5 Self Care Things To Help Weight Loss

20 January 2024

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Self care has become a rising star in recent years. And for good reason; it helps your mental health which boosts your physical health, and it just feels good for the soul.

I had heard of self care but hadn’t looked into it until I was trying to make a huge difference in my mental and physical health at a low point in my life in 2021. The pandemic led to me being unemployed and struggling. So what better time to learn and incorporate self care than the thick of the pandemic, and at my worst?

I did some researching and actually discussed a little bit about a self care for your nighttime routine to promote good REM sleep. This particular self care is more commonly referred to as “sleep hygiene.” After some googling about various forms of self care, I came up with a few that actually have improved my mental health significantly.

So don’t get stuck in a mental health rut! Keep reading to learn how to boost your mood to promote a happy, healthier you!

In this blog post, I will be letting you in on 5 self care hacks that has aided in my weight loss journey!

I will be going over the following:

• Getting Ready For The Day

• The Perks Of Using A To-Do List

• Scheduling Me Time

• Unplug From Social Media

• Getting Ready For Bed

When the pandemic had me at my lowest in 2021, I told myself that I was going to get myself out of this mess and work hard on myself because it just wasn’t okay. I didn’t like the way I felt, I didn’t like how I looked, I didn’t like my lack of motivation, and I was sick and tired of being tired 24/7.

I found the right self care ideas that worked for me and I was like a brand new person! Recharged. Happy and healthier. I want this for you! These 5 self care secrets will make you feel like a new person!

Getting Ready For The Day

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I will explain. The first thing to do is get ready for the day. Yes, I know, you already do this pretty regularly. But it’s about taking time for you and the mindset you get in when you take care of yourself!

This can be as easy and simple as taking a 20 minute shower instead of a 10 minute one. It could be brushing or combing your hair and using your witch hazel to help wake you up and brighten your morning. It could be using a special moisturizer for your face to make you feel special. Or it could just be picking an outfit that your feel confident in. If you already have some of this incorporated into your routine already, that is great! All you have to do is do these self care tasks with intention. This is to make you feel special and taken care of and by you of all people! People tend to push their wants and needs to the wayside if they’re stressed and busy or not feeling their best. I’m here to tell you that that is when you need to do your self care the most! So take into account how much time you allot your self to get ready in the morning, what you want to focus on incorporating into your self care morning routine, and make a plan that you think is best.

2. The Perks Of Using A To-Do List

Now this may seem counterintuitive. Making lists of all the things that you need to get done and feeling overwhelmed and upset when you don’t complete it, but again, do this with intention and take your time and ability into account when you make your to-do list.

I began writing a to-do list out with a pen and paper and it did a few things that boosted my self confidence and my mood. It organized my thoughts for one. I was recently diagnosed with ADHD in the last year and so I was not being treated at the time that I started implementing a to-do list into my self care routine, and it makes sense why it helped me so much!

I would start my to-do list with my other self care items like getting ready for the day. Although that seems generic, I knew what I meant, I meant for my self care special me time getting ready things. Then I would add 1-2 things that I had to do that day (i.e. go to work, go to my doctor appointment, shred some of my documents I don’t need, things like that). Then I would end my list with a “me time” item, which we will discuss more next. The list should have attainable things on it. Be honest about how much time and energy you have.

The to-do list was time for me to drink my coffee in the morning, organize my thoughts, plan my day, and when I completed those tasks, it gave me a sense of accomplishment and a confidence boost! Sometimes I would even start my to-do list with things I had already completed so that I could mark them off. I did this for days I just woke up not feeling positive or ready for the day. That way I could feel that accomplishment and confidence boost at the start of my day to get me on track on my off days! I love writing it out too because it feels a little more real as a hard copy you can carry in your purse.

I highly recommend using a post-it note style pad to use for your to-do lists. They are small and can fit in your purse, wallet, or pocket. I don’t like to use bulky notebooks or planner because it’s a hassle to dig out of my purse and it’s usually too big for my purse so it just weighs my purse down unnecessarily. I like these from Amazon as they can be stored on a counter, desk, or in a junk drawer, and they’re the smallish post-it notes that works well for carrying around!

3. Scheduling Me Time

One of the items I like to put on my list is a “me time” item. As I was trying to lose some weight, I tended to put a form of exercise I liked as my “me time.” I LOVE my sister’s Peloton. I love the HIIT rides that take 10-15 minutes because I usually scheduled my exercise in the mornings before work. I wanted to get the most out of my workout without losing too much sleep in the process. Sleep is just as important!

There are so many things you can schedule for your “me time” though. I’ve also scheduled baking, calligraphy practice, scrolling on Pinterest, or watching Pioneer Woman. Participate in your hobbies, rest or nap, do something to reach a personal goal. It could be anything really. Have fun with it! This is about taking time to do the things you like. It’s about letting go of your stressors for at least a short time to enjoy your life. Being an adult is hard and we need a little break frequently so we can recharge and keep going.

4. Unplug From Social Media

So this can be super hard to do. My doctor was recommending I turn my phone off two hours before going to sleep every night to help get my sleep hygiene self care down to help my insomnia. I still struggle with this regularly but if I’m up for it, I will choose to talk with my partner or my roommates, read, do my calligraphy, whatever during this time.

As this is so hard in this day and age, I tend to unplug in a different way… I remove, delete, or hide my social media accounts. EXCEPT PINTEREST. Pinterest is more of a search engine anyways. I love Pinterest too much to get rid of it. But the point of this was because I found myself getting caught up with what other people my age were doing and how successful they were and comparing myself too much. Social media became a negative experience for me more often than not. My mental and physical health were and still are things I am actively working on and it can be triggering to see that an old friend from high school has a lucrative career or another is through the roof happy about being a mom, and I would just see my struggle and start talking down to myself. I have since been on some social media platforms but mostly follow animal accounts for the cute videos. Who doesn’t like a good cat video?? So I use social media sparingly. This is just who I am. I have a tendency to judge myself too harshly when I need to give myself grace. So if you have a tendency to compare yourself to fitter, smarter, beautiful, more successful people, then consider taking a break while you get your mental and emotional health in a good place. Self care is not fighting who you are, but accepting it and using what you know about yourself to better your life. And I’m better for not comparing myself to other women on social media platforms.

5. Getting Ready For Bed

You know the drill now… make a nighttime routine for yourself that you will enjoy! This will benefit you in a couple of ways: it will help you unwind from your day and also when you continue to do the same thing each night and then go to sleep, your body will start to recognize that it’s time to sleep and will help you get a good night’s sleep. Win win!

Things that I like to do include, showering, doing my “me time” item on my to-do list, perform my nightly skincare routine, floss, brush my teeth, use mouth wash, and get in bed and listen to a meditation on my Calm app. I suffer from insomnia and the Calm app has been an amazing purchase where I have used it in full-fledged anxiety attacks, for meditation, or to listen to a sleep story at night! I was introduced to this app through Kaiser Permanente. During the time that I had their health insurance, they paid for this app, and when I switched insurance, I just kept it and paid for it myself because I found it so helpful

I was in a bad way mentally before I found out these self care ideas and made myself a self care routine. These small but simple things have boosted my confidence, made me feel like I’m not just working for a living, and has helped me sleep better and organize my thoughts in a way that doesn’t overwhelm me. We all get into this rut of feeling like all you do in life is work to pay bills and to eat and live. The time I put aside for myself dramatically improved the way I viewed my life. I did things intentionally. It has been a lesson in appreciating myself and my time and now I never overbook myself. I decreased my stress and this led to a more positive outlook, happiness, and helped me stick with my exercise and healthy lifestyle changes. I want this for you. I want you to meet your weight loss goals, be happy, and keep doing you!

So please don’t overbook yourself to the point where you’re just pulling your hair out, you’re so stressed! Take a look at these to-do list sticky notes and practice valuing your time when you make your to-do list for the day. Focus on valuing yourself with whatever self care things you incorporate in your life. You deserve it.

Take care!

Jen

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