around town.

There are many additional options to consider when getting outside to exercise. Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, about more ways to work in 30 minutes of motion into your everyday, outdoor routine.

Life Changing

“In October 2016, during a meditation, I asked myself what was holding me back from being successful at weight loss. At 51, the answer shocked me!”

The next day in meditation was Judy’s "now what" moment.

“A still small voice said that I must treat my mind, body, and soul as equal partners. That night I met someone who told me about OPTAVIA^® and gave me a number to call. Literally, that night changed my entire life.”

By late November, Judy had her first box of Fuelings and the weight loss began! Not only did she lose weight 90 pounds to date** but dozens of inches too.

“I went from wearing a size 32 to now a 16/18. My doctors were amazed! I was walking two-three miles each day, on average, and spending two hours in the gym circuit training, five days a week.”*

Better still, Judy was not always hungry. She ate every three hours and she was satisfied. She got herself in better shape than in more than two decades.

“What's more is that the OPTAVIA Program is different. I now know the "secret" of not just losing weight, but I also know how to keep it off.”

In just over 6 months, Judy lost 90 pounds**. She still has about 60 pounds left to lose but with time and effort, these pounds will melt away.

“I am eternally grateful to OPTAVIA, my OPTAVIA Coach and my sister who dared to share just a bit of insight on how my life could be forever changed.”

The best thing of all for Judy is since becoming an OPTAVIA Coach, she has extra money in her bank account each month***.

“As a morbidly obese person I was wasting $600/month on Starbucks, extra snacks, eating out, and the like that was far beyond my grocery budget.”

So while OPTAVIA has absolutely changed Judy’s physical, emotional, and mental health, it has also already had a huge impact on her financial health*** as well.

It is her joy now to share that wisdom and the OPTAVIA life with everyone she knows. As a new Coach, she started by changing three of the lives around her through the Optimal Weight 5 &1 Plan^®, and since then, she has already helped one of the three reach her goals!

“I am excited to be part of the OPTAVIA family – I’m excited to work with the OPTAVIA Community to change our world for the better!”

*If you are new to exercise, have certain chronic diseases, or are taking medications, you should contact your healthcare provider to determine the best level of activity for you. For those on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® we recommend limiting exercise to 45 minutes or less of light to moderate physical activity per day.

**Average weight loss for Clients on the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan® with support is 20 pounds. Clients are in weight loss, on average, for 12 weeks.

*** “OPTAVIA makes no guarantee of financial success. Success with OPTAVIA results only from successful sales efforts, which require hard work, diligence, skill, persistence, competence, and leadership. Your success will depend upon how well you exercise these qualities. Please see the OPTAVIA Income Disclosure Statement for statistics on actual earnings of Coaches.”