By Kyra Hollowell Morris, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional & Founder of Morris Financial Concepts on her wellness journey.

Our Morris Financial Concepts team is always looking for ways to live life to the fullest. Recently, Kyra spent 4 weeks venturing into the Wellness world, trying new recipes, lifestyle changes, and fresh meal ideas to reinvigorate her new normal routine.

COVID-19 and its necessary home quarantine hit during the middle of tax season, an extraordinarily busy time for all of us  CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals in Charleston. With all of the intense things going on in the world, it really felt like a scene out of the show Twilight Zone. Until April 15th, I focused on tax returns and did very little else. The Quarantine 15 added poundage was seizing my middle section and an overall sense of depression became my companion. One day, I read a blog post by Phoebe Lapine, the author of The Wellness Project. She was inviting people to join her in a study called “4 Weeks to Wellness”, and I was intrigued and inspired to start my own wellness journey. The 4-week regimen wasn’t just about losing weight or avoiding food. The study also entailed taking care of your skin, daily exercise, rest, and relaxation.

The food aspect of the study focused on eating clean and healthy while trying to understand your relationship with food. The program followed techniques used in elimination diets by scheduling periods of time when certain foods are first eliminated from your diet before they are gradually reintroduced. This practice has been known to help consumers better understand their body’s reaction to potentially inflammatory foods. Week 1 encouraged the removal of alcohol, caffeine, and sugar from your diet. Week 2 – 4 began a different food elimination protocol with corn, gluten, and dairy. The recipes provided throughout these phases were delicious, and even included a batch cooking strategy where you could shop, cook for the week, and clean up all within 4 hours.

Week 1 included a recipe for Harissa Chicken over Acorn Squash with Kale and a side dish of Roasted Mint Quinoa, pictured. The harissa chicken has a lot of Moroccan spices, so the mint in the quinoa was quite complementary. With so much flavor and wholesome ingredients, the dish left me feeling full and satisfied rather than deprived.

Week 2 introduced zinc to our diet with things like pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Zinc is supposed to be good for the skin, metabolism, and even has some immune-boosting properties. Four Weeks to Wellness also taught me how to do a lymphatic face massage and included instructions for making some simple skin products using all-natural ingredients.

Week 3 incorporated movement and hydration along with my healthy diet. Again, I was told to have at least 8 glasses of water per day along with regular exercise. Drinking that much water was a challenge I found especially difficult for me. Although an exercise regimen isn’t included with the program, it does recommend activities like walking and Pilates. Home videos were also provided in the study, which was especially helpful during the quarantine.

Week 4 was centered around rest and relaxation. Yes, sleep is important. Yet there are other ways throughout the day to relax and get rest. Simple meditation and focusing on your breath can be done anywhere as a method of relaxing and getting grounded again. The deliciously healthy food continued throughout the final week of the wellness journey. That week, I enjoyed heart-healthy Salmon with tomatoes, chickpeas with lemon-tahini sauce, and apple pie overnight oats while finishing out the program.

Despite my best efforts to get through the four-week program, I may have been guilty of cheating a few times. However, I still learned a lot about myself and some of my unhealthy triggers. I also learned what I really enjoyed, and how to appreciate those lifestyle changes that took a little extra effort but made all the difference. The 4 weeks were a full session on holistic healthful awareness. Who would have ever thought that life would bring us COVID-19? Yet without the effects of the pandemic, I may not have tried these “4 Weeks to Wellness”.

Find more healthy recipes from Phoebe Lapine’s Blog, including vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and Paleo-approved recipes!

Just like achieving a balanced diet, finding financial freedom is a journey. Our Charleston financial planners are dedicated to helping you achieve financial goals that enable you to live the life you’ve imagined. Begin your 4 Step Start to financial wellness today.

About the Author

Kyra Hollowell Morris is a Charleston, SC  CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and Founder of Morris Financial Concepts. Kyra values people, seeking to create an empowered, abundant life for her customers using her ability to match a person’s desires with their overall resources. Ms. Morris enjoys her own empowered, abundant life with her husband, Rob; her 3 sons: Tucker, Bobby, and Gable; and 2 grandchildren. She is a fourth-degree blackbelt in Karate and participates in sprint triathlons and half marathons. Kyra also enjoys exploring and experiencing the world through food and travel.