Hello wonderful readers!

Ok, now that the “getting to know you” part is done, I can get to the reason I began this blog, which is to share tips about living a life with vitality. I thought I’d start with first thing in the morning. I have to admit that I’m not a happy camper when I first awaken, and I don’t really speak until I’ve been awake for at least 30-45 minutes.  I get up, use the restroom, brush my teeth, take my thyroid supplement, and put on my workout clothes. I find that if I put on workout attire when I get out of bed, it motivates me to workout. If morning workouts aren’t your thing and you exercise after work, then put your workout wear on as soon as you get home to motive you to “just do it”. If I don’t workout, which is extremely rare for me, then I feel really guilty that I have workout clothes on and I didn’t exercise. It’s a small thing, but it works for me! Anyway, back to my morning routine, I then feed and take my dogs out, make my daughter’s lunch and get her out the door, and I make my coffee.

First thing in the morning, no makeup, unedited, no filter, unbrushed hair selfie!

Now you may think, “Hmmmm, is coffee part of a healthy life?”, but coffee has many benefits to a life of vitality. Studies have shown that coffee is rich in antioxidants, and that the antioxidants are better absorbed by the human body from drinking coffee than by eating fruits and vegetables! That was a happy surprise for me when I began researching this topic. Another benefit to drinking coffee is that it is good for your liver, especially if excessive alcohol is consumed. Remember how in old tv shows and movies they’d always give a tipsy person coffee to drink? It turns out that was a good idea but maybe not in the way they thought it was. Also, coffee is linked to reducing depression, feeling happier and lower suicide rates. I know coffee always makes me happy but I didn’t know that was a proven fact, I thought it was just me.  It is known to increase athletic performance if consumed prior to a workout too. I usually will finish the cup of coffee I’ve been carrying around with me all morning before my workout and I have a better workout on the days I drink coffee beforehand, versus the days I’ve forgotten to do so. I usually wander around all morning, coffee cup in hand, sipping as I clean the kitchen, and have my quiet, meditation time. By the time I’ve finished with it, it is ice cold but I don’t mind it that way, though some of you might think that is gross and you’re welcome to warm it up if you want to.  Then I drink water the rest of the day.

I know there are benefits to drinking many cups of coffee each day, like four or more, but I just drink one. I drink espresso which has more caffeine in it than regular coffee, and I have a Nespresso espresso machine and an electric milk whipper that I use. I feel like a real barrista when I’m making my coffee! I use organic half and half and NO SUGAR in my coffee, I just add a little locally sourced honey for sweetness. I will expand on my thoughts about sugar in a later post but suffice to say that I believe, and scientific evidence abounds about this too, that sugar is not part of a healthy life! But I’ll blog more about that later.

I also make sure to spend a few moments of quiet, meditation time each morning. If it’s a really busy day it may be only 5 minutes but I still try to make time every day. Whatever your religion or lack thereof might be, it is great for the mind, body and soul to spend time trying to quiet the mind and get in touch with your higher power. I also pray at that time, but if that’s not your thing, then think good thoughts about those you love, and those who need it most. I have a sunroom and that is where I spend my quiet time, but just choose a place in your house where you’ll feel a sense of peace. I find that when I’m in my sunroom the kids are more hesitant to bother me, and when they do come in they seem to be more peaceful too!

So to summarize my healthy tips- 1. Get up and put your workout clothes on if you’re working out in the morning to provide additional incentive to get your work out in. 2. Coffee is a beverage that provides many health benefits (and it’s yummy too!). 3. Spend time in quiet reflection each day- you’ll feel more peaceful and calm, and everyone will benefit from it!

Once again, thank you for reading this post, I am honored you spent part of your day with me! Enjoy the long weekend and thank you to all men and women who serve in our armed forces. Your sacrifice is appreciated!

If you’d like more information on my lifestyle coaching services, please email me at valdecap@gmail.com. Also, feel free to leave any comments here!

Valerie