Ohm My Goodness! (Part One) DIY Day Spa
Hello everyone! Welcome back to the blog. Don’t mind the snow piled up all over the place. Seems Mother Nature feels that it’s not a true February without massive dumps of snow every other week/day/hour. Winters in Pennsylvania are tons of fun she typed in sarcasm font. Thankfully, we are noticing the days growing longer which is a pick-me-up for many who suffer with seasonal disorders. My chickens have even started laying again thanks to more sunlight so yay!! I am so ready for spring and gardening. Hubby and I have a long list of veggies we want to plant. I’ll be sure to do a gardening post during the summer to show off our patch and talk about healthy vegetables and share a recipe or two!
But for now we’re stuck inside. *stares out window wishing she would see a robin or a sprig of grass* Things are creeping along with my weight loss. I think I’ve left that dirty P word behind for a bit (I hope!) and am slowly moving toward my goal again. But it is S-L-O-W going. I’m going to try adding 500-1000 steps to my day to see if that helps things along. Fingers crossed! My last weigh in had me at 225 which is 55 pounds lost since August 2020 and 82 pounds in total. It’s super tough staying motivated and in the right frame of mind when the nights are long and the snow flies.
Winter, combined with a pandemic, sits like a dark boulder on many shoulders. And that’s why I thought we could touch on what I think is a HUGE part of a weight loss journey: Selfcare and mindfulness. I hope to write about this as often as possible because it is just so darn important. Not just when we’re trying to lose weight but in general. We have to take care of our spirit as well as our bodies.
“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.”
Roy T. Bennett
Now I know many of you are saying, “Vicki, this post is supposed to be about losing weight. Why the heck are you talking about day spas?!” That’s a legit question. I personally feel that being at peace with yourself is a key component to being able to accomplish great things. Self-care is what helps us move forward. It fills us with positive vibes, boosts our self-esteem, and also gives our confidence a good kick in the keister! All things that you need in abundance when trying to live a healthier life. I also know that many of us, me included, tend to relegate ourselves to the last rung on the care ladder. Partners, children, coworkers, pets, sandwiches. Everything and everyone comes before us. And that is a darn hard habit to break, but it can be broken! And, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
Lots of us are struggling due to Covid-19 and its effect on the job market. Here’s another benefit of self-care/mindfulness: it helps to lift depression and ease anxiety, all things that we’re feeling every day during this chaotic and scary time. Pampering ourselves doesn’t have to mean a costly trip to the nail salon or massage parlor, not that we can go to those places anyway. *kicks Covid in the shin* We can do little things for us to boost our spirits right at home that won’t break the bank though. Here are a few ideas for setting up a DIY day spa. And you gents out there feel free to join in. You deserve some pampering too!
Inexpensive face masks made of yogurt, honey, and oatmeal will make your skin sing. What it sings it up to you. Mine likes to belt out old Genesis tunes when it’s feeling chipper. Happy pores mean a happy you!
Dollar store candles placed in your bathroom will add a soft ambience to your home spa experience. Just be careful of open flames! Or use the little battery-powered candles also available at the dollar store if you’d rather.
Get your fluffiest towel and have it at hand. Nothing says SPA DAY like a thick, plush towel or two!
Deep condition your hair with a mashed up avocado. It will add moisture and nourishment. If you’re looking for protein try massaging an egg into your hair, leave it sit for ten minutes, then rinse out with cool water.
Give your feet and hands some long overdue attention. A one minute hand massage and/or foot rub will do wonders for a harried soul. A new coat of polish on your toenails/fingernails will make you feel gorgeous and spiffy.
I couldn’t let an opportunity to throw out meditation while talking about our home spa experience slip past. I find yoga and meditation to be key factors in not only my weight loss journey but for life in general as I battle stress and seek serenity. Fifteen minutes of guided meditation before you fill the bath will settle your mind. We’ll get into both of these in more length in later OMG posts but I wanted to toss it out here as well. Try it and see what you think.
For the bath invest in a bath bomb. They’re relatively inexpensive. Or you can pretend you’re Cleopatra and take a milk bath. *looks around for Mark Antony* While you’re in the bath soaking away the days worries take some time to enjoy a good gay romance novel! You didn’t think an author would let that slip by, did you?
Add some mood music to your pampering with a play list. I found this fab one over at Spotify but I’m sure there many others to choose from. Or make your own before you steal a few hours for yourself. Nothing sets the mood like calming music.
“There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself.”
Brian Andreas
I hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s post. I’ll be back again in March. Join me if you can!
Keep it up. You got this. We got this!
Vix
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