So obviously when it comes to the top priorities in life, health is a topic that is high up there on basically everyone’s list, right? But have you ever thought about what you’re actually doing to prioritize your health, both mentally and physically?

Here are some things I do consistently to really put my health on the top of the to-do list! After all, if you’re not taking care of yourself, how are you going to show up and care for others? Especially little ones that may depend on you, if you happen to be a parent.

+ movement: movement and exercise have always been priorities for me and to be honest, I don’t feel very good or like myself without it. It’s actually one of the harder things when it comes to pregnancy for me, I’m not working out like I’d like too (running for 45 min- 1 hour just isn’t feasible with this body lol). But I’m alternating work-outs and doing what I can to keep my body strong and that makes me feel really good! I think even on days where you don’t necessarily feel like working out, you’ll find yourself way happier if you do at least something to get some endorphins going, even if it’s a simple walk around the block, I generally always end up doing more once I motivate myself to get out the door on those types of days!

+ sleep : so let’s be real, pregnancy really is a thief when it comes to sleep. I’m up at least every 2-3 hours to pee throughout the night (thank you baby boy), but prior to being pregnant, and certainly something I will one day get back too- is getting my sleep schedule and environment back in line. No screens past 8 pm, reading for an hour, and some light/trash tv with my hubby as we fall asleep. I’ll also be the first to admit, I will straight up not go to an event or leave wayyy early just to get home so that I can get to bed at a decent hour. Sure I’ve been called a party pooper in the past, but I don’t mind it one bit. I’d rather be cuddled and cozy in my bed than basically anywhere else at odd hours of the night.

+ hydration : I drink a TON of water. My husband and I don’t drink alcohol and aside from a sparkling water and maybe a root beer float as a treat, we really don’t drink anything other than water, milk, or my chai teas :) I can totally tell a difference too by the end of the day if I didn’t drink enough water, my body will literally crave water and I”ll chug entire bottles before going to bed- which you guessed it, doesn’t help if I’m waking up already to use the bathroom a million times a night, so lately I think I’m hitting my water intake quota much earlier in the day than normal, so that I can stop drinking water earlier at night to (hopefully) keep my bladder empty for longer.

+ diet : I won’t lie, my first trimester I definitely made more trips to Chick-Fil-A than I probably have ANY fast food restaurant my ENTIRE life, and I still threw it all up eventually. But outside of that little hiccup in my diet (LOL), we eat really clean almost always. Obviously we’ll splurge on date night or when we’re at Disneyland, but throughout the week, when we’re home, my husband meal preps for us. 

+ reading : I’ve found that making a real commitment to making time to read really helps me sleep better and function better overall. I think reading is really good for keeping your mind strong and engaged, and also allowing yourself to escape to another world is a pretty wonderful thing!

+ me time : whether it’s taking a warm bath or longer than average shower, when I get the chance to really have some quiet time to myself, I acknowledge that and really savor it. I used to always feel like I never had time to myself between work, motherhood, and being a wife. Now, even the most mundane moments I take full advantage of it if I’m alone. Like my drive to work in the mornings, I’ll throw on a podcast or my favorite spotify channel and just remind myself that these 10 minutes (or however long) are for me and I don’t have to think about what’s next or what’s on my to-do list.

What are you doing to focus on your health for 2024??