Tag Archives: Whole Health HQ

Sunday Game Plan: Uncomplicating Health: Simple Shifts for a More Resilient Life

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A few weeks ago, Mariana Lamar, cr eator of Whole Health HQ.  Her blog is designed to share and connect with introverts who want to achieve optimal health and wellness.  After publishing two game plans for NYC Restaurant Week and Long Island Restaurant Week, I am going to share this blog post that Mariana wrote, which highlights ways of maintaining a healthy lifestyle through awareness and shifting habits such as scrolling late at night or early in the morning instead of resting.  Thank you Mariana for contributing another article for the Sunday Game Plan. I am sure anyone who reads this will learning something from it.

Move Your Body Daily

You move more than you think — you just stopped counting it as exercise. That stretch you did getting out of bed? That counts. The walk across the parking lot because the close spots were taken? That too. Bodies don’t need perfection. They need participation. Keep your limbs in the game and your joints from stiffening. Don’t worry about tracking steps — worry about forgetting to step. Make movement part of the background, like music you forget is playing until it stops.

Prioritize Rest and Recovery

Rest is too often the first thing we trade and the last thing we protect. But sleep isn’t an accessory. It’s core maintenance. You can survive without it — people do — but the cost builds quietly. Your decisions start to wobble. Little annoyances start to feel heavier. There’s no medal for exhaustion, and nobody’s handing out trophies for burning out. Reclaim bedtime. Build a shutdown habit that doesn’t involve a screen glowing inches from your face. You don’t have to be perfect — you just need to be consistent enough that your brain knows when to quit for the day.

Connect with Others

You can do a lot on your own — but you weren’t built to go it alone. Humans regulate in pairs. We soften through conversations, even short ones. A quick check-in. A joke in a text. Shared silence on a walk. It’s not about having deep talks every day; it’s about staying tethered. You’re not bothering people — they’re waiting, too, for someone to reach out. Don’t let isolation sneak in under the disguise of “being busy.” Connection doesn’t require a big gesture — just a nudge that says, “I’m still here.”

Align Your Career and Purpose

What you do all day feeds back into how you feel — and not just when the paycheck hits. If work is draining you dry, it’s going to show up everywhere: in your body, your relationships, your sense of possibility. Sometimes the answer isn’t quitting. Sometimes it’s retraining. Shifting. Giving yourself permission to grow. For example, you might explore a healthcare administration degree — something fully online, flexible, and accredited. It won’t fix everything. But it can remind you that you’re allowed to evolve, and that your well-being includes your work, not just your weekends.

Reclaim Attention with Nature

Your nervous system knows what a tree is. Even if you don’t think of yourself as “outdoorsy,” your brain recognizes sky, leaves, shadows shifting with the wind. That recognition slows you down — not in a bad way, but in a reset way. You don’t need a trailhead; you need a window. A pause on a walk. Something real to look at that isn’t pixels. Let your eyes stretch past the screen. Let your breath catch up. Nature doesn’t demand anything of you. That’s part of why it works.

Create a Daily Structure

You already have routines — they might just be accidental. Checking your phone first thing. Skipping breakfast. Checking emails before dressing. What if you picked one piece to do on purpose? Wake up, open a window, drink water before caffeine. Something repeatable, something grounding. It doesn’t have to be a ritual with candles and affirmations. Just something that says, “I’m starting now.” When your day has edges, your mind can settle in the middle. Otherwise, it spills everywhere.

Cultivate Emotional Habits

Most people think emotions just happen to them — but the truth is, we rehearse them. Bitterness, stress, hope, appreciation — we get good at what we repeat. Gratitude doesn’t mean pretending things are fine. It means learning to hold two truths: some things are tough, and some things are still okay. Saying thank you to no one in particular. Writing down one sentence before bed. Giving yourself a break for not doing more. These aren’t tactics — they’re survival skills. You can still be angry. You can still struggle. Gratitude just gives the struggle somewhere to breathe.

Most people think they need a reset button. What they really need is a few things to stop breaking. You don’t have to start over — you just need to start smaller. Put one thing back in your own hands. A walk. A meal. A better bedtime. You won’t feel the change in a day, but you’ll feel it later when you haven’t fallen apart. That’s what health really is. Not optimization — orientation.

Discover the ultimate dining experiences with Tablespoons and Teaspoons, your go-to guide for navigating NYC and Long Island Nassau County’s vibrant restaurant weeks and replicating recipe adventures

Sunday Game Plan: Self-Care Strategies for Introverts

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A few weeks ago, I connected with Mariana Lamar, creator of Whole Health HQ.  Her blog is designed to share and connect with introverts who want to achieve optimal health and wellness.  One of the topics addressed is self-care, which is crucial, but sometimes a struggle to achieve due to busy schedule and life priorities such as parenthood.  As part of the Sunday Game Plan, I am going to share this blog post that Mariana wrote, which highlights ways and how to plan time for self-care.  Thank you Mariana for contributing your article for the Sunday Game Plan. 

Self‑Care for Introverts: Nurturing Your Body and Mind

As an introvert, caring for yourself often means going quiet, not loud. Self‑care isn’t about following the loudest trend, it’s about creating practices that feel soothing to you. You need tools that honor your need for solitude, pace, and reflection. In this article, you’ll find strategies focused on both body and mind, ones that won’t demand more social energy than you can spare. Let’s explore ways to build a self‑care regimen that doesn’t drain you — but refills you.

Prepare Healthy Meals

What you eat matters — your brain, mood, energy, and digestion all respond to food. Aim for meals rich in vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. For mood support, include foods like salmon, leafy greens, or beans — which nourish brain health while stabilizing energy. Plan meals that can be prepped once and reused, so you’re not reinventing dinner every night. Batch-cook in quiet time or use simple recipes with few ingredients. The result: consistent nourishment without decision fatigue.

Start a Solo Exercise Routine

The first step is choosing movements that don’t require a crowd or a coach — think stretching, yoga, light strength work, or gentle cardio you can do in your own space. Make it low‑stakes: 10 minutes of bodyweight moves or a few flows in the quiet of your room will do more than nothing. Over time you’ll grow confidence, noticing how your body and mind settle into more calm. And if you’re short on time, you can get steps in by walking during your lunch break or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Let your exercise be a personal invitation — not a demand or a performance.

Build a Calming Morning Ritual

Your morning sets the tone. For an introvert, that might mean waking up a little earlier or shifting your wake‑time to include five minutes of breathwork, journaling, or simply sitting in stillness. Keep it minimal — just one or two micro rituals you actually enjoy. Consistency here is more potent than grandiosity. Over time, your brain will come to expect that quiet moment and start to crave it. With that anchor in place, the rest of your day can carry less reactive energy and more intentional calm.

Cultivate Mindfulness & Inner Pause

Mental well-being is just as vital as physical. Introduce micro‑pauses throughout your day: take 30 seconds to notice your breath, feel your body, or name a feeling. Use brief guided meditations or deep breathing apps when your mind becomes too loud. These small resets help soothe the nervous system. Over time, your threshold for stress begins to shift — things that once overwhelmed you will have less grip. This buildup of calm is essential for sustaining energy in your quieter life.

Guard Solitude with Boundaries

Your alone time is your recharge time — and it must be protected. Practice saying “no” or “not right now” to social or professional invitations that would deplete you. Honor your energy limits and schedule buffer zones after any social interaction. If people around you don’t fully understand, you don’t owe them constant explanations — a short “I need some quiet time” often suffices. Over time, others may come to expect that you honor your space, which helps reduce friction. This boundary work is the backbone of self‑care for introverts.

Design a Restorative Evening Buffer

Evening time is sacred. Build a ritual you look forward to — dim lights, herbal tea, reading, or a warm bath. Avoid screens when possible; blue light and digital stimulation can delay your rest. Use the last 15 minutes before bed to slow the mind: a gratitude note, gentle stretching, or simply quiet sitting works. This buffer helps transition your system from day mode into rest mode. Over time, this transition becomes easier and your sleep quality improves.

Use Creative Expression as Quiet Therapy

Introverts often process through reflection and creation. Whether it’s journaling, drawing, crafting, poetry, or gentle music, these acts externalize what’s inside you. They’re not assignments — they’re invitations. Don’t pressure yourself to produce; just do it for the act itself. Over time, this expressive channel can help untangle heavy thoughts, refresh your mindset, and deepen your sense of self. Giving yourself permission to explore quietly is a form of care.

Self-care as an introvert doesn’t mean mimicking extroverted strategies — it means aligning practices with your inner rhythms. Start by choosing movements you enjoy, building gentle routines, and nourishing your body intentionally. Pause throughout your day, cherish your solitude, and guard it with firm boundaries. In the evening, soften the edges with restorative buffers. And don’t forget creative expression — it’s a companion to your internal world. Over time, your version of self-care becomes a concrete, sustainable map toward feeling grounded, recharged, and whole.

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