Let’s be honest: trying to live a healthier lifestyle can seem intimidating due to how social media has overly romanticized wellness. We’ve all seen the TikToks of influencers with perfect morning routines that start at 5 a.m., health challenges such as the 75 Hard that prioritize discipline and perfection over what’s actually healthy and sustainable, and trends that blur the line between wellness and self punishment. But hear me out — it doesn’t have to be as complicated or difficult as social media makes it out to be.
You don’t need expensive gym memberships, a crazy amount of time, or extreme self control to become the best version of yourself. You also don’t need to dramatically change your lifestyle, either. The best way to start practicing wellness is by picking up on small habits that are good for you and sustainable. If you’re looking for ways to become the happiest, healthiest and hottest version of yourself, here’s a wellness girlie’s guide to Houston!
go on a hot girl walk
PSA: You don’t have to hit the gym and have a two hour workout every day to be healthy. Something as simple as taking a hot girl walk can do wonders for both your mental and physical health. Not only is taking a walk good for you, it’s also incredibly easy and low effort. All you have to do is put on your favorite playlist, lace up your running shoes, and take a walk around your neighborhood or campus. However if you’re down for the drive, here are some options for you:
- Memorial Park
- Buffalo Bayou
- Stude Park
Alternatively, you can always pick out a cute neighborhood or area of the city to explore and wander around in. I’d highly suggest Montrose or Rice Village.
Unlock your inner pilates princess
If you’re more of a pilates princess, you’re in luck — Houston has a variety of studios to take classes in. Like walking, doing pilates is a great low impact way to move your body. Not only does doing pilates improve your flexibility, mobility and balance; it also helps you be more mindful and creates a mind-body connection. If you want to take a pilates class, you can check out these studios:
A downside of taking classes in a studio is that they can be expensive and hard to take on a college student budget, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying pilates! POST Houston has free monthly pilates classes, as well as Discovery Green.Â
join a run club
Run clubs are kind of having a moment—and for good reason. There are so many benefits to joining one; not only is it a fun way to stay active and get a workout in, it’s also a great way to meet new people and make friends! I joined one last year, and even though I was initially nervous because it had been a while since I last ran and felt out of shape, it ended up being something I really enjoyed. Some popular Houston run clubs include:
Typically, run clubs tend to meet weekly on a specific day at different spots around Houston. This varies for each club, so if you’re interested in joining one, I’d recommend checking out their social media page for details about club meetings.
NOURISH YOUR BODY
In addition to moving your body and staying active, eating healthy plays an equally major part in staying well! Houston has a variety of restaurants that offer healthy and nutritious options to refuel and nourish your body. These spots are perfect for a post run smoothie run, brunch with the girls, or even just your lunch break. Some spots to check out include:
At the end of the day, being healthy shouldn’t be about losing weight, being disciplined to an extreme, or meeting an unhealthy expectation; it should be about doing what makes you feel good, inside and out. Hopefully this list gave you ideas of small steps to take to enter your wellness girlie era! Stay happy, hot and healthy!