Wellness by Heather Dorak: Embracing STAY

The Tig Archives 11 / 26 / 2014

It’s no secret that Heather Dorak, owner of Pilates Platinum (with locales in Hollywood, Venice, Brentwood & Santa Monica) is a natural beauty. Just look at her. But it’s more than that. It’s an inner calm, a quiet confidence, an aura of stillness, so much so that I swear sometimes it’s like sitting with a little blonde guru. She may as well levitate. So when I asked Heather to begin contributing to The TIG, it was a no brainer to make it something larger than fitness, because what Heather understands so clearly is the importance of balance and being present – of wellness. Today she shares some tips on how to achieve that om-azing feeling when the holidays start to get the best of you. And yes, I am officially making “om-azing” a word; definition: “a zen level of amazingness?” Works for me!

FROM HEATHER:

During the holidays it is important to enjoy the time spent with friends and family, eating delicious foods, laughing, and being merry! Even while enjoying all of these wonderful and joyous activities, additional things can cross our paths that sometimes do not leave a positive impact. Instead of falling to these additions, lets remember to just STAY…stay as is, stay in a positive state of mind, body and soul. Remaining in your current well-being will be a challenge, but with these tips—I hope it can help you to just stay!

    1. STAY Active

Don’t fall into the trap of finding yourself with the excuse that “the holidays are busy” as a way to skip out on your workout. Exercise is just as important during the holidays as any other time of the year. For some of us, the weather may be cold outside, but the winter also offers additional fun. Try cross country skiing, snow shoeing, ice skating, snowboarding, or indoor activities—rock climbing, spin class, dance class—all of these can be great exercise. Grabbing a family member who is in town for the holidays can be a great bonding experience, too!

    1. STAY De-stressed

Holidays can be a very busy time. Being busy can easily lead to extra stress on your body. As much as we love our family, drama can easily spill out with so many people in one room. End of the year deadlines approach quickly, especially with holiday distractions leaving you a little behind. Holidays usually mean spending more money. Try to anticipate the sources of your stress so you can manage it ahead of time. Distract family members from clashing, figure out a budget, pick and choose the events you want to commit to, and schedule time for yourself to…

    1. STAY in Your Self-Loving Mindset

Try getting a massage or taking a nice warm bath. Set time aside to paint your nails or get a manicure, dust off some books and enjoy a some quiet time, warm up to a fire and watch a movie. Just remember you cannot take care of others and enjoy your time during the holidays if you do not take care of yourself first!

    1. STAY Hydrated

One thing to make sure you keep up on is your water intake. When in doubt, drink water. My personal favorite is an alkaline balanced water, like Essentia Water. Keeping your body full of hydrating liquids will keep its system functioning and cleansing properly. Over the holiday season, there will most likely be indulgences your body isn’t used to, and water will help flush it out. If you are traveling, water is particularly essential. Keep yourself perfectly hydrated by drinking at least 8oz for each hour of flight.

Stay Active, Stress Free, Loving and Hydrated this holiday season and you will be one step ahead of everyone else!