I know a lot of people who are guilty of saying “I was bad, I ordered the ice cream sundae.”

You ordered ice-cream mom, you didn’t kill anyone!

I used to associate eating “guilty/comfort” foods with being bad and it took a toll on my self esteem for years. It caused stress and anxiety. I’ve since changed my mentality and I feel like I have more self confidence than ever. I never feel like I’m being bad if I eat a cookie or skip a workout. Today, I’m sharing with you the 5 tips that helped me feel like I was always being good.

Today’s post is sponsored by my friends from Culturelle, my go to daily probiotic. 

Breathing Exercises/Meditation

The first tip that helps is to practice breathing exercises. Some people meditate, some people use deep breathing. For me, deep breathing works better. It helps reduce anxiety, slows down your heart rate and may even improve your overall energy. Anxiety is something I’ve struggled with in the past and deep breathing truly helps. I breath in for a count of 6 and breath out for a count of 6. I sometimes will do this falling asleep if I have a lot on my mind. I try to clear out all the thoughts in my head and just focus on the numbers. 

Gratitude

My next tip is practicing gratitude which can bring little bursts of happiness. Gratitude reduces toxic emotions and improves psychological health. It may even stop you from overeating among many other benefits! This may sound a little out of the SarahFit comfort zone but it really helps. First thing in the morning or last thing before I fall asleep, I like to write down 3 things I am grateful for. 

Eat a Nutritious Diet

Another tip is to eat a nutritious diet and take my daily supplements including culturelle digestive health probiotic. “Eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain. Multiple studies have found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain function — and even a worsening of symptoms of mood disorders, such as depression. Studies have shown that when people take probiotics (supplements containing the good bacteria), their anxiety levels, perception of stress, and mental outlook improve, compared with people who did not take probiotics.” https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626 

I take Culturelle Women’s Healthy Balance daily, which restores the natural balance of good bacteria in your digestive tract where 70% of your immune system resides. It is made with the #1 most proven effective probiotic, LCC and supports your natural immune defenses as well as promotes overall health and wellness. 

Get Outside and Move Your Body

This tip is a no brainer but every day I make sure to move your body, and I don’t necessarily mean a killer workout. I prefer fresh air and vitamin D from the real thing, the Sun, but even a trip to the gym or yoga studio works for me as well to boost my overall mood, relieves stress and reduce feelings of anxiety. 

Connect with People not ONLINE

And lastly, make it a point to connect with people every day and brownie points if they make you laugh. Laughter signals the release of endorphins, ya know, the happy hormone! It also boost your immune system. It’s so important to step away form the computer and stop comparing your life to the ones portrayed social media. Connecting with a friend or family member in person will improve personal connections which in the end will ultimately increase your happiness. 

It’s important too to learn about the normal hormone levels of your hormones and the effects on a woman’s body. These tips help me relieve stress, reduce anxiety and improve my overall mood which has allowed me to find happiness in whatever I choose to do to workout and what to eat. As a result, I’ve found more self confidence than I can ever remember having and always feel like I am being good.  

Be Good

Do good. Feel good. Be good! Culturelle wants you to #BeGoodInside too and share you stories by telling us how you share your inner good with the world by visiting begoodinside.culturelle.com or tagging culturelle on Instagram, twitter or Facebook. For each story you share, Culturelle will donate a meal to those in need in partnership with the World Food Program USA.

And, by participating in #BeGoodInside-inspired activities, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for prizes like the chance to go on a volunteer vacation to Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, or Mexico to help create a positive impact in a community in need and have fun while spreading goodwill. Visit begoodinside.culturelle.com for more info.