6 Things To Add or Ditch For Good In 2024
Plus A New Resource For Ditching The Toxins For Good
We’re 22 days into the new year and by now the majority of people have already dropped their resolutions. Everyone starts really strong and then once they drop the ball they give up on their goals and themselves and that’s it… and the reality is you can start anytime. You don’t have to wait until a Monday or the 1st of the month (or the year) to start a new habit or goal. To be totally honest, there are a few things I wanted to start doing this year and I haven’t even begun yet (ugh!) but I’m working on starting those ASAP and even started one of them a few days ago. The list below isn’t meant to overwhelm you at all but to give you some ideas of a few healthy lifestyle changes that you can easily implement and that can change your year and life if you keep up with them.
UPDATE: this was first titled THINGS YOU CAN DITCH in 2024 because when I initially started writing this it was all about things to DITCH but then it morphed into things you can do in the new year and here we are. I updated the title and graphic which is why you’re seeing this little update.
Vote with your dollars!
This is an obvious one but in all reality this will encompass the entire list below. I almost had it listed at the bottom because it really sums everything up but in choosing to list it first I hope it shows you the importance of everything in this blog. When you vote with your dollars you influence the industry. Think about it… when companies stop making a specific product, it’s often due to low sales. If everyone were to stop buying Cheerios or going to McDonalds and giving them their money that would show them that sales are down. If everyone chose to spend their money on organic produce or grass-fed meats etc., we could make an impact by showing that it’s important to us as consumers. Consumers influence businesses! Remember that we are the consumers and we have a lot of power (more than you think) to support or reject products, services, and companies by choosing where to spend our hard earned money!
Prioritize Protein
You should be starting your day with protein. A protein-rich breakfast can even help keep you full and satisfied and provide you with energy throughout the morning. Choose eggs or leftover meat from dinner last night. News Flash! You can eat any kind of food for breakfast (salad, leftovers, etc.) it doesn’t have to be a traditional breakfast food (eggs, bacon, waffles etc.). If you’re on the go and choose a smoothie for breakfast you should be adding protein to the blender, too otherwise you’re making a “sugar-bomb.” Adding protein, healthy fats, greens and fiber will help keep you stay satisfied for longer. My favorite protein powder is from Be Well By Kelly. I love that it only has 3 ingredients, is high in protein, has 0-1g carb and 0g sugar. They even have a plant-based option, too. My favorite ways to consume this protein powder are: 1) a 1/2 scoop in my coffee 2) mixed with peanut butter (creates a cookie dough like treat), 3) mixed into pancakes or chia seed pudding for my son 4) smoothies and even 5) cookies! click here for that recipe. To order, click here and use code KRYSTENSKITCHEN at checkout.
Ditch The Toxins
This is key and I know you’re probably like WHERE DO I START, KRYSTEN? Oh I’m so glad you asked because I have an awesome, life-changing guide/resource that will be ready for you in the next 2 months. I’m working on it every day to get it out to you sooner but my goal is to share more about it in the next week and give you the resources and tools you need to ditch the toxins in your home! We will take a deep dive together and uncover what you need to look for and why ditching the toxins actually matters when it comes to your health and wellness. If you want more information as soon as it’s released click here!
Drink More Water & Add Electrolytes
Hydration is super important for optimal health and it’s no secret that most people in America don’t eat well, so there’s a really great chance (unfortunately) that they also aren’t drinking enough water. If you’re thirsty, then you’re already a bit dehydrated. The best thing to do is to drink enough water throughout the day rather than wait until you become thirsty. Dehydration can be the cause of so many issues. If you’re not taking any electrolytes then that’s something you can easily add to your routine. Electrolytes can combat dehydration: when we sweat, our body’s natural electrolytes deplete. Replenishing our electrolytes helps restore the necessary balance and prevents dehydration. Whether you’re working out, working in the yard, at the beach or even if you’ve lost fluids in your body from diarrhea or throwing up, you need to replenish! Most people turn to Gatorade or Pedialyte because they are conventional products that even athletes and doctors promote, but a problem with them is the high amounts of sugar and artificial food coloring. These are my favorite electrolytes. You can use this link here to get a free variety pack with your first purchase - you can even simply purchase a 12pack variety pack and get a free variety pack (I believe that comes with other flavors) Just click HERE and scroll down to the bottom. Click on VARIETY PACK and then order. This way you don’t have to spend a lot on a big box to give it a try and you still get the free variety pack, too! I honestly love all the flavors. We drink the chocolate, caramel chocolate and mint or raspberry chocolate the most (hot)!
Daily Movement
Finding it hard to add in a workout? Try waking up early or taking a midday or afternoon walk. Even 30 minutes makes such a difference when it comes to your health. We typically get in a 35 min cardio and strength training workout in the morning before our kiddo wakes up and then we spend the rest of the day chasing our toddler around so we’re moving throughout the day. I also have a stand-up desk with a treadmill underneath it. This is the one I have (and really love) so if you work from home (or even at the office-if they allow it) grab a treadmill for your desk. You don’t have to be walking fast to get in steps/movement but sitting constantly at your desk is the new smoking. If you’re unable to make a treadmill work, make sure you’re getting up at least every 60-90 minutes for 5-15 minutes to stand up, stretch and/or walk around.
Read Ingredients / Read Labels (even on furniture!)
Going along with ditching the toxins, you should get into the habit of reading labels and knowing where things are made, what materials are used and what the ingredient list says. I’ll teach you more when my guide comes out (very soon!) but start getting into the habit of paying attention to the details. Your pickles and dressings don’t need food coloring. Your dairy-free milk doesn’t need seed oils. This is why you need to check ingredients.
Also … not food related but I have been looking for a bookshelf for my son that was made with good-quality, toxin-free materials, made in the USA and that wasn’t too expensive. Spoiler alert: the first two don’t exist without a price tag and I’m fully aware of that. Most of the bookshelves I found were either wrong, not what I wanted, didn’t disclose materials used AND/OR weren’t made in the good old USA. This is where I VOTED WITH MY DOLLARS. I chose to support a small business that is doing GOOD and that cares about the materials they use for their customers! I finally found an awesome bookshelf, made in the USA, free from formaldehyde, fire retardant, lead, BPA, PVC, Phthalates, Formadine, and Cadmium! I only want the best for my son (as we all do for our loved ones) and so the price tag was honestly totally great and worth it because it was even comparable to so many other options I saw but that didn’t check all the boxes. I know many of you will ask what I ended up buying… I found RAD Children’s Furniture and reached out to them to get you a discount code for 10% off! This is our bookshelf and a link here to their amazing line of furniture. You can use code KRYSTEN10 for a discount on your purchases. This bookshelf has been a game-changer for so many reasons! My son loves reading books and this bookshelf allows hi to make independent decisions about which books to read. The design encourages independence, decision-making skills, and fosters a love for reading from an early age and makes it easy for him to put books back on the shelf.
Also, I just replaced all of our dishes. I was thinking it would cost a lot more than it did but surprisingly I spent less than $180 to get all new dishes. Why did I get new dishes? The dishes I was using were scratching and weren’t great quality to begin with. I loved the look of my dishes, especially for food photography (did you know I have 2 cookbooks?) but when I bought them years ago I wasn’t thinking about materials used! Here are the dishes that I ended up buying and I LOVE them! They are from Mora Ceramics and they are lead and cadmium free, (using lead-free glaze) both of which are heavy metals that can be dangerous when used in food-grade products! (They have more colors than just this)
