Tomorrow, we’ll get back to our discussion regarding blood sugar + walking—because you know what today is… Today, we take a moment to celebrate our weekly wins! 🎉 Actually, let’s use today’s opportunity to share your STEPtember walking challenge wins or your weekly wins! Either/or works, and I want to hear ‘em all. 🎉 Did you crush the STEPtember challenge? 🎉 Did you begin a new healthy habit by walking this month? 🎉 Did you burn some unwanted fat? 🎉 Or do you have a specific win from this week alone? Whatever you’re proud of today, I want to hear about it so we can celebrate you! Remember, celebrating your wins changes your brain and leaves you more motivated to continue pushing forward. Of course, celebrating is fun, but our ultimate reason for doing so goes far deeper than just having fun. We’re changing our neural pathways, friends! 🧠 💥 Our monthly zoom call is going to be this coming Sunday at 7pm CDT / 8pm EST. TAKING ACTION: ✅ What’s your weekly win?! Share with us below! 🎉 ✅ Don’t forget to track your 👟 as we wrap up this challenge soon!

Here’s how microplastics sneak into our daily lives: 🌬 Breathing them in: Synthetic clothing, home dust, and city air carry plastic fibers. 🥤 Drinking them: Bottled water contains more microplastics than tap. 🍽 Eating them: Seafood, processed foods, and even fruits/veggies exposed to polluted soil or water. 🔥 Heating plastics: Takeout containers, coffee cups, and microwaved plastic leach particles. ✅ Prevention tips you can start TODAY: - Choose glass or stainless steel over plastic bottles and containers. - Vacuum and dust regularly to reduce microplastic-filled household dust. - Wash new clothes before wearing (they shed a lot at first). Get 100% cotton when you can. - Avoid heating food in plastic or Styrofoam containers. - Invest in a water filter that removes microplastics. ⚡ Which one of these prevention tips feels easiest for you to start with — and which feels like the hardest habit to change?

“There are ways to cut cravings by naturally balancing your blood sugar.” ~Dr. Mark Hyman So far this month, we’ve discussed ⬇️ ☑️ The benefits of walking & heart health ☑️ The benefits of walking & Whole Foods With it being the last full week of our STEPtember challenge, I want to spend some time this week discussing another important topic—walking and its impact on blood sugar! Did you guess correctly yesterday?! The more I learn about blood sugar, the more I am convinced it has so much to do with our overall ability to burn fat. The entirety of that topic is for another day, but since we’re focusing on getting our steps in this month, it makes sense to go ahead and talk about how walking impacts our blood sugar. 👟 We’re going to dive into this a little deeper throughout the rest of the week, but in short, walking helps stabilize blood sugar, which not only helps you burn more fat but also helps you become healthier. The quote above states that “There are ways to cut cravings by naturally balancing your blood sugar,”---and one of those natural ways is walking! 💯 TAKING ACTION: ✅ If you took a guess yesterday on this week’s topic, were you correct? Did you guess how walking positively affects blood sugar levels?

If you can’t do anything else, walk… It’s no secret we’re huge fans of strength training around here. After all, building lean, healthy muscle tissue is one of the best preventative measures against sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) and almost all age-related diseases. However, as we discussed yesterday, walking is one of the best forms of medicine available to us today—and that’s exactly why we’re focusing on getting our steps in this month! 👟 Walking 8,000-10,000 steps per day improves everything, including heart health and brain health. While getting in your steps is undeniably great for your body, it’s also great for your mental health. According to webmd.com, “walking regularly can help ease symptoms related to chronic mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.” Not only is walking free, but you can do it anywhere! If the weather is nice, take your walk outside and get some vitamin D while you’re at it. If not, no biggie—make laps inside your home. And when all else fails, walk in place! If you have two healthy legs, you can make it happen almost anywhere! 💯 Jenna, one of our boutique owners, literally ran laps around her car during a challenge while pumping gas. Do what you gotta do 😂 https://www.sciencenewstoday.org/the-science-behind-why-walking-is-so-good-for-you TAKING ACTION: ✅ What’s your favorite strategy for getting your steps in? Let’s exchange tips today! 👟

This is the question we began discussing yesterday. I encouraged you to consider the following questions ⬇️ 👉Is it worth it if you have to take drastic measures? 👉Is it worth it if you won’t enjoy the journey at all? As I mentioned, these aren’t the only questions you need to ask yourself when determining whether or not your goal is worth it. Some other questions include ⬇️ 👉Is your mood affected negatively? Are you snappy with your friends and/or family? 👉Will you have to neglect other important areas of your life? 👉Does the process of reaching your goals go against your values or what you believe is a correct approach? You have to decide what you’re willing to do to reach your goal, but you also have to decide what you’re NOT willing to do. Both of these are important to consider before committing to anything. If you struggle with setting goals, I encourage you to read the article attached today about setting SMART nutrition goals! How to Create SMART Nutrition Goals and Stick to Them - Shape & Joy TAKING ACTION: ✅ How will asking yourself the questions above help you set more realistic goals? Share with us below!