Healthy Chicks

I don’t know about you, put this past week has put some major stress on me. Now, I’m not one to get STRESSED OUT to the max, but I’m only human after all. Luckily, after a weekend with family, The Boy, movies, and lots of good food at my grandparents house, I feel loads better. That’s not to say that another stress attack can’t come on at any given time this week. Luckily, I have a few tricks I use when times get a little crazy.

1. Breathe – Seriously. Go lay down on your bed or a comfy couch and just breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. That’s why yoga’s so effective after all! I do this sometimes at night after a long day. I go to my room, shut off the lights, and after 10 minutes of breathing to myself I am fine again.

2. Massages – No you don’t have to throw away $100 on a professional massage when you have a roommate/best friend/ boy friend to give you a hand or two. If you live with a bunch of ladies, sit in a “train” and take turns giving each other back massages. It’s lots of fun and can ease away those knots and tension! My boyfriend and I like to give each other massages too – he’s much better at them though so I always feel like I’m cheating him. Oh well.

3. Pop in a Comedy – Last night we rented “Wedding Crashers.” I don’t remember the last time I laughed that hard from a movie. All of us just forget everything else for two hours and were able to sit back, relax and laugh ’til our bellies hurt. It felt good…real good.

4. Pamper Yourself – My favorite thing to do when I’m stressed out is to put on comfy clothes, give myself an oatmeal facial, paint my nails and just pamper myself to death. Sometimes I even light candles or take a bath. It’s amazing what some little alone time can do for your mood. If you need more tips, revisit this Hump Day post from the past on giving yourself a makeover in the nude.

5. Jam Out – Coldplay, Jack Johnson, The Beatles, and the entire Garden State Soundtrack is my favorite music to listen to when times get stressful. Seriously, it works wonders.

6. Pick Up Some Weights – Go to the gym for some serious strength training. If you’re super stressed out, walking on the treadmill or doing a few measly sit-ups isn’t going to do Jack Sh*t. Try challenging yourself  – if you normally lift 10 pounds try 15. If you normally run a 10 minute mile, push a 9:30. It’s all about pushing yourself just a little bit more so that you feel absolutely amazing inside and out. I went for a fabulous 7-mile run the other day – a huge feat for me – and never felt better. My mind was clear, my body was thankful and I was insanely happy.

What are some fun things you do to de-stress? I’d love to hear all of your ideas, so fire away!