Toxic by LisaKimberly on flickr

In Vegas, we eat crappy food (McDonalds chicken nuggets, fried foods, no veggies), and some very rich meals (dinner at Mon Ami Gabi). We drink quite a bit of alcohol and sit in smoky casinos and bars. We spend a lot of time walking, but not necessarily in the best walking shoes. We gamble our hard earned money (that we’ve saved, of course – we’re not irresponsible). We use the ultra drying soap in the shower, and sometimes we use it on our face to take our makeup off. We forget our vitamins, have coffee (or Coke) followed by Bloody Marys for breakfast. We stay up way too late and don’t get enough sleep. When we get home from this trip, we’re exhausted, bloated, dehydrated; our ears ring, our eyes are dry, our throats are sore, our lips crack, our feet are blistered and everything needs a good wash.

This week’s investment is time and effort.  It’s a good time to detox – to get hydrated, to stuff ourselves with delicious fruits and veggies.  It’s a good time to clear the fuzziness out of our brains by reading engaging books and spending a lot of time in thoughtful reflection.  It’s the time to drink lots of tea – green tea in general, but black tea instead of coffee.  It’s the time to pay extra attention to ravaged skin – moisturizing, cleansing, and nourishing with our product regimen, and our diets.  It’s the perfect time to drink up on water and cut down on salts.  We should be saving instead of spending.  We need rest, rejuvenation, and relaxation, but we also need to work our stiff limbs, and get back to our fighting weight.  We need to work out all the toxins, and stuff ourselves full of good things.

It’s the perfect time for me, having just come back from Vegas; it’s also a good reminder to everyone who may feel like they’re slipping a little on their resolutions.  Take the next couple weeks to really focus on bringing your mind and body to their prime.

Some suggestions:

◊ meditate ◊ buy new insoles and cushion your feet ◊ go meatless for a week ◊ keep a water bottle with you for hydration ◊ put a post-it on your mirror to remind you to take your vitamins ◊ floss (dental health is important!) ◊ set your bed-time earlier this week ◊ in conjunction with an earlier bed-time, set your alarm early enough to head the the gym before work ◊ set your beauty regimen out where you can see it, so you remember to use it ◊ pick up a book on an interesting subject and carve out time to read it ◊ make a meal plan this week and keep good-for-you snacks on hand (less temptation towards fast food) ◊ sit up straight ◊ stock a desk drawer with delicious teas

If you can think of any other great tips, post them below!!

P.S. If you’re doing Gala’s Radical Self Love challenge – this is the perfect way to work on some self love.