Ditch the Don’ts and Make a Healthy Go of Living Well

This post is part of the YummyMummyClub.ca and the Nestlé Pure Life #RethinkYourDrink sponsored program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors.

The problem with many lifestyle changes meant to lead to better health – or a clearer mind, or getting rid of a double chin – is they involve a lot of don’ts: Don’t eat carbs. Don’t eat chocolate. Don’t eat cheese. Don’t eat anything with any flavour other than the taste of sawdust. If women were meant to live on kale and lean protein alone, the gods wouldn’t have invented unpasteurized Brie.

I don’t subscribe to a lot of don’ts because A) I have taste buds and needs that can’t be met with low fat crap; and B) I’m not a monster. Flavour often involves foods the Don’t Pushers tell us to avoid and while I don’t agree with them at all (or ever), poor choices elsewhere in life have brought me to the place I find myself in now:

The tired, grouchy, and slow lane.

Good food and feeling healthy and strong aren’t mutually exclusive, but I seem to have fallen off the good choices wagon by not hydrating or moving enough. It’s probably a bad sign when the clock strikes 2:00 PM and all I’ve had to drink all day is black and caffeinated. More water is definitely needed! After the day-to-day rush, I’m often too tired to head out for my once-favourite workout: running.

To combat the situation I’ve created for myself, I’ve made a few changes recently. Over the past seven days, I’ve been fine-tuning my daily habits as I take part in the Wellness Week Challenge featuring Nestlé Pure Life Sparkling Water. Instead of two pieces of warm bread and cheese for breakfast, I’m making it one piece with a side of fruit. I’ve replaced an afternoon cookie and coffee habit that brings my tally to four per day (not cool, Katja, not cool) to a glass of naturally unsweetened Nestlé Pure Life Sparkling Water and cucumber slices with a handful of almonds and chocolate chips on the side. An evening spent scrolling through funny GIFs, while entertaining, has been swapped out for picking up one of the books collecting dust on my nightstand. It’s not rocket science, folks, no matter how complicated we make it. After a few days, the positive results from making simple changes are already apparent:

1. I’m sleeping better, which makes me a happier person so everyone wins; AND
2. My eyes aren’t rolling to the back of my head by 3:00PM, which means I can get my work done; ALSO
3. Would you look at that? No huffing and puffing as I walk up the seven steps to my bedroom. Again, everyone’s winning, or at least, two of us are.

The timing was as perfect for change. A few weeks ago my husband and I headed off to France for a couple’s getaway (the first without kids in 16 years!) and a visit with my family. Every time I visit France I come home healthier, more relaxed, and pounds lighter. It’s the magic of enjoying warm croissants, drinking red wine, and walking kilometers every day. It’s also the magic of not snacking mindlessly throughout the day while trying to meet deadlines. Vacations help us relax, so of course we come home feeling like we can tackle the world’s problems, but they also slow us down enough to recognize what we need to do in order to get back to a healthier version of ourselves.

While we were in France I didn’t skip baguettes warm from the bakery, or coffee, or wine, but I ate, hydrated, and moved differently than I’ve been doing at home over the last months (see also, years). My challenge now is to tweak my days so that I still have the energy to crawl into bed sometime before midnight.

Beyond all the changes I’ve put in place, there’s an even more critical health tweak I’m sharing that will Change. Your. Life. I enjoy a nice gin and tonic every now and again (and twice on Fridays.) In my quest to cut back on refined sugar, I took a hard look at the sugar and calories in each can of tonic. It’s not pretty. Now, instead of a Friday night G&T, I’ve switched it out for a G & Pure Life Sparkling Water with a dose of fresh-squeezed lime juice. The name might not roll off the tongue as easily, but it makes a difference in the amount of calories and sugar I eat or drink in a week, with the added bonus of hydrating while I have a bubbly cocktail with friends. Plus, with a host of flavours to choose from, any drink I make is delicious! Flavour matters and no one’s calling for a stop to all fun. That’s what the Don’t Pushers are all about.

Beyond all the changes I’ve put in place, there’s an even more critical health tweak I’m sharing that will Change. Your. Life. I enjoy a nice gin and tonic every now and again (and twice on Fridays.) In my quest to cut back on refined sugar, I took a hard look at the sugar and calories in each can of tonic. It’s not pretty. Now, instead of a Friday night G&T, I’ve switched it out for a G & Pure Life Sparkling Water with a dose of fresh-squeezed lime juice. The name might not roll off the tongue as easily, but it makes a difference in the amount of calories and sugar I eat or drink in a week, with the added bonus of hydrating while I have a bubbly cocktail with friends. Plus, with a host of flavours to choose from, any drink I make is delicious! Flavour matters and no one’s calling for a stop to all fun. That’s what the Don’t Pushers are all about.

As a lapsed runner working my way back into the groove, I know what works to build better health and strength—we all know what we’re supposed to be doing. The challenge is recognizing how easy it is to fall off the wagon, find new (or old) habits to incorporate into our days, and ensure they’re sustainable. Little tweaks can lead to changes that can support a strong body, strong enough to hike, or run a 10k, or lounge in a beach chair discussing the merits of the latest Outlander episode.

Now I’m tagging you. Check out the details at Rethink Your Drink and make a change for your health. It’s easy, just switch out a regular drink you know isn’t doing your body any good (rhymes with shop) with a glass of sparkling water, more movement, and smarter choices. Then track the positive changes in your life. The bonus? You’ll be entered into a draw for a luxurious, wellness weekend in Toronto.

Want the easiest challenge you’ll ever take and maybe win a trip in the process?

It’s time to Rethink Your Drink! Register online at Sparkling7DayChallenge.ca and pledge to switch out one of your regular drink choices for a Nestlé Pure Life Sparkling water once a day for seven days.

Not only will you receive a coupon to save $3 off a case of Nestlé Pure Life Sparkling Water, six Canadians will have the chance to win a luxurious weekend away in Toronto.

It’s time to add some sparkle to your life. Register now.