When it comes to building healthier habits, managing chronic symptoms, or improving your fitness level, how often do you catch yourself thinking, “I HAVE to get a workout in!” or “I HAVE to plan my meals for the week”? 

When we first start focusing on getting our health back, we can often find ourselves saying things like that all the time.  

I get it!! 

On one hand, we are motivated to get result by building the healthy habits to finally feel well and confident in our own skin again… but this kind of thinking leads to SEEING THE WORK AS A CHORE. 

And guess what? That’s totally natural.  

Our brains love routine and comfort… 

Which means any time we introduce new habits or push out of our comfort zone, our brains see it as a disruption and try to RESIST IT.  

That’s when the “I have to” thoughts sneak in. 

Continue reading for a MINDSET SHIFT that just might make a difference for you… 

The MINDSET SHIFT that made a difference for me… 

What if, instead of saying “I HAVE to,” you said “I GET to”? 

When I started framing it that way, I began to see these habits as privileges, not obligations. 

• “I get to work out” reminded me of what my body is capable of
• “I get to meal prep” became an opportunity to set myself up for success
• “I get to take time for mobility exercises” felt like a way to care for my future self

This simple shift doesn’t just feel more empowering… 

It actually makes it easier to stick with your routines, especially when life gets hectic.  

Instead of finding reasons to skip healthy habits, you start looking forward to them. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself today… 

• What habits do you get to practice this week?
• How are they making your life better?
• How do they make you feel about yourself? 

Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear what’s working for you or where you can use more support! 

Committed to your success, 

Christina Della Rocca, ND, MASS.d, FNLP, CEWC

Strategic Workplace Wellness Specialist & Concierge | Multi-disciplinary Wellness Practitioner

Naturopath – Functional Nutrition Practitioner – Massage Therapist, Fit Pro – Executive Wellness Leadership Coach

I can remember the days when I would staddle back n’ forth between enjoying myself and feeling guilty afterward.

 I’d think things like, “I shouldn’t have eaten that” or “I really should’ve worked out more.”

 Maybe you can relate? 

If so continue reading. This is for you…

Mindful Indulgence… 

The truth is, a lot of us end up “should-ing” ourselves all season long.

 We indulge, then immediately regret it, feeling like we need to make up for it somehow.  

But here’s what I’ve learned: owning your decisions can be a much healthier way to go. Instead of feeling like you’re breaking some “rule”, what if you could simply make a choice to enjoy yourself and move on without the guilt?

I call this “MINDFUL INDULGENCE”—which means deciding, in the moment, to enjoy a treat or take a rest day because it’s what you want, without stewing on it afterward. 

In fact, research backs this up.  

Letting yourself make choices you feel good about and moving on, rather than beating yourself up over them, helps you stay on track more effectively over time. 

For you, that could look like:  

• Deciding to take an extra rest day because your body needs it
• Enjoying a favorite holiday treat without planning to “balance it out” later
• Skipping meal prep one weekend to enjoy a dinner out with friends, guilt-free 

What could mindful indulgence look like for you? 

Share with us at: Natural Solutions for Peak Wellness

YES! Of course I want to encourage you to stick to your meal plan as much as possible… 

And yes, it’s great to make time for moving your body, going to bed on time, eating a whole foods diet, and drinking your water… 

But if you do indulge, try simply owning that decision and moving on.  

That’s the best way to keep moving forward right now. 

Was this helpful to hear? Hit reply and let me know!  

Committed to your success, 

Christina

This month we are going to talk about all things “Staying on Track”. Of course, this applies to the holiday season but also to any time during the year when we just need (or want) to slow things down a little.

So… if you have been working on your daily habits so you to get a grip on stress, have the energy to be more productive at the office, be consistent with working out, or being committed to a bedtime routine to get a good night’s sleep throughout this past year, this email is for you! 

Enjoy!

With the holidays right around the corner, there’s often a big push to “stay on track” and not lose progress.

 But… what if your body is asking for a pause? 

 What if slowing down feels right?

 What if there’s REALLY just too much going on to keep up with your routine ?

 What if it is needed?

I get it.

 And, as it turns out, we’re actually wired to feel this way.

 Research shows that, as we shift into the cold months, our bodies naturally crave more sleep, comfort, and even a little extra fuel. 

In other words, what you’re experiencing is biology—not a lack of discipline.

 Still, rather than letting go of the healthy routines you have developed, and indulging in all the sugar, what if you tried modifying your daily habits to fit the season?

 Continue reading for some tips….

When you need to modify your daily habits…

If your focus is on maintaining a CONSISTENT workout habit here’s what that might look like: 

• Swap outdoor running for an indoor HIIT or interval training on the treadmill.
• Keep with your current type of workout, but shorten the duration to create more time in your schedule.
• Replace your usual evening workouts with shorter morning workouts to get it done before the day gets too busy or because you have to shop or have an after work cocktail to attend.
• Try a gut-friendly meal service in place of weekly meal prep while balancing holiday plans and prepping

All of these, and of course there are MANY more, will help you ADJUST AND SAVE SOME TIME while maintaining that consistent working out habit. 

It always harder to start back up a habit you have put on hold!

My modo… don’t stop or pause. Instead MODIFY!!!

Modify the timing, duration, or type of activity. But MAINTAIN THE HABIT!

Those of you who know me, know I love to run! Outdoors, rain or shine, in the summer heat or dead of winter. I run in the city, country, on a road or on a trail. I run during the holidays, on holidays. No matter where I am, or how I feel, I do what it takes to make it happen.

I run if I am happy, sad, or mad! If I am tired, I take it down a notch. I might walk instead. If I am extra busy, I run for a shorter time. If I am not feeling well, I walk, maybe, or do restorative yoga instead. 

Either way, movement is a non-negotiable commitment I have made to myself that serves my physical and mental health and well-being by helping me with stress mastery, mood regulation, better digestion, focus, creativity, and staying fit! 

What can you MODIFY to maintain all the efforts you have made to upgrade your daily habits, so you can simply pick up where you left off once the holidays pass?

Need some help with how to modify your daily habits to meet with your UNIQUE focus?

Lets talk about it in my private online community: Natural Solutions for Peak Wellness. 

Life has its seasons… 

Sometimes, we’re all in and going strong—and other times, rest is what we need most. 

Seeing those moments as chances to modify and be gentle with ourselves rather than quitting altogether can break that “start-stop” cycle so many of us feel stuck in. 

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing ways to stay on track without the pressure this holiday season, including: 

• Setting boundaries to protect your time, energy, and health
• Fully enjoying holiday treats without all the guilt
• Finding ways to keep moving – even with a packed schedule
• Shifting from “have to” to “want to” around your health habits
• And so much more. 

I hope you found this information useful. If you’re seeking extra support and guidance on your journey toward peak wellness, stay tuned, as I am committed to sharing the ways in which natural medicine can empower you (and me…) to live a more abundant and well life! 

I’ll be sharing more helpful insights and content in my Members Only Facebook Group: Natural Solutions for Peak Wellness. 

I look forward to connecting with you there! 

Let’s have a happy, healthy, successful end to 2024! 

Committed to your success, 

Christina

Christina Della Rocca, ND, MASS.d, FNLP, B.A.S.

Strategic Workplace Wellness Specialist & Concierge | Multi-disciplinary Wellness Practitioner

Spécialiste & Concierge de bien-être stratégique en entreprise | Praticienne en santé et bien-être

In the News

Protein is essential for bone and muscle health, both of which can decline with age. But the results of a new study say that “protein intake was significantly associated with higher odds of healthy aging.”

Plant-based protein was also associated with good mental health status and better physical function. This was based on data from 48,762 women younger than age 60 who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study

​​​​​​​Pro Health Tip

There are a lot of “diets” and nutrition fads, but one thing that stays consistent across all healthy diets is an emphasis on avoiding foods that elevate inflammation and eating those that keep it in check.

This means avoiding foods like sugar, refined carbohydrates, fried foods, and trans fats and eating more fish, nuts, seeds, berries, and green leafy veggies. Some call it the “anti-inflammatory diet!”

​​​​​​​Did You Know?

 If you are trying to figure out which foods your body loves and which might be triggering you, there are two main ways to help identify food sensitivities:

• the elimination-challenge diet, and
• a blood test.

For the elimination-challenge diet, you remove all suspected foods until you feel better and then reintroduce them one at a time to see which are problematic. The blood test looks to see if your body is creating antibodies to a long list of foods.

 Some people prefer one method over the other. While others prefer to combine them for the best chance of uncovering trigger foods!

 What do you think makes most sense?

I hope you found this information useful. If you’re seeking extra support and guidance on your journey toward peak wellness, stay tuned, as I am committed to sharing the ways in which natural medicine can empower you (and me…) to live a more abundant and well life!

I’ll be sharing more helpful insights and content in my Members Only Facebook Group: Natural Solutions for Peak Wellness.

I look forward to connecting with you there!

Make it a mindful day,

Christina

Christina Della Rocca, ND, MASS.d, FNLP, B.A.S.

Strategic Workplace Wellness Specialist & Concierge | Multi-disciplinary Wellness Practitioner

Spécialiste & Concierge de bien-être stratégique en entreprise | Praticienne en santé et bien-être