Madeleine’s Top 5 Wellness Habits for a Happier and Healthier You
Instagram @move.with.madeleine
Introducing Madeleine: she is a fitness and pilates instructor currently living in London, who grew up in America. She loves all things wellness, and has used movement and nutrition to heal her own body after struggling with health issues her 20s.
Q: What does Wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness is built of 3 pillars: body, mind, and heart - Only when you’re taking care of each of the pillars are you truly ‘well’.
Q: How do you define happiness and health?
Happiness and health is all about living in authenticity. Building the confidence to truly be yourself, living your life to the fullest, not allowing anything to hold you back. Your health goals should always add to your life and experiences, never subtract from it.
5 Habits:
1: Focusing on whole foods
I’m definitely a high-protein girlie but I caused a lot of inflammation and bloating from eating highly processed foods just because they were labelled “high protein”. A lot of us fall into this trap of just grabbing a protein bar on the go, but those 12 grams of protein are usually outweighed by sweeteners, and a bunch of other ingredients that your body hates.
I’m gluten and dairy free due to intolerances (highly recommend getting your tests done! I found out I’m also intolerant to egg yolk and yeast which I never would have guessed) but found the best thing for my body is to get as much protein and nutrients from actual food rather than bars or shakes - It requires a bit more planning, but I really love my grocery trips and time in the kitchen creating colourful, nutrient-dense meals.
I treat it now as part of my self-care, and have a few meals on repeat to take the stress out of it. My body is more satiated, much less bloated, my skin has cleared up, and my sugar cravings have decreased.
2: Daily movement
As a fitness instructor, exercise is a big part of my life. However, I treat it as something I get to do rather than something I have to do. I don’t have a workout split these days, but usually I’ll do half pilates, half strength training, and a long walk or short run every week. Each day looks different depending on my energy, schedule, cycle, and mood, but some form of movement is non-negotiable. I know that my anxiety decreases, energy and mood are boosted, my mind feels clearer and I always feel more inspired after moving my body. When I’m feeling demotivated, I don’t force myself to the gym, but I will put on some tunes and follow a 30 minute pilates or strength online class at home. I find strength training really cathartic in a way that proves to myself that I am strong and capable of doing hard things. Especially as women it can feel so empowering to lift something heavy. Pilates is a total mind-body connection that feels meditative (while getting that burn!) by connecting breath to movement, feeling my deep core muscles working, focusing on my alignment and length in my body. I lean into whatever my body is needing on a given day.
3: Daily mindfulness
I’ll be the first to say I’m not perfect with a meditation or journaling practice. It’s something I really feel the benefits of when I am consistent, and it’s a big goal for myself this year. I love 5 minutes of journaling in the morning, even if it’s just a mind-dump on a page or planning my day. I’ve been using the Raise 100 Day Planner this year and I love that it breaks down your schedule, your goals, priorities, and what you’re grateful for. It’s been a super easy way to add in a bit of mindfulness and reflection without putting aside too much time. When I do have more time in my morning or evening, I also use the To Be Magnetic guided meditations, which are incredible for unblocking limiting beliefs and helping you manifest.
4: Cycle syncing
Cycle syncing has totally changed my life and I can’t stop taking about it to every woman in my life. In the Flo by Alissa Vitti is like my bible. I spent years struggling with irregular periods, high cortisol, puffiness, irritability, and so many other hormonal issues. I now use cycle syncing to work with my body instead of against it, and my overall health has drastically improved. I switch up my workouts and meals depending on where I’m at in my cycle and have found it not only really beneficial physically, but I also feel so much more connected to my body and femininity now. I love that I’m nourishing my body during its different phases and treating it with respect rather than dragging myself to a HIIT workout or fasting and wondering why I’m so stressed all the time. Once I learned more about my cycle and started living this way, it became like second nature.
5: Lymphatic drainage
Partially due to my hormonal issues and puffiness/bloating, I started getting lymphatic drainage massages. And let me tell you - game changer. I literally can’t live without it now. I see an amazing woman who is now a close friend called Body Sculpting by Zal in London, and my results are insane. My body still holds quite a lot of water retention, especially when I’m stressed, and I find the massages help like nothing else does. Besides getting the massages, I also support my lymphatic system at home by opening my major lymph nodes every morning (only takes 3 min) by gently pumping each area, taking deep breaths, and then jumping up and down lightly. I do this before any sort of gua sha, dry brushing or self-massage, and it really helps your body drain and detox. I can see such a difference in my face from doing this consistently. I also find it meditative and a form of self-care to take slow deep breaths, and connect to my body every morning in this way. I also love to do it in the evening before bed and lay with my legs up the wall for 10 min to help with any swelling in my legs.
Extras:
Q: How does Madeleine prioritise her wellness habits while having a busy schedule?
I’m not a meal-prepper but I do always prep a high protein breakfast the night before to set myself up for success in the morning. I also habit stack, so for instance I know I’ll have an herbal tea in the morning, so while the kettle is boiling, I’ll do my lymphatic routine. While I’m drinking my tea, I’ll do my journal. Sometimes I even listen to a meditation while doing my face massage. I also try to slow down in general, give myself more time (about an hour or so) in the morning, and plan out my day the night before so I know what I can realistically fit in.
Q: Are there any ‘non-negotiable’ habits Madeleine recommends, even on the busiest days?
High protein breakfast before coffee
Some form of movement, even a 15 min walk or stretching in your living room
7-9 hours of sleep – Prioritising your rest & recovery is as important, if not more important, than your exercise routine. I think sleep is probably the most underrated wellness tool. When you’re not sleeping enough, you’ll have more sugar cravings, be less motivated to exercise and eat well, be more irritable, your digestion slows, etc. So if you can prioritise a good sleep routine it really sets you up to make everything else easier.
Q: What advice would you give people to stay consistent? or for someone struggling to incorporate these habits?
Start by adding one thing for a week. Pick something realistic, and slowly build up a routine that you can stick to. The worst mistake people make is setting unrealistic goals and setting themselves up for failure.
If you can start small- let’s say just the 15 minutes of movement a day. If you can do that for a week, after that week it will start to feel like a habit. You’re learning to trust that you can stick to a goal. Then the next week you keep doing your daily movement, and now maybe you add a 5 min journal to plan your day in the morning with your coffee, then that becomes a new habit after a week. I think we have to build things up this way so they become second-nature. When I first started having a high protein breakfast before coffee, it felt weird. But after a week or two, my body woke up hungry and expecting it, and it is a non-negotiable for me now.
Finding a friend who is aligned with your goals makes life a lot easier as well. If you have a gym buddy, or even just a friend or partner who supports you and is on a similar journey who helps motivate you and cheer you on, it can make the world of difference. Surround yourself with people who are making healthy choices, living the live you want to live.
I also think people need to give themselves more grace and realise that you don’t need a 5am 20-step morning routine or 75 hard challenge to see results to feel better in your mind and body. It’s the small things you do every day, the way you speak to yourself, the way you rest and recover, the little changes you make in your diet, that add up to make the biggest difference. When you skip a workout or lose a step, don’t stress about it. You do your best, and wake up the next day fresh with healthy intentions. Never punish yourself or feel guilty about being human, and remember life is for living.