One of the questions I get asked all the time is how do I maintain a healthy lifestyle with such a busy schedule. The truth is, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without it. Living a healthy & balanced lifestyle gives me more energy, it improves my sleep, it boosts my mood and it generally just makes me feel my best. Here are my top 4 tips for a healthy lifestyle.
1. Move your body every day
There are so many benefits - both physical and mental - that come from daily movement. The biggest thing I find is the impact it makes on my overall mood and headspace - which is the main reason I like to get up and move - particularly on the days I might be feeling off. The best thing is, there’s no right or wrong way to move, whether it’s a walk, some stretching with Power Equipment (we also have some great stretching exercises on our Claudia Dean World App), Yoga, Pilates or dancing (check out some of our App exercises here), find something you love and stick to it.
2. Jazz up your water
Staying on top of your daily water intake can be tricky, particularly if you don’t really like water (which isn’t uncommon) but there are a few things I like to do to help make sure I’m staying hydrated. First things first, I drink a big glass of water as soon as I wake up to hydrate my body immediately. Secondly, I like to jazz my water up by adding things to make it more appetising. Some of my favourite combos are: strawberry & lime, lemon, ginger and cucumber and watermelon and mint! And last but certainly not least, I never go anywhere without my trusty water bottle.
3. Nourish your body
Food is fuel and it’s so important - particularly as a dancer - not to deny yourself of any food groups (unless of course you have specific allergies). I’m a huge foodie and eating a balanced diet full of delicious and nutritious food always gives me the abundant energy I need to smash my busy days. I’m definitely the chef in my house and I love getting creative with my cooking. I also like to make a little bit extra so I can pack myself leftovers for lunch the next day (this is exactly why our Claudia Dean Bags have a chilled insulated area in them). I also think it’s also important to include ‘soul foods’, which are the delicious things that light up our souls like some chocolate after dinner, a freshly baked croissant or some Friday night pizza.
4. Prioritise your sleep
It can be so tempting to stay up late to watch one last episode on Netflix, but I need 8 hours of sleep to function at my best! Some of the things I like to do to help me wind down and ensure I get good quality sleep, is to put my phone down at 7pm (family time), I read instead of scrolling before bed and I put my phone on do not disturb!
Love CD xxx
