It’s 2018 and I’m another year older, but am I truly another year wiser? I don’t really think so! Sure I’ve learned a few things along the way, but I’m human and I make mistakes. That’s one of the reasons I don’t do New Year Resolutions, I can never keep up with them. Instead, I try and make choices that are good for me and do them gradually. This year I’m adopting a few healthy habits that will not only keep me healthy, but will more than likely guaranteed to make me happy as well. Healthy and happy after all go hand in hand.
This post is in collaboration with Tree Hut, however all opinions are mine alone.
I generally try and incorporate my family in my lifestyle and while they can be resistant to change, they do tend to come around after a while. So what changes am I incorporating into my life this year? I originally wanted to list ten of them, but doing too much at once can feel overwhelming, so after much consideration, I decided to start with five, and hopefully, I’ll build my way up.
1. Make sleep a priority
For many years, being in the military meant that I could survive on little to no sleep, and that trend continued even after I retired 2 years ago. I would be up either watching TV or working here on the blog sometimes as late as 3am in the morning, while still waking up at 5:30am in order to get the kids ready and out the door for school. However, lack of sleep not only wreaks havoc on your skin and makes you look older than you really are, but can also lead to depression (a condition I suffer from) and even weight gain. This year I plan on getting at least 7hrs of sleep. There are a few things you can do to help you get the sleep you need. Here are 2 simple things that I plan on doing.
- Turn off my cell phone so I’m not tempted to get on social media. I can easily get sucked into Facebook.
- Turn off the TV and lights, and instead listen to soothing sounds.
2. Establish a skincare routine
Speaking of sleep and my skin. I was never into skincare while I was growing up. I was of the mindset that “black don’t crack” and that my skin would stay “young” forever. That is false! While we may look like we age a lot more slowly than other races, we do age. I’ve noticed that I’m getting fine lines and wrinkles, and I can honestly say that I hate them. I don’t have the money that celebrities do, but I don’t have to be rich to afford skincare products that work wonders for my skin. That’s why I love Tree Hut products. I currently use their skincare line: Cleansing Gel, Facial Scrub, SPF 30 Moisturizer, Renewing Night Cream, Hydrating Overnight Mask and Exfoliating Mud Mask and I love them! The Mud Mask is my favorite. I used to spend a lot more money on another brand, but I realize that you don’t need to spend exorbitant sums of money to get quality products.
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| Props to Madison for taking this “flawless” photo 😂 |
3. Cook more at home and eat healthier
Throughout the years our dinner menu consisted largely of take-out. We would eat out at least 2-3 times a week and it wasn’t always a healthy offering. Pizza and burgers were generally on the menu. This year we did a complete overhaul of our menu and included more veggies, fewer fats and more water in our diet. While the family would occasionally have a soda, that has now been eliminated. While you wouldn’t find me on the cooking channel, eating at home not only saves me money, but having dinner together more as a family brings us closer together as well.
4. Exercise and spend more time outdoors
I’m what you may consider a “pillow-potato”. While you may not find me on the couch, I’m usually in my room, in bed with either my computer on my lap, or my head on the pillow binge watching one of my favorite TV shows. Exercise doesn’t generally have to be in a gym, walking is a great way to exercise and briskly walking for at least 30 minutes daily can do a world of good. I not only get to lose calories, but it’s a really good stress reliever as well. And while outdoors I get to soak up the sun, while enjoying some fresh air and nature.
5. Protect my skin from the elements
While I now enjoy being outdoors, I also need to protect my skin from the elements, including the sun. Extreme sun exposure can cause wrinkles, so not only do I wear hats and cover up my skin, but I also use Tree Hut Protecting Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30. Sunscreen isn’t only for the summer days, you should also be using it even during the winter and on cloudy days. Whenever I get indoors I also wash my face with Tree Hut Purifying Cleansing Gel. It doesn’t dry out my skin, removes the impurities of the day and leaves my skin glowing, fresh and clean.
Why do I love Tree Hut products and have incorporated them into my healthy lifestyle?
Tree Hut uses natural ingredients in their products, and they NEVER EVER test on animals, neither do they contain any animal byproducts. Their products are free from parabens, formaldehyde donors, petroleum, phthalates, sulfates, DEA, and mineral oil, all the stuff that you do not want.
Since I have sensitive skin, I want products that won’t irritate my skin and I have found that with Tree Hut. I also love that they are affordable, so I’m not breaking the bank trying to take care of my skin. It’s not often that you find products that work at a price you can afford. Tree Hut is the real deal and the bees knees!
So adopt at least one healthy habit and take better care of your skin this year with Tree Hut products. You can purchase Tree Hut products in select retail locations such as Ulta, Harmon and Fred Meyer. They are also available online at Ulta.com, Amazon.com, Jet.com and Walgreens.com.
Have you heard of Tree Hut, and what healthy habits will you be adopting this year?
