Live carefree and manage your stress (:

Stress causes premature aging and is not good on your health!  Not only can you make yourself physically sick from being too stressed, but also stress does nothing for weight loss.

Some tend to eat too much when stressed while others tend to eat too little when stressed.  Neither of these habits is good for you.  

Stress also can also cause headaches, fatigue, insomnia, and if stress is not managed it can increase your chance of having a heart attack and can contribute to diabetes, weight gain, and high blood pressure. 

Find the balance in your life.  Do what makes you happy and do it often.  Find your passions and indulge them.  Make a summer bucket list and actually set out to do those things!

Take some time off for you.  Read a book, give yourself a manicure or pedicure, take a walk, cook your favorite meal, have a Netflix marathon, spend time with those you love, go for a hike, hit up the pool, or simply sit outside and enjoy the beauty of nature.   

Living a healthy life is not just about being physically healthy, but it's about taking care of your mental and emotional health as well. 

Choose to be happy. 

Some things on my Summer Bucket List so far:

Plan a float trip

Go on nature hikes through caves and cliffs at local State Parks

Go camping

Record another acoustic cover

Stay in shape

Learn how to cook more recipes

Read a more than 2 books

Spend time at the pool and the beach

Do something nice for someone

Make some crafts

Go wake boarding again 

Go boating

.

.

. 

Feel free to share any ideas for things to do this summer with everyone in the comments section! 

(=

If you're going to be on campus all day...

Pack healthy snacks or see what the best options around campus are.

 Some student centers or cafeterias have really great food options on campus.  If you are low on cash however, make a wrap or pack some snacks.

Examples of easy to make zip lock bag snacks:

• thinly sliced apple with orange and lemon squirts on the slices 
• banana with peanut butter in the middle 
• granola with raisins and coconut
• nuts (peanuts, almonds, etc.) 
• carrots or broccoli and a bit of ranch
• apples and peanut butter
• I used to do this all the time in middle school and high school
• One zip lock bag for the apple slices and one for a couple scoops of peanut butter

Other great things to pack:

• a banana
• an orange
• granola bar (Nature Valley is good or Nutrigrain) 
• a wrap

 

Orzo salad (left) and Naked smoothie drinks (right)

Shells and cheese with green beans sauteed in onions and garlic

Other great food options we have available on Mizzou's campus: sushi, salads, fruit cups, veggie salads, etc.

Pinterest has a bunch of great snack and recipe ideas which I'll be posting later on, but click here for the link to my recipes board.

^^ Note: not all the recipes and food ideas in my Recipes board are necessarily healthy and there are a lot of dessert ideas on there too, but regardless I think you guys will enjoy!