Additive Wellness: 10 Things to Add to Your Routine to Crowd Out the Negative

Additive Wellness: 10 Things to Add to Your Routine to Crowd Out the Negative

Last year I was writing an article about wellness for The Inspired Home’s magazine, struggling to find a way to bring a new perspective to readers. While an entire spread sounds like a lot of space, it’s often not enough to introduce a new take, but still too much space for a simple, easy to digest fluff piece.

At the time, I was feeling inundated with wellness negativity. So much ‘new diet trend’ information, all of which seemed to cut vast swaths of food groups from what was acceptable. Despite my personal minimalist tendencies (clutter in physical, digital and mental forms stresses me out), it seemed like what the wellness space really needed was positivity and permission to add rather than the dramatics of a diet. So that’s the direction that magazine article went.

Recently, I was speaking at Flowerstock which is a weekend conference for flower enthusiasts here in Virginia that my friend Holly produces. Chris and I decided, really, this additive wellness concept would be perfect here too. Since the attendees are busy, self employed, stressed out people who focus on others…it’s needed.

We figured really this might be something you needed to hear too.

Adding is better. Adding shifts your mindset in a positive frame in a way that brings health, happiness (in whatever that means to you) and in turn, naturally crowds out the negative habits and parts of your life.

But what would a wellness article be without a caveat? Is adding walking but continuing to ignore your eating habits that make you feel bad going to help you lose weight if that’s your standard for wellness? No. But this isn’t a weight loss article. Wellness and weight loss are not the same. And while weight loss can be beneficial for health, the constant state of trying to lose weight is not.

wellness isn’t JUST about what you restrict.

While this post contains 10 things that the majority of people can add for benefit, we each have our own particularities that need to be addressed. Take five minutes and write down the following:

Make it Personal

1. List what makes you feel you at your best.

2. List what causes you to feel your worst.

Ask yourself: How can you add more of the things from the ‘best’ list to your life? How can you work to make sure the ‘you at your worst’ situations are reduced?Look at the lists, figure out what can bring you to tipping the scales to being your best self. 

This list is personal and will look different for everyone. My list includes needing time to read, needing time outdoors and avoiding notifications on my phone. Once you’ve got your list, here are 10 additional wellness items you can add that are beneficial for almost everyone.

10 Wellness Additions

1. Add fuel:

   Fuel your work and activities. Whether you’re running errands all day, or you’re doing a lot of physical work packing and unpacking flowers, plan ahead snacks and meals that ‘solve’ the problem of not having the mental space to figure out how to feed yourself nutritious foods. Have snacks on hand in your office or in the car that keep well (think dried fruit, snack bars etc). Make sure you’re replenishing these snacks. In terms of meals, figure out a way to have food delivered (be it a rotisserie chicken and pre-chopped veggies from a grocery delivery or Uber eats). There are even several individual restaurant based apps (Cava for example) that you can set up pick up times so you can swing by for your order. By adding fuel to daily activities without having to think about it, you’re ensuring better decisions and avoiding coming home to eat whatever’s easiest (like a bag of chips).

2. Add walking: 

   Movement matters. We sit too much and for many people it’s part of your 9-5. Instead of focusing on beating yourself up over screen time or the fact you keep skipping that workout class you hate, just figure out how to add more walking first. Park far away. Get off a Metro stop earlier. To make it tempting, call a friend to chat at the same time or download a great podcast. You may find that by adding in walking, you’re crowding out the ‘unnecessary’ screen time you do in your off-time or you simply realize you’re feeling better moving more.

3. Add leafy greens somewhere: 

   Please note the absence of the phrase “eat less of your favorite food”. Have the pizza but add a leafy green somewhere in the day too. If you want to go all in, you can do what we do: ‘salad pizza’. Make pizza, add salad on top or cut up said pizza and use it as a salad topping. You can easily throw spinach in a smoothie, pasta, grain side or sandwich. Greens are nutrient dense and low in calories while still increasing satiety if they’re fiber rich.

4. Add veggies in interesting shapes: 

   Same deal as above. From a dietitian perspective veggies are nutrient dense and filling. To be honest, I don’t think anyone actually likes steamed broccoli florets. But if you take a produce item and spiralize it, grate it, chiffonade it, cut it into half moons, or cubes or strips… it makes eating texturally fun. It works in kids and adults. Use all those gadgets you bought, be it a mandolin, food processor or whatever. Easiest meal hack ever: rotisserie chicken plus fun chopped veg and a bottled dressing.

5. Add water:

   Most of us are mere shriveled raisins of humans lurching from coffee to wine with nothing in between. Just drink some water. We all know we’re dehydrated. Buy a water bottle you love and one you’re either willing to hand wash or can throw in the dishwasher.

6. Add FLAVOR: 

   Eating dry salad does not make you a martyr. Fresh herbs and citrus completely change a dish. So does a little bold feta, a pinch of flaky salt, umami seasoning and even bacon. A few chopped lardons will make a dish of brussels sprouts disappear.

7. Add fruit on the counter: 

   We eat what we see. That’s why a candy dish in the office needs to be constantly refilled. Add the fruit of your choice on the counter and make snacking easy. 

8. Add nature indoors: 

   Adding some nature indoors has a lot of health benefits. Studies abound on why forest bathing works and why a nice house plant can help with air quality. By adding the nature, let it remove something that stresses you out in your home. From branches to pinecones, live plants to dried grass, there’s something about bringing nature in that soothes the soul.

9. Add a self care habit:

   Wellness has many forms. Be it acupuncture, massage or even a magazine subscription you will actually sit down to read- schedule a self care habit in and treat it like an appointment. Know that if you’re struggling with something in particular there may be something to support your efforts that might be new to you: adaptogens, CBD, a counseling app, massage, acupuncture, etc.

10. Add people you care about to your life:

    There are some real bummers for people out there but once you find YOUR people, never let them go. Call them. Visit them. Connect over more than a text (studies show texting doesn’t have the same brain chemical benefits). Make time for them and boost your mood at the same time. Know when to ask for support from these people because as “good as you think you are” at doing it all you need help. So ask for it. 

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The most important thing is this: no one is asking you to do it all.

I’m all about letting go of what doesn’t work for your life. But wellness just isn’t about restriction. You’re allowed to add to your life for the better.