Hello and welcome to 4-Minute Friday where I share, in four minutes or less, the latest things I’m doing to enhance my health, save money, and make day-to-day life easier and more enjoyable.
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Now let’s get to it.
What I’m Reading:
Fiction.
Believe it or not.
I recently wrote about the power of reading self-help books for the purpose of transforming your mindset and developing new approaches to struggles during sticking points in your life.
And I’m a true believer in that.
However, I also mentioned that it’s easy to get stuck in this genre and constantly be on the search for self-improvement to a point where it can become detrimental.
It makes us less appreciative of the chapter we’re in when we take it too far.
Since I’ve been heavily invested in the self-help stratosphere for quite some time, I decided to take a step back and pick up a fiction novel that a friend recommended.
No exaggeration, I haven’t read fiction in over three years, and it came as a shock to my system.
Not only is it a completely different reading “style”, but fiction requires us to use our creative imagination to set the scene for the happenings within the book.
During the first few chapters, I struggled doing so because of losing this “muscle memory” by not having done it for so long.
Yet, it came back quickly, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much I’m enjoying reading for the sake of a good story.
Without striving to get some transformational life message out of it.
I’ve also noticed that reading fiction before bed allows me to fall asleep much faster than reading something like a David Goggin’s book which revs me up and makes me want to run through a brick wall.
If you don’t already, try out some fiction and let me know what you think!
How I’m Staying Hydrated (& saving money):
As you hopefully understand by now, electrolytes (especially sodium) are crucial in maintaining proper hydration levels.
This is especially true for those who are highly active and sweat a good deal.
As I’ve transitioned to half marathon training, I’ve been prioritizing hydration since I sweat like a pig on my long runs.
Popular electrolyte replacement solutions sold by high-quality brands such as LMNT and Liquid IV are great… yet quite expensive.
Therefore, I’ve recently turned to an ‘all-natural’ replacement.
Sea salt.
¼ teaspoon of sea salt has about ~550mg of sodium and I dose accordingly.
See my electrolyte post for more details.
Sounds crazy from the get-go but what’s in those popular electrolyte solutions that’s most important?
Sodium.
What is sea salt concentrated with?
You guessed it… sodium.
Yes, there are some other ingredients in the pre-packaged solutions such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium… but they’re often in low concentrations, and I prioritize getting them through other sources.
When I need an extra boost, I’ll even throw ~1 tbsp of honey in this concoction for some easily digestible carbohydrates (and other beneficial micronutrients) before or after a sweaty workout.
Use pink Himalayan sea salt or another mineral salt if you decide to try it as they have other trace minerals that are beneficial!
What I’m Doubling Down On:
Dedicating a couple of hours each week to meal preparation.
Especially with increased schoolwork and summer months being packed with fun social activities, I don’t want to come home each night and spend valuable time preparing a meal.
Let alone trying to think of what I should make.
Or spend boatloads of money getting takeout.
Therefore, I’m being consistent in dedicating a couple of hours on Sundays to prepare nearly every meal for the entire week.
I’ve even been cooking more food than what I think is necessary for two reasons.
I’m eating a lot more with an increase in training hours
I don’t want to get to Thursday and be out of meals and start scrambling
A couple of hours seems like a short amount of time for making so many meals but…
If you’ve used a crockpot, air fryer, and/or rice cooker… you’ll understand how this gets done.
Find some quick, easy, and healthy meals you enjoy and get after it!
Reach out if you need any recommendations . . . and/or give me some of yours!
What else?
We’ve entered August and the summer months are flying by! Prioritize outdoor activities before you have to bunker back down during the frigid months of winter.
I’ll be releasing a post next week about controlling your stress levels through tapping into the autonomic nervous system… tune in for a plethora of easily applicable strategies!
Sea Salt + Honey = the underrated electrolyte solution of the summer.
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DISCLAIMER
This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program.
Looking forward to next week's post on stress management!
So - what's the fiction book you are reading? I read a lot and find myself actually reading more fiction than self-help - probably 5 fiction to every 1 self-help. I use it to decompress and transport myself into another world - even if just temporarily. I absolutely LOVED Fourth Wing and the follow up EVEN MORE - Iron Flame. Talk about taking you into another dimension!!