Copper Fit Wellness Challenge Part II

ann marie mullen

Are you keeping up with us? We sure hope so! We’re already halfway through the week, can you believe it? How does it feel to have accomplished so many challenges thus far? Can’t quit now, right? In case you’re new and completely lost, we’re referring to the Copper Fit Wellness Challenge—originally posted on our Instagram page. If you haven’t already, start today and tag us to be featured on our stories!

Now that that’s settled, let’s talk business.

Day 4: Eat mindfully for every meal.

Don’t freak out, just yet! We’re not asking you give up your favorite ice cream or swap that delicious macchiato for a black coffee—no, we’re simply suggesting picking a side salad instead of the fries for lunch (just for today… and maybe again in a few days, and again a few after that, until it eventually becomes a habit). But only because we care! Fried foods, sugary foods, carbs—they’re all delicious, we know, and we taste it too. However, we also know that the key to a happy life (or at least one of the keys) is a balanced life, and therefore, a balanced diet.

Eating mindfully can have many benefits, including improved digestion, weight management, and enhanced satisfaction and enjoyment. Eating mindfully means paying attention to your food and eating it slowly while savoring every single bite. Better digestion can also support weight management because it prevents overeating due to distraction or emotional stress. Eating mindfully allows you to have greater awareness of hunger and fullness cues as well, which in return also helps you develop a healthy relationship with food.

Improved digestion can also lead to balanced emotions, especially around food. As you mindfully eat, you explore emotional aspects of your relationship with food and begin to observe and understand your sources of comfort. The mind-body connection that benefits from mindful eating also helps you have a deeper understanding of your body’s needs and therefore, helps you make well-informed choices that support your mental and physical well-being. Lastly, eating mindfully can result in an increased sense of gratitude and appreciation. Making the time to acknowledge the effort, resources, and care that went into the food preparation can foster a deeper sense of gratitude for your food—which can help avoid binge eating and/or other harmful habits.

Day 5: Explore a new form of exercise.

Making the time to exercise at all already sets you up for success. Nevertheless, things can become redundant after a while, and even work against you rather than for you. Changing things up, consequently, might not be a bad idea! Exploring a new form of exercise can have plenty of benefits, such as: enhanced physical fitness, increased motivation and enjoyment, and a balanced and well-rounded fitness.

Sticking to the same form of exercise can start feeling like a chore, which is counterproductive at the very least. Incorporating a new yoga or Zumba class, or a different form of strength training, can do a lot better for you than beating the dead horse of repetitive routine. Trying a new form of exercise can introduce your body to novel movements and challenges that can accordingly help improve your cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility.

Exploring a new form of exercise can also prevent injury and reduce plateau effects. Repeating the same physical activity for a long time without additional stimulation can lead to plateau effects, where progress slows down or stalls. Trying a new form of exercise can introduce variety and help prevent overuse injuries by reducing strain on specific muscles and joints. More importantly, a new form of exercise can introduce fun and adventure to your routine; it can be an opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, experience new environments, and challenge yourself in novel ways. And, whatever new exercise you decide to try, we’re here to support you (literally)! Our elbow sleeves, knee sleeves, compression socks, and even compression gloves were all designed to help you live your best life.

Day 6: Spend a few hours outdoors.

We’ve all heard it before: Sunlight is good for you; you need to get some Vitamin D. And thus, we understand time spent outdoors is great for our health. But did you know that there are many more benefits to spending a few hours in the sun? Spending a few hours outdoors can improve not only your mood, but also your mental health. Being in nature, especially, has been linked to improved mood, reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increased overall mental health. Your physical well-being can also benefit from time outdoors. Outside activities can easily involve physical movement which, in turn, provides an opportunity to improve cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, and overall fitness levels. If you’ve been wanting to become more active but didn’t know how, put on some moisture-wicking Energy Compression Multicolor Socks and go for a walk around your neighborhood—you won’t regret it!

Outdoor activities can also help with stress reduction and improve cognitive function and attention. Because of nature’s soothing effect on the mind and body, being outdoors can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and promote relaxation. If you’ve had a long day at work, one of the best actions you can take is put on some sneakers and go for a walk in the park or grab your favorite book and enjoy the last hours of sunlight under your favorite tree.

Additionally, spending a few hours outdoors can also increase your creativity and inspiration. It can spark new ideas, solve problems you’ve been stuck on for days, and promote innovative thinking. Whatever your case may be, avoiding yet another set of four walls when you get out of the office can only benefit you and bring you joy!

Day 7: Take the day off for self-care.

We hope that, by now, everyone is aware of how dangerous burnout can be. Burn out can lead to dangerous situations like falling asleep at the wheel, dysfunctional thinking, and imbalanced emotions. The best way to avoid any scenario where your well-being is in peril is to check in with yourself. Every so often, make the time to take care of you. Taking a spontaneous day off for self-care is a great way to avoid burnout. A day of self-care can rest and rejuvenate you, reduce your stress, and increase your productivity and focus. If you’re worried about that big project at work, at times, the best thing you can do is step back and rest; let the ideas and answers come to you. Prioritizing self-care ensures that you are operating at your best.

Self-care also ensures that you prioritize your emotional well-being and as a result, can witness improved self-awareness, increased emotional resilience, and a better overall outlook on life. Taking a day off for self-care can provide an opportunity for self-reflection as well. Through self-reflection you can become aware of what is no longer serving you and needs to be left behind, leaving space for more things, places, and people that make you happy.

And with that, we conclude our Copper Fit Wellness Challenge, but we now challenge you to make turn these tasks into a habit. Prioritize yourself, your mental health, and your physical wellbeing! Don't wait for the next challenge, start today!