Nourished Living

15 - My Top Healthy Habits I Never Skip

• Courtney Podany

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In this episode, I'm sharing a powerful mindset shift inspired by recent conversations with clients — and one that could transform how you approach your health goals. Spoiler alert: it doesn't have to be all or nothing! Whether it's 10 minutes of movement, focusing on one new habit, or building sustainable routines, this episode is packed with real-life strategies to help you feel your best without the pressure to be perfect.

I’m also walking you through my daily non-negotiables — the habits I prioritize no matter how busy life gets — including workouts, balanced meals, digestion support, hydration, supplements, and more.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by all the wellness "shoulds" out there, this episode is your permission slip to simplify and start small. Consistency > perfection.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why 10 minutes a day really does make a difference
  • How to ditch the all-or-nothing mindset
  • My go-to wellness habits for digestion, energy, and better mood


Links & Resources:

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Please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing this episode with a friend who could use a reminder that progress is better than perfection.

Until next time, stay nourished!

Welcome to the Nourished Living Podcast, where I'll be diving deep into nutrition, holistic wellness, and practical tips to help you live your healthiest, most vibrant life. I am Courtney Podany, a nutritional therapist, certified personal trainer, type one diabetic and mom. And I'm here to help you take charge of your health with ease and confidence. Together we'll explore how to nourish your body, mind, and soul in a way that feels good and sustainable. So grab your favorite beverage. Take a deep breath, and let's get into the episode. I. Hello and welcome back to the Nourished Living Podcast. I'm your host Courtney Podany, and today's podcast is starting with a little mindset shift inspired by two recent conversations I had with clients that were quite similar. So I thought I should talk about this because it's likely others are thinking the same thing. What my clients express to me is that they feel like if they are not able to complete their whole workout, they don't think only doing five or even 10 minutes of something will count or be beneficial. And I have always had the mindset that something is better than nothing. 10 minutes of stretching, 10 minutes of a workout or 10 minutes of walking is better than nothing, especially when you are in a really busy season of life and that is all you can commit to each day. Those 10 minutes a day, every day will significantly add up, and you will begin to notice a difference. But I also wanted to put this all or nothing mindset in terms of, say this podcast, each episode I throw numerous suggestions your way. So they definitely start to add up. And when you look at them from that perspective as a to-do list and checking the box and, oh, I have so many things to do now that can for sure seem overwhelming. Or if you see a social media post that shares something along the lines of top 10 ways, I prioritize my health, and then you think, oh man, now I have to add these 10 habits into my daily routine. That can of course, seem very overwhelming and daunting. I go through that as well. So I wanted to share how I handle the overwhelm and how I choose to focus my energy. Say there really are 10 things that you do want to start implementing. I choose which one of those stands out to me. I. And that's where I focus my attention first. I think that it resonated with me for a specific reason, so I want to explore that one first. For example, if I want to hit my hydration goal every day, I will focus on that until I've been able to achieve it and until it has become. Second nature and I no longer need to actively think about it every day. Then I will go back to that list of 10 things and see what resonates with me next, and repeat the process. That way, I don't feel pressure to implement everything right away, and it is done in a much more sustainable way that I will be able to keep up with long term because there is no way ever that I would be able to add 10 things into my day and actually make it stick. And this could really apply to anything, not just health and fitness related habits or rituals. This could even be a goal of reading more or journaling or learning a new language or practicing an instrument. Just 10 minutes each day really will move the needle and is always better than nothing. If we think of it from our hydration example, let's say your goal is 100 ounces of water each day. If one day it gets to be about 6:00 PM and you realize you've only had 20 ounces of water so far, and that most likely you are not going to be able to drink 80 more ounces in the next four hours before bed, you wouldn't just say. Okay, well, I'm just going to stop drinking water altogether today because I'm not going to reach my goal. No, we would not do that. So don't do that with your other goals either. Even if you had thought you were going to have time in your day for a 45 minute workout, and you even blocked time on your calendar, but something came up and you can only allot 10 minutes now. Just do it. Don't let the change in plans or the chaos get you down. Still follow through with what you planned. No matter how small. At the end of the day, you're never going to regret working out for 10 minutes, But you might regret not working out at all. So if you take anything from this, please remember that it does not need to be all or nothing. And this seemed like a good transition into this episode I wanted to do of how I prioritize myself and my health, and what my non-negotiables are, even when life gets in the way. When I was thinking about this, I kind of just looked at my typical day and went in order of how I go about doing things in these days. First up is working out, which trust me when I say, I used to always see other people on Instagram talking about waking up at 5:00 AM and was just like, yeah, right. I could literally never do that. Well, unfortunately, that really is the ideal time for me to get up and work out before anyone else is awake. And I don't do this every day. It's two or three times during the week. Each time I plan to go three days in a row, I just cannot wake up on that third day and end up sleeping in. But then I. Always regret not working out. Not only did I not work out, but there's something about getting up and working out that really sets the tone for my day. I typically am in a better mood. I don't get as stressed over little things, and I'm more like go with the flow. Which usually benefits my whole family, not just me, but everyone's schedule is different. So wherever you can slip fitness in is a good time. My goal is to work out three to four times per week, and I'm also not saying that you have to go to the gym to get a workout in. It can be whatever activity and whatever movement you enjoy. I will say though, the one thing that makes it significantly easier to actually get up and get going in the morning is to lay out my workout clothes the night before. That way I can remain a zombie while getting ready and not have to use my brain to think yet. Next. For every meal that I eat, I make sure that I include protein, fats, and carbs. These macronutrients work best when they're eaten together to stabilize blood sugar and give me consistent energy. Without that 2:00 PM crash feeling, I plan to do a whole episode on what I eat in a day, to give you specific examples and maybe some new ideas for you. But for sure every meal and snack includes proteins, fats, and carbs. I know that I will not be functioning at my absolute best if I forget any of these macronutrients, and I do not wanna be cranky or hangry when dealing with three kids, you know? And each day I aim to consume three different colors of produce. In episode five, I go over exactly how each color works to support our bodies. So if you have not listened to that yet, I would go check it out. But every color of produce provides our bodies with different nutrients. Therefore, each different color helps us in different ways sometimes. For me, that just looks like including three different vegetables in my dinner as like a stir fry. Or sometimes I do break it up and we'll have one color per meal. But like I have said so many times before, variety in what we eat is key. When I am eating my meals and snacks, I start by massaging the vagus nerve in my neck, one of the cranial nerves to signal to my body that it needs to prepare for rest and digest mode. And then I chew each bite 25 times. If you have not listened to my digestion episode, episode nine, that is a must listen for sure, but I go way deeper into how to optimize your digestion. Anyway, I am not always able to slow down as much as I would like, especially if I'm eating meals with my kids. But I make sure that I chew each bite 25 times to support the breakdown process and make digestion easier on my stomach and small intestine. The goal of digestion is to break food down. So tiny that we are able to extract the nutrients from it and utilize them, which they have to enter into our bloodstream to be transported to the organ or muscle that needs it. So to enter the blood, it must be microscopic. So chewing each bite slowly also helps to keep us in that rest and digest mode, which as the name suggests, is best for digestion rather than fight or flight. Next up is hydration. I drink half of my body weight in ounces plus 12 additional ounces to account for my daily coffee, which yes, I always have. And for the reusable water bottle that I have, I know that I need to drink four of those filled up each day. I also add in some unrefined sea salt to make sure I am getting some sort of electrolytes with summer and warmer weather approaching it is really important to stay hydrated and drink electrolytes to make up for sweating. Ideally, I would be drinking an electrolyte drink every day, like an LMNT packet mixed in with some water. So I'm getting more electrolyte sources rather than just the sea salt. But for some reason, I have yet to accomplish drinking it daily. I would say it's more of a three times a week thing for me. So I add this sea salt into my water to at least get one source of electrolytes. So my body. I can actually utilize the water that I am drinking instead of it just flushing right through me. Supplements are also a part of my daily routine. I try to eat as well as I can, but I know that I need a little bit of help and I know that I also feel better when I take certain vitamins and supplements. If you currently do not take vitamins but are wanting to add some in, I suggest taking them with food, not on an empty stomach. Most people can't tolerate vitamins on an empty stomach, and it can make you feel nauseous or even throw up. So just a word of warning there. And supplements are super specific to each person, so I'm not going to actually list out what I take. You will want to. Consult with a doctor or a nutritionist and look at blood work or look at your diet to see where you're missing things to kind of fill in those gaps. I also get outside every single day. The timing for that and the duration varies based on what my day and schedule looks like, but getting outside is seriously the best medicine. If I start feeling anxious or stressed or overwhelmed, going outside, being in some fresh air and around nature, instantly brings calm. Obviously, this could be hard based on where you live and what time of the year it is. But I swear even just a few minutes can make a world of difference. We weren't meant to just go from box to box to box or from house to work to house every single day without any time amongst the earth. If you think about our ancestors, they were outside all the time. So connecting with nature and the elements can be soothing, therapeutic, and I believe absolutely necessary every single day. So these are my main areas of focus each day, and then everything else is kind of extra and a bonus, but I like to have my foundations in place and hit these every single day. Luckily, they're at the point now where I don't have to consciously think about them. It has just kind of become how I operate and move about my day. So again, I would take this episode and if there was something that really resonated with you more than the others, I would explore that and give some of your attention and focus to it. It might be exactly what you need and that's why it peaked your interest. Before I wrap up this episode, I am so excited to finally share something with you that I have been working on behind the scenes for a while now, and that is my brand new ebook called A Beginner's Guide to Holistic Living:, nourish Your Body Naturally. This is the resource I wish I had when I started my health journey because let's be real. Getting healthy can feel super overwhelming. There's so much noise out there and so many conflicting opinions. Everywhere you look, it's hard to know where to even begin. That's exactly why I created this guide to simplify the process. And help you build a strong, sustainable foundation. And the information in this ebook is all evidence-based. Whether you are just getting started or you've been experimenting for a while but have yet to feel your best, this is for you. Inside the ebook, I break up everything into bite-sized pieces. Ha ha, pun intended. But I will walk you through how to transition to real whole foods without overhauling your life or following a diet. How to support balanced blood sugar so you can have steady energy all day. How to hydrate effectively with simple tweaks that make a big difference. How to improve your digestion and say goodbye to heartburn and bloat. How to start reducing toxins in your home and daily routine, and how to make movement a joyful, sustainable part of your life. And here's the best part, these are the exact practices. I live by myself and teach to my clients every single day. So I know firsthand that they actually work. Plus you will get recipes that are easy and delicious and simple workouts that you can do at home that accommodate all fitness levels. By following what's inside, you can expect to lose weight naturally, eliminate bloating and heartburn, sleep better, and wake up feeling refreshed and have energy throughout the whole day. Think clearly. And honestly, just feel happier and more comfortable in your body and in your life. Remember, this isn't about perfection, it's about progress, and this guide will help you take action that actually sticks. So if you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and start feeling really good, go grab your copy. It's packed with over 50 pages of value and practical info. I promise this is the best starting place if you want to live a healthier, more vibrant life. So the link is in the show notes I can't wait to hear what you think and see all that you achieve to share wins, celebrations, and progress. Don't forget to tag me on Instagram at nourished Living underscore. Thank you for joining me today, and I will catch you in the next episode. Thanks for hanging out with me today and tuning into the Nourished Living Podcast. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and found something you can start implementing right away to kickstart your nourished transformation. If you loved this episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with someone who could benefit from these insights. You can also connect with me over on Instagram at Nourished Living for more resources and support. Until next time, stay nourished.