Floral Bow Maxi Dress + My Monday Health Tips

Photography by Alana Harris

Necklace: Very Allegra 

Floral Bow Maxi Dress: MISA Los Angeles

Handbag: 31 Bits 

Sandals: Chanel – look for less here & similar here 

About this floral bow maxi dress…

This summer I became a big MISA Los Angeles fan (see more posts here) and this floral bow maxi dress is no exception. I wore it to a destination wedding back in August. Not only is this dress perfect for twirling and hitting the dance floor, it also packs so well and doesn’t wrinkle. AND I decided to wear flats, which allowed me to be comfortable all night! Can we say win, win, win?! I also love this dress for the off the shoulder look, bow detail, & the navy/ivory pattern. Don’t be afraid to dress this MISA number up or down. With different accessories this dress can take you from a friend’s wedding to Sunday brunch.

Mondays…

I try to be healthy most of the times, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to indulge here and there, especially over the weekend. Whether its a slice of pizza, an extra glass of red wine, or some dessert, I enjoy and don’t drive myself crazy. Don’t get me wrong, this hasn’t always been the case. In the past, I would indulge and then come Monday restrict myself from even healthy food and feel guilty all day long. However, this is just setting me up for another weekend “binge.” Also, I have realized that this feeling of guilt takes away from me being present in certain aspects of my life. It also is a huge distraction from actually getting things done.

My Monday Tips…

Now, I have started to try and be mindful and love myself no matter what happened the weekend before. I look at Mondays as a new week and forget about the piece of cake I may have eaten. I remember that at the moment it was delicious but it isn’t going to derail my hard workouts & healthy lifestyle. I am not going to throw in the towel & continue to eat poorly because I may have overindulged.  I can balance it out with being healthy, not restrictive. This concept is big in the book, Body Love, and I highly recommend it. I talk more about the book here.

On Mondays I like to….

1. Wake up early, drink a full bottle of water before my morning matcha. 
2. Get a good sweaty workout in, usually a run, spin class, or HIIT workout. I don’t look at the workout as punishment but celebrating that my body can do it! 
3. Drink more water & make a healthy smoothie – recipe here.
4. Get to work. Focus on a to-do list & get it done. 
5. Grocery shop/meal plan. I like to fill my fridge with healthy food for the week. 
6. Salad for lunch with more water. 
7. Journal – if any of those “guilty” feelings come up I like to put them into writing which allows me to see a new perspective and usually makes me feel a lot better. 
8. Make a homemade healthy dinner for the hubs and I. 
9. Do a face mask – self-love time! 
10. Get in bed early – sleep is just as important as working out & eating healthy.

By focusing on these on a Monday, they help me start the week off on the right foot & I continue them throughout the week. Then when it comes to a weeknight dinner out or weekend brunch, I enjoy my glass of wine or dessert sans the guilt knowing I have the tools to balance it out.