How Caroline Is Finding Time For A Wellness Routine

I've been athletic most of my life and was very active with my two dogs, Plum and Raisin. But as they were getting older and had health issues, the paddle boarding and hiking I did with them came to a grinding halt. And I think, if I'm being honest, I got depressed... I was really mourning the quality time spent with them that gave me a break from work, both mentally and physically. They passed away at the end of 2018 and I just didn't feel like doing the things I enjoyed with them because the memories were too painful. There were a solid few months when I didn't do anything and found myself disconnected from my body. 

But that turned around last May, when we got our new puppy, Nala. We started taking long beach walks and hiking again and that feeling of moving my body was so good! But, I'm not going to lie, being in my mid-40s, that alone doesn't cut it.

I personally don't love working out with a lot of people, so the gym has never been my thing. After I got back from Paris in early March, I committed to private pilates classes with Colleen at Atwill Pilates. The stretching felt amazing and I started to feel stronger within weeks. Plus, she's the nicest person to be around and we found solace together during lockdown. Now that I'm on the East Coast and not able to have sessions with Colleen, I started researching online classes. Nothing really grabbed my interest until I found @isaacboots Torch'd workout. His personality alone gets me to log on each day. It's a hard, all over workout and I can do it in the living room. I've been tuning in since mid June and I feel like it's been a lifesaver. I'm more focused and calm because I know I have this hour to myself each day. It's free and you don't really need anything more than a towel or mat and although I now wear arm and leg weights, it's hard enough without. 

Being that I'm on the East coast right now, and the class is at 11am, I've already had my breakfast earlier and started my work day. So, when the class is over, I'm not quite ready for lunch but need something before jumping back into work. My go-to is a fruit smoothie with strawberries, blueberries and my favorite Sex Dust, which you've seen me post a lot about over the months (it's great for hormones, ladies).

The workouts are a mix of dance conditioning and intense targeted repetition (I'm talking dozens of leg lifts and planks), which even after two months of taking his class, leaves my muscles feeling tired and sore, so a nice hot bath is always welcome. And lately, I've been adding a new discovery that's the ultimate self care indulgence. It's the fortifying magnesium soak by Nature of Things which is infused with magnesium chloride to ease tension and soreness, papaya enzyme to combat inflammation and French green clay to detoxify the skin and draw out impurities. It also has CBD and helps me fall asleep. 

If I'm feeling particularly sore from working out or sitting at my desk for too long, I'll take some extra time post-bath to apply Nature of Things body balm to all the sore spots especially my neck and shoulders. It has cooling ingredients with arnica, ginger and turmeric. I absolutely love it and as a bonus have discovered that it you put it on mosquito bites, they stop itching. And, I've been getting my share of bites lately.

It takes commitment to carve out time for a wellness routine and not every day looks the same – sometimes it's an evening walk with Nala and Jeffrey, and others it's an Isaac Boots workout and a soak in the tub. But at the end of the day I'm always so glad that I did something to get my body moving. We all go through twists and turns in life, and get caught in ruts, and getting back on track can be the hardest part. But if I'm doing something that brings me joy (even if my muscles are burning), it's much easier to stay focused and positive in all areas of my life. And now is as good a time as I can think of to find something that elevates my mood, gives my day some structure and helps me on the quest for wellness.

Would love to hear what you've discovered over the last few months to bring structure and a sense of wellbeing. 

Sending lots of love,