Nourishing savoury breakfast bowls you can adapt your way. High-protein, veggie-rich ideas for stable energy, fullness and balanced mornings
Explore grounding, protein-rich, savoury breakfast bowls that support stable energy, sustained fullness, and a calm, steady start to your day. These simple recipes can be adapted to suit your own needs, taste and lifestyle — making them perfect for this month’s Nourish Challenge.
Welcome to This Month’s Nourish Inspiration
This month, we’re shifting our focus toward something deeply supportive for many people:
If you’re new to the Nourish Pathway, you can learn how it works and why we explore one theme each month here
A savoury breakfast.
While sweet breakfasts can be wonderful, savoury meals often offer:
• more stable blood sugar • longer-lasting energy • fewer cravings later in the day • more protein and vegetables early on • a calm, grounded start
For years, I didn’t realise how much breakfast influenced the rest of my day — my mood, my focus, even my motivation.
Savoury bowls bring warmth, comfort and nourishment in a simple, adaptable way.
Why Savoury Breakfast Bowls?
Because you can build them just like a Nourish challenge:
✨ one grounding base ✨ one source of protein ✨ one or two vegetables ✨ herbs, spices + flavour ✨ adapted to your needs
Small tweaks make the same bowl work beautifully across preferences — vegan, gluten-free, high-protein, low-FODMAP, or simply what your body wants today.
Featured Savoury Breakfast Bowls to Try
Here are some inspiring recipes from food bloggers — feel free to adapt ingredients and flavours to suit your needs.
Veggie Breakfast Bowl
From wholesomemood.com – A colourful mix of veggies, quinoa + eggs — energising, customisable, easy to prep ahead.
Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl
From kitchenmartha.com – Warm, comforting and naturally sweetened. Add nuts, seeds or yoghurt to balance the bowl.
Hearty Mediterranean Breakfast Bowl
From tidyrecipes.com – Quinoa, roasted chickpeas, cherry tomatoes + herbs — vibrant and protein-rich.
Middle Eastern Breakfast Bowl
From kaynutrition.com – Creamy labneh, poached eggs + warming spices. Gentle, creamy and satisfying.
Savory Tofu Breakfast Bowl
From mytriedrecipes.com – A hearty, plant-based bowl — similar comfort to scrambled eggs but totally vegan.
Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Bowl
From ilovevegan.com – Comforting and warm — a lovely bridge between light and hearty in the mornings.
Gyeran Bap (Korean Egg Rice)
From christieathome.com – Simple, soothing, budget-friendly — rice + egg + sesame. Big flavour, minimal effort.
Crispy Rice Bowl with Egg & Avocado
From themakermakes.com – Crispy rice, greens + avocado with soy-ginger sauce. Excellent for batch prep.
Lentil & Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl
From thepalatablelife.com – Soft-boiled eggs + tahini dressing — 35g protein and beautifully balanced.
Savoury Oat Breakfast Bowl
From familycooksclub.com – Creamy, risotto-like oats topped with herbs + cheese. A surprise favourite for many.
Cauliflower Breakfast Bowl
From thealmondeater.com – Grain-free + Whole30-friendly with egg + roasted sweet potato & tomato.
Brussels Sprout & Bacon Breakfast Hash
From thehealthyconsultant.com – Low-carb, 20 minutes, topped with baked eggs — big flavour, little effort.
Mexican Breakfast Burrito Bowl
From feastingathome.com – Sweet potatoes, black beans, chorizo (or vegan), avocado + egg/tofu. Bright, bold flavours.
How to Make the Most of This Theme
• Prep one base on Sunday — quinoa, rice, or roasted veg • Add protein for stability + fullness • Choose veg that feel grounding + colourful • Boost flavour with herbs, tahini, miso, pesto • Take a mindful moment with the first few bites breathe, taste, feel the warmth
Ready to Begin?
Choose one bowl that feels good to you this week — hearty, fresh, plant-rich or protein-boosted — and let breakfast become an act of nourishment, calm and care.
If you’d like more monthly food inspiration, you’ll find the full Nourish collection here:
Before You Save This Recipe for “Later”… Let’s Make Nourishment Something You Actually Get to Enjoy
If this recipe has inspired you, that’s a wonderful place to begin. But if you’re like most of us, inspiration often ends up saved, pinned, or bookmarked — without ever becoming something your body actually gets to enjoy.
Your body doesn’t need more saved ideas. It needs one small, supported step that fits your real life.
The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn that “I’ll try this recipe one day” thought into one easy, real-life step that actually nourishes you.
Most people like to complete the Toolkit over a relaxed weekend. It includes short step-by-step videos and simple printables to guide you through choosing your first gentle challenge and preparing to begin without pressure or perfection.
Download the Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit
A calm, personalised starting point for your first Nourish challenge.
Inside, you’ll gently discover how to: 🌿 understand what your body may be asking for 🌿 choose one tiny Nourish step that fits your real energy and routine 🌿 begin your first challenge in a way that feels safe and achievable 🌿 notice small benefits without relying on willpower
You’ll also receive: ✉️ monthly Nourish themes & reminders 💬 access to our private community (coming soon)
A Bit of History: Being Young at 60 by Horace Fletcher
I have a soft spot for the Old Time Healers — the original self-care pioneers who practiced long before the internet. One of them was Horace Fletcher, who published Fletcherism: What It Is and How I Became Young at 60 back in 1913.
His discovery? That easy weight loss and renewed vitality came simply from chewing your food thoroughly.
Fletcher’s ideas were so popular that even American Presidents, British Prime Ministers, J.H. Kellogg, and King Edward VII reportedly took up “Fletcherism.”
And before you wonder — yes, there’s some modern research to back up this 100-year-old wisdom here, here and here
Why Chewing Matters
Chewing: The First Step in Digestion
When you chew, you signal your stomach, gallbladder, and pancreas that food is coming — “get ready!” This allows your stomach to produce the right amount of hydrochloric acid for digestion.
Chewing Produces More Saliva
Saliva is amazing. It contains enzymes that help break down carbs and fats, binds food together for easier swallowing, and even helps clean your mouth by washing away harmful bacteria.
The Problem With Not Chewing Enough
When food isn’t properly chewed, large particles reach the stomach undigested. This causes bacteria to ferment the food, leading to bloating, gas, and indigestion.
On top of that, the stomach doesn’t get the full “digest now” signal, meaning less acid is produced — and that means less nutrient absorption.
Whew! Your body truly is incredible when you let it do its job.
Eating Less (and Enjoying More)
Chewing slows you down. When you eat more slowly, your body has time to send signals to your brain saying, I’m full!
Many of us eat while scrolling, working, or watching TV (guilty as charged), and before we know it — we’re uncomfortably full.
Mindless eating also robs us of enjoyment. Chewing more brings you back into the moment. You taste your food, you feel satisfied, and your portions naturally shrink.
And when you slow down and truly taste what you’re eating, that second biscuit might not seem so tempting.
What do you think? Worth exploring?
How to Do the 28-Day Chewing Challenge
In my clinic, I found that chewing every single mouthful until liquid was too much for most people. It’s ideal — but not always realistic.
So instead, here’s a gentler, more doable approach that still delivers real results.
The 28-Day Chewing Challenge Plan
Assess your health and digestion before you begin.
Chew the first mouthful of every meal until liquid.
Pause and focus: What does it taste like? How does it feel?
Track your progress daily (it really helps!).
Invite friends to join you — self-care is better together.
Then, each week, build on your habit:
Week 1: Chew the first mouthful of every meal.
Week 2: Chew the first two mouthfuls.
Week 3: Chew the first three mouthfuls.
Week 4: Chew the first four mouthfuls.
That’s it — simple, mindful, and easy to remember.
You might want to set a reminder so you don’t forget, especially in the early days.
Chewing Challenge Tips
Start small — focus on just the first mouthful if that’s all you can manage.
Take smaller bites to make chewing easier.
Don’t take another bite or sip until you’ve swallowed.
Sit in a calm environment.
Avoid eating when stressed, angry, or sad.
After 28 days
Time to compare your before-and-after scores.
Did you eat less?
Bloat less?
Slow down and actually enjoy your meals more?
Reflect on what changed — and what made the challenge difficult.
If you didn’t notice much difference, that’s okay! You can always repeat the challenge or move on to another self-care focus.
Conclusion
Congratulations on completing your 28-Day Chewing Challenge! You’ve taken one of the simplest — and most surprisingly powerful — steps toward better digestion, more mindful eating, and improved overall wellbeing.
At first, it might have felt strange to slow down and actually notice each bite (especially if you had an audience at the dinner table), but those moments of awareness are where real change begins.
Keep going — because the longer you practice, the more natural it feels, and the greater your results will be. Many people also find that as they chew more mindfully, their portion sizes naturally adjust, appetite feels calmer, and weight begins to rebalance — all without effort or restriction.
Over time, chewing well becomes less of a challenge and more of a quiet ritual — one that helps you savour food, support your body, and enjoy every meal just a little more.
“It turns out your grandmother was right — good things really do come to those who chew.”
Take the First Step…
We’ve all done it — promised ourselves we’d start that new healthy habit “tomorrow,” and felt oddly proud of the plan… until tomorrow never comes.
The truth is, self-care doesn’t need a perfect day — just a small, curious step today. Your body learns from action, not intention.
The Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn what you’ve learned into action — so your self-care finally becomes real, simple, and yours.
Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit
Turn inspiration into action — with a simple system that helps self-care finally work with your body, not against it.
If you’ve been reading along and thinking, “I’d love to try this myself one day…” — you don’t have to wait, or wonder where to start.
The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit gives you the gentle structure to make your first challenge easy, personal, and effective. It’s the same step-by-step approach I use when following the challenges alongside you — so you’ll feel supported every step of the way.
Inside, you’ll find: 🌿 A gentle Before Assessment to pinpoint what your body truly needs — so you can stop guessing and start seeing real results 🌿 Step-by-step guidance (plus short video walkthroughs) to choose the right self-care challenge for your needs — and actually complete it. 🌿 Printable planners, reflections, and trackers to help you stay consistent 🌿 Access to our private community (coming soon!) — for gentle accountability and encouragement
You’ll also receive: 💌 Weekly self-care reminders, new challenges, and encouragement in the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter 🪴 Access to our free private community — where women share progress, celebrate wins, and remind each other we’re not alone
👉 Send Me My Free Toolkit (Part of the Practical Self-Care Pathway — build habits that support your body’s natural balance.)
Real self-care is about listening to yourself. Because being healthy isn’t always easy — but it can be made simple.
Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.
28-Day Chewing Challenge; Reduce Bloat, Taste More and Eat Less
Join this simple 28-day chewing challenge and unlock better digestion, enjoy food more, and experience easy weight loss!
Notes
Instructions
1. Assess before you start: Take note of how your digestion, energy, and appetite feel. Write down any symptoms (bloating, heartburn, cravings, fatigue).2. Week-by-week plan:
Week 1: Chew the first mouthful of every meal until liquid.
Week 2: Chew the first two mouthfuls.
Week 3: Chew the first three mouthfuls.
Week 4: Chew the first four mouthfuls.
3. Focus: As you chew, notice the flavour, texture, and how the food changes in your mouth.4. Swallow fully before taking your next bite or sip.5. Track your progress daily. Make notes about digestion, fullness, energy, or cravings.6. Invite a friend to join you — shared challenges build accountability and fun!
For years, my four-legged best friend never let me miss a single sunrise. Rain, frost, or half-open eyes — we were out there, padding through the quiet while the world slowly woke up.
These days, without that wet-nosed alarm clock, I’ll admit it takes a little more persuasion to leave my cosy bed. But every time I do, I’m reminded why it’s worth it.
The morning light has a kind of quiet magic — it steadies your mood, lifts your energy, and helps you feel more balanced all day long.
Over the next 28 days, we’ll explore how a few minutes of early sunlight can: 🌿 Reset your circadian rhythm 🌿 Balance serotonin and melatonin 🌿 Boost calm, focus, and natural energy
It’s completely free, takes just 5–20 minutes a day, and fits easily into your morning — whether that’s a gentle stretch by the window, a walk around the garden, or a proper sunrise stroll (bonus points if you bring your own four-legged motivator).
This challenge is part of the Align & Uplift pathway here on Make Self-Care Simple, designed to help you build your personal toolkit of mood-boosting, energy-balancing practices.
Could sunlight boost your mood?
If you’d love to feel calmer, happier, more focused, experience emotional stability, and wake up refreshed — this challenge is for you.
The best part? It’s completely free, takes only 5–20 minutes a day, and can easily fit into your morning routine.
This challenge is part of the Align & Uplift pathway here on Make Self-Care Simple, designed to help you build your personal toolkit of practices that support emotional and intuitive wellbeing.
Your body is designed to function in response to morning sunlight.
You don’t have to do this every single day, but your energy, sleep, and mood all improve when morning sunlight becomes a regular practice.
Best timing: Within 1 hour of waking and within 2–3 hours of sunrise.
Duration: 5–15 minutes (without sunglasses).
In the UK, sunrise varies widely — from around 4:45 am in midsummer to 8 am in midwinter — so you’ll likely adjust your timing through the seasons. On cloudy or grey days (hello, UK!), aim for 15–30 minutes instead.
Reflect:
How often do you get your morning sunlight?
Where might you make small adjustments?
For 25 years I walked my dogs every morning before work and knew that 80% of the year I was easily getting my morning sunlight.Now I no longer enjoy early morning dog walks this important self-care will be added to my personal menu.
Think this challenge sounds fun? Wait until you try it with my FREE Self-Care Challenge Toolkit—it makes getting results so much easier.
Benefits of the 28-day Sunrise Challenge
Most people know that sunlight boosts vitamin D, which supports your immune system, vitality, and bone health.
But morning sunlight does something even more powerful — it helps regulate your hormones and circadian rhythm, directly improving your mood, focus, and sleep.
Key Benefits
Increases cortisol in the morning (natural energy boost)
Suppresses melatonin (helps you wake up)
Produces serotonin (the “feel-good” hormone)
Morning sunlight and your Circadian Rhythm
Your circadian rhythm is your internal sleep–wake clock. Morning sunlight signals your brain that it’s time to be awake — triggering a cascade of hormone activity that sets your mood and energy for the day.
By aligning with this rhythm through the Sunrise Challenge, you’ll feel:
More alert in the morning
Calmer and more focused during the day
Naturally ready to rest at night
Benefits of Balanced Cortisol
Cortisol isn’t just a “stress hormone.” When balanced, it helps you:
Increase energy and reduce fatigue
Handle stress with more emotional stability
Cortisol also supports: blood sugar balance, inflammation control, blood pressure, metabolism, immune response, and your sleep–wake cycle. Morning sunlight naturally triggers your body’s cortisol spike — giving you energy early and helping you sleep better later.
Benefits of suppressed Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that makes you feelrelaxed and sleepy.
You want more melatonin when you want to sleep.
And less melatonin when you need to wake up, focus and have more energy
Morning sunlight helps to regulate melatonin so that you have less in the morning while darkness (sunset) releases more melatonin when you need to sleep.
Benefits of increased serotonin in the morning
Morning sunlight triggers the brain to release more serotonin also called 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and this is the ‘feel good’ hormone.
When serotonin levels are healthy, you’ll feel:
Happier and more emotionally balanced
Calm yet focused
More mentally clear
Serotonin also supports digestion, bone health, sleep, libido, and memory
Align & uplift Sunrise Challenge
I find it amazing that something as simple as morning light can gently signal all of these responses — like a quiet reminder from nature that it’s time to wake up, move, and feel alive again.
Getting Ready for your 28-day Sunrise Challenge
A few quick questions to set yourself up for success:
What time is sunrise this week?
What time do you need to wake up for 5–15 minutes of sunlight?
What’s the weather forecast — and what will you wear?
Can you create a “sunrise spot” in your garden or near a window?
You might like to jot down how this feels as you go.
How to do the Challenge
Spend 5–15 minutes outside within 1 hour of waking and within 2–3 hours of sunrise for 28 consecutive days.
You can wear contact lenses or regular glasses — just avoid sunglasses that block sunlight.
Because this involves early-morning light, it’s not considered a skin risk. Never look directly at the sun.
That’s it — simple and powerful.
9 Ideas for completing the 28-day Sunrise challenge
Have your breakfast outside
Outdoor tea or coffee break
Exercise outside
Go for a walk
Garden or water your plants
Practice Yoga, Tai Chi or breathing exercises
Read, Journal or work outside
Spend time with your pets or nature
Try an eyes-open mindfulness practice.
Artificial Sunlight
Sometimes natural sunlight just isn’t possible — early starts, winter mornings, or mobility issues can make it tricky.
That’s when artificial sunlight can help.
Sun lamps (10,000 Lux or higher) mimic natural light and support your circadian rhythm.
They’re often used for SAD, sleep issues, or energy regulation.
Always follow manufacturer instructions and check with your optician if you’ll use one regularly.
Tip: Sit near your lamp soon after waking, ideally during your usual sunrise time.
You could also try a sunrise alarm clock, which gradually brightens your room and often includes nature sounds like birdsong — perfect if you:
Struggle to wake up
Have sleep difficulties
Have limited morning time
If budgeting, choose simpler models with quality light over extra features.
Conclusion— One Sunrise at a Time
Are you ready to begin your 28-Day Sunrise Challenge? Even five minutes of morning light can make a difference — to your mood, focus, and how gently your day begins.
You don’t need perfection (or even an early alarm) — just curiosity, and maybe a cosy jumper. Step outside, open the window, or simply turn your face toward the morning light. Notice how it feels.
After the challenge, take a moment to reflect on what’s changed. Has your sleep shifted? Your energy? Your mood? Then simply notice whether this little ritual feels like something you’d like to keep in your life.
Each sunrise is a reminder that your energy resets, too. Your wellbeing matters — and I’m here to help you make caring for it beautifully simple 💛
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple
You Felt a Small Shift Today… Let’s Help You Keep It
That small shift — whether it was a moment of calm, a little more energy, a sense of relief, or simply feeling more like yourself — that is where meaningful change begins.
But on low-sparkle days, it’s easy to lose that feeling. Motivation dips first. Overwhelm creeps in. And even the gentlest intentions fade.
Your body doesn’t need pressure or perfection. It needs one easy mini practice you can return to — especially on days that feel heavy, uncertain, or tense.
The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn “I want to feel better” into one easy, real-life step — by helping you choose and begin a challenge you can actually use when your mood dips. Most people like to complete it over a relaxed weekend, and it includes short step-by-step videos and simple printables to help you begin gently.
✨ Download the Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit
A calm, supportive starting point for your first Align & Uplift practice.
Inside, you’ll gently discover how to: 🌿 understand where you might need emotional or energetic support 🌿 choose one tiny Align & Uplift practice that fits your real life 🌿 begin without pressure or relying on willpower 🌿 notice subtle shifts that help you feel lighter and more grounded
You’ll also receive: ✉️ weekly reminders to support your consistency 💬 access to our private community (coming soon)
Real self-care is about listening to yourself. Because being healthy isn’t always easy — but it can be made simple.
🪻 Align & Uplift Pathway — reconnect with calm, joy, and emotional balance.
Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.
The challenge is to spend 5 – 15 minutes outside within 1 hour of waking up and 2-3 hours of Sun Rise for 28 consecutive days.
Record your mood daily
Notes
28-day Sunrise Challenge
This challenges enhances your natural circadian cycle helping you balance your serotonin, melatonin and cortisol levels which improves your mood.Try to look in the general direction of the sun, so that your eyes absorb the light.You can wear contact lenses and normal glasses but avoid sun glasses that block sunlight reaching your eyes.Never look directly into the sun.Record your general mood before you start this challenge.Track your mood daily.At the end of the challenge assess your feedback decide if this self care has helped your wellbeing.Download your FREE Self-Care Challenge Toolkit
A gentle practice to lift your mood and bring you back to the present when the day feels flat.
When to Use It
You wake up and know you’re almost in a funk. This isn’t a day to sparkle — but it’s not quite an “I hate Mondays” either. It’s more of an “Is it only Wednesday?” kind of mood.
You can feel the slide into meh coming on, and if you do nothing, the day will probably keep drifting that way.
But this isn’t a day for journaling, goals, or trying to summon positivity. It’s a day to come back to your senses — literally — and find one small thing that feels okay.
That’s where a Simple Glimmer comes in.
What Is a Simple Glimmer?
A Simple Glimmer is a tiny, sensory moment that offers comfort or reassurance — that quiet “oh, this feels not so bad” feeling.
It’s not about chasing joy or pretending everything’s fine.
It’s about finding something that reminds you what pleasant feels like and that those sensations still exist in your day.
Each Glimmer softens resistance and brings a small shift from heaviness to ease — the kind of shift that helps you take the next gentle step forward.
How to Do It
1. Notice the “meh.”
Catch the feeling early. Don’t judge it — just name it:
“Okay, this is a low-sparkle kind of morning.”
That small moment of honesty is the first step out of autopilot.
2.Come back to your senses.
Turn your attention outward and look for one Glimmer — something your body quietly enjoys.
See: light through the window, your favourite colour, or something in nature. Smell: coffee brewing, fresh air, a candle, or your hand cream. Hear: music, birds, or the hush of a calm room. Touch: warmth, softness, texture, or the feel of your mug in your hands. Taste: a sip, a bite, or a simple flavour that feels satisfying.
You don’t have to find all five — but noticing a few helps lift the weight of that meh feeling. As you do, the heaviness begins to soften, and your body remembers what comfort feels like. That gentle shift — from dullness to a small sense of ease — is where the reset begins.
3. Anchor it.
When something feels even a little bit good, pause for a breath or two. Say quietly to yourself:
“That felt good.”
Notice your shoulders or breath soften — that’s your Glimmer landing.
This is the turning point. In this small pause, you’ve changed the direction of your day. Instead of collecting proof that it’s a bad or meh day, your mind starts scanning for what feels steady or comforting.
Each Glimmer you notice strengthens that new pattern — and your day begins to follow a gentler track. More importantly, you’re learning to guide which track your day follows — one small Glimmer at a time.
Repeat as Needed
Use a Simple Glimmer any time your mood dips or your energy feels resistant. Each time you do, you remind your body that comfort and steadiness are still available — and that you can find them.
The Simple Glimmer Practice Challenge
This week’s Align & Uplift Challenge is to practice your Simple Glimmer Reset before you need it. Try it once while you feel okay — just to explore the sensations.
You’ll notice a subtle shift: perhaps a small lift, a sigh, or a feeling of ease in your body. That’s your nervous system learning what a Glimmer feels like — so when a meh morning arrives, the Reset will feel familiar and easier to use.
Your Mini Test: Before: Pause for a moment and notice how your body feels right now (without changing anything). After: Try one Simple Glimmer and notice what’s different — even slightly. Maybe your shoulders drop, your breathing slows, or your mood feels just a shade lighter. That’s the Reset in action.
You’ve just trained your body in a new response to “meh.”
Closing Thought
You don’t have to fix the whole day. Just find one Simple Glimmer — a small, real moment that feels okay — and let it remind you that a lighter, steadier day is still within reach.
Don’t Forget!
The aim of this challenge is to decide if you will add the Simple Glimmer Reset to your personal Menu of Selfcare?
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple
You Felt a Small Shift Today… Let’s Help You Keep It
That small shift — whether it was a moment of calm, a little more energy, a sense of relief, or simply feeling more like yourself — that is where meaningful change begins.
But on low-sparkle days, it’s easy to lose that feeling. Motivation dips first. Overwhelm creeps in. And even the gentlest intentions fade.
Your body doesn’t need pressure or perfection. It needs one easy mini practice you can return to — especially on days that feel heavy, uncertain, or tense.
The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn “I want to feel better” into one easy, real-life step — by helping you choose and begin a challenge you can actually use when your mood dips. Most people like to complete it over a relaxed weekend, and it includes short step-by-step videos and simple printables to help you begin gently.
✨ Download the Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit
A calm, supportive starting point for your first Align & Uplift practice.
Inside, you’ll gently discover how to: 🌿 understand where you might need emotional or energetic support 🌿 choose one tiny Align & Uplift practice that fits your real life 🌿 begin without pressure or relying on willpower 🌿 notice subtle shifts that help you feel lighter and more grounded
You’ll also receive: ✉️ weekly reminders to support your consistency 💬 access to our private community (coming soon)
Discover what a personalised Menu of Self-Care really is – and why it becomes the foundation of simple, meaningful progress with your health and wellbeing
My Story
When midlife changes – combined with long-Covid – left my immune system reacting to almost everything, I realised something surprising:
The remedies and routines that had worked beautifully for years suddenly… didn’t.
My body was facing a new challenge – and I needed a new way to support it.
What I didn’t realise at the time was that the idea of a “Menu of Self-Care” had already been with me for years.
During my time as a therapist, I often gave clients simple “homework” between appointments — small things to try, notice, and report back on.
But now I was the one needing to listen more closely.
So I began exploring again. Not dramatic changes. Just small, simple practices I could actually manage.
Some helped. Some didn’t. But all of them taught me something.
Slowly, a pattern emerged — and the list of practices that genuinely supported me became my Menu of Self-Care.
It changed everything about how I approach my wellbeing.
What this becomes over time
Your Menu of Self-Care becomes the hub of your wellbeing – shaping how you support your energy, your independence, your opportunities, and your confidence in what works for you.
You’re no longer guessing or starting over. You begin to recognise what your body needs – and just as importantly, what it doesn’t.
Your Menu becomes something you return to – a place where everything connects.
And because it isn’t fixed, it continues to develop – becoming more accurate and more supportive the longer you use it.
This becomes a skill you carry with you – not something you have to keep searching for.
A Different Kind of Self-Care
Most self-care advice focuses on what you should do:
drink more water
meditate
move more
journal
stretch
eat better
Good ideas… but not necessarily your ideas.
Your Menu of Self-Care is different.
It’s a living list of practices your own body has “approved” – because you’ve tried them, felt the difference, and know they support you.
It grows with you. And becomes clearer the more you notice what’s working.
And best of all?
It shifts you out of trying to fit yourself into a one-size-fits-all approach –
and into understanding what actually works for you.
This is also where the idea of self-care challenges comes in.
In my clinic work, I didn’t ask people to overhaul everything at once. I asked them to try one simple thing, notice what happened, and come back with real feedback.
That’s exactly what these challenges are.
Not something to get right — but something to test and learn from.
How the Menu Fits into the MSS Approach
Your wellbeing is shaped by many layers — your body, your emotions, your energy, your habits, your beliefs.
That’s why Make Self Care Simple works with four pathways:
Practical – grounding daily care that supports your physical systems
Nourish – food and rhythms that replenish you
Align & Uplift – short practices that lift mood & energy
Mindcraft – mindset shifts that support consistency
You don’t need all four at once. And you don’t need to figure them out alone.
Each gentle challenge helps you explore one pathway at a time – so instead of “trying everything,” you begin to see what actually works for you.
Over time, these small insights naturally become your Menu of Self-Care.
This is what I know works for my body
Your Menu Doesn’t Need to Be Perfect
You don’t need the perfect template. Or the perfect plan. Or the perfect routine.
All you need is a place to start noticing:
what feels supportive
what feels draining
what feels neutral
This is where everything begins to shift.
Why Your Menu Matters
When self-care becomes something you choose (not something you “should” do), everything shifts.
You begin to see what genuinely helps you. You stop copying routines that don’t fit. You trust your own signals. You spend less time guessing — and more time responding.
Your Menu of Self-Care becomes:
a reference
a guide
a source of confidence
and a quiet reminder of what works
It’s not a to-do list. It’s a relationship.
🌿 Ready to begin your own Menu?
Creating a Menu isn’t about getting it perfect.
It begins much more simply — by noticing what happens when you try something, and learning how to interpret the signals your body gives you.
From there, your Menu builds naturally.
🌿 If you’d like a simple place to start
The community is where this really begins to come together.
Inside the community, you’ll find:
– a short Body Feedback Journal to help you make sense of something you’ve already tried – a way to recognise your own response patterns – and a space to explore this at your own pace
Discover 20 healthy salad dressing recipes that fit every diet. From creamy to zesty, these easy, homemade dressings are perfect for the Monthly Nourish Challenge and can be adapted to your unique health needs.
Welcome to this month’s Nourish Challenge inspiration – This month, we’re diving into one of the simplest but most transformative kitchen experiments — discovering the perfect salad dressing to suit your diet. (And yes, you can start this at any time of year — salads aren’t just for summer!)
Now, I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent years trying to adapt recipes to fit my ever-changing food needs — with varying levels of success. Some worked beautifully… others, let’s just say, ended up as “learning experiences.
While shop-bought dressings are convenient, they often include ingredients we’re trying to avoid, added sugars, refined oils, artificial flavours, or preservatives. So this month, let’s explore how simple and satisfying it can be to make your own.
How This Month’s Inspiration Fits the Nourish Challenge
The Monthly Nourish Challenge is all about trying one new healthy recipe each week, and learning to adapt it to your unique health needs.
Each month, I’ll share a theme for inspiration, like this collection of homemade salad dressings, to help spark your creativity in the kitchen. You can:
Choose a recipe that already fits your dietary needs, or
Get creative! Combine the flavour ideas from one recipe with ingredients that suit your diet from another.
You can also pick any healthy recipe that inspires you this week, the aim is simply to experiment, adapt, and discover what nourishes you.
Why Salad Dressings?
Homemade dressings are one of the easiest ways to make healthy eating more enjoyable. They bring life to salads, roasted veggies, grain bowls, and wraps, and they’re a wonderful way to include more nourishing oils, herbs, and spices in your diet.
I personally found that salad dressings can transform boring repetitive salads – and often add a boost of extra nutrition!
The goal is to find combinations that make you look forward to eating more fresh veggies, while discovering what works best for your body.
Before You Save These Recipes for “Later”…
Here’s a Tiny Step That Helps You Actually Use Them
Most of us collect healthy recipes with good intentions — and then real life takes over. If you’d love a simple way to turn inspiration into something your body actually gets to enjoy, start with the Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit.
Ingredients include almonds, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and warming spices
✨ Ready to start?
Pick one new healthy recipe to try this week — and discover how a simple recipe can make healthy eating truly delicious.
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple
Before You Save This Recipe for “Later”… Let’s Make Nourishment Something You Actually Get to Enjoy
If this recipe has inspired you, that’s a wonderful place to begin. But if you’re like most of us, inspiration often ends up saved, pinned, or bookmarked — without ever becoming something your body actually gets to enjoy.
Your body doesn’t need more saved ideas. It needs one small, supported step that fits your real life.
The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn that “I’ll try this recipe one day” thought into one easy, real-life step that actually nourishes you.
Most people like to complete the Toolkit over a relaxed weekend. It includes short step-by-step videos and simple printables to guide you through choosing your first gentle challenge and preparing to begin without pressure or perfection
Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit
A calm, personalised starting point for your first Nourish challenge.
Inside, you’ll gently discover how to: 🌿 understand what your body may be asking for 🌿 choose one tiny Nourish step that fits your real energy and routine 🌿 begin your first challenge in a way that feels safe and achievable 🌿 notice small benefits without relying on willpower
You’ll also receive: ✉️ monthly Nourish themes & reminders 💬 access to our private community (coming soon)
Real self-care is about listening to yourself. Because being healthy isn’t always easy — but it can be made simple.
(Part of the Nourish Pathway — helping you move from saving recipes to actually using them in a way that supports your wellbeing.)
Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.
As far back as I can remember, the moment I stepped inside a wood, forest, or even a small spinney, I immediately noticed a shift — both in my surroundings and within myself. The tall, cathedral-like acoustics, the soft feel underfoot, and that earthy, grounding scent all seem to whisper, slow down, you’re safe here.
My breathing naturally becomes deeper, and for me, there’s always a feeling of profound inner peace. (Proper footwear helps too — this is the UK, after all, and muddy serenity is still serenity.)
This challenge is about mindfully harnessing that experience — learning how to use your local wood or forest as a natural way to recharge, refresh, and reset.
There are so many different self-care practices that help with stress, and I’ve tried many of them. But forest bathing remains a favourite because it’s simple, deeply restorative, and reconnects you with something far bigger than stress. And if you can’t travel or have mobility challenges, don’t worry — I’ll share ways to create your own garden bathing experience too.
Join me in the woods for a few moments!
What Is Forest Bathing?
Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, began in Japan in the 1980s as a response to rising stress, anxiety, and fatigue among workers. It’s a mindful sensory practice that helps you slow down and reconnect with nature. You walk or sit quietly among trees, noticing the sounds, sights, scents, and textures that surround you.
In essence, it’s not about doing, but about being — allowing the forest to hold you while you let go of daily noise and demands.
The Science Behind Forest Bathing
Trees release natural compounds called phytoncides — aromatic chemicals that protect them from insects and disease. When we breathe them in, studies show they help lower cortisol levels, reduce inflammation, and support the immune system.
Forest bathing also activates your parasympathetic nervous system — the part that signals rest, repair, and recovery. Just 30 minutes among trees can calm the mind and body, even when life feels chaotic.
When to Try Forest Bathing
You might choose forest bathing when you feel drained, overwhelmed, restless, anxious, or low in mood. It’s equally beautiful when life feels steady — as a way to maintain your inner balance and refresh your energy.
Whether it’s the crisp quiet of winter, the soft greens of spring, the shade of summer, or the glow of autumn, each season brings its own kind of healing.
Prepare for Your Forest Bathing Experience
Choose Your Location.
You don’t need a vast forest — a local wood, park, or even a group of trees can work beautifully.
Plan Ahead: Check the weather and dress for comfort. Let someone know where you’re going if you’ll be alone. Bring water, a small snack, and something dry to sit on. Switch your phone to silent once you arrive — this is your time to disconnect.
Pause for a moment at the entrance. Notice the shift in light, sound, and energy as you step into the trees. If you’re with a friend, agree on a time to meet again, then give each other space to explore quietly.
You might begin with a simple intention, such as: Today I give myself permission to rest or I open myself to peace and renewal.
Your Forest Bathing Plan
Forest bathing usually includes two gentle parts: Slow Walking and a Sit Spot.
Slow Walking
Move slowly — far more slowly than usual. Let yourself pause often and use your senses as guides.
Sight: Notice colours, patterns, and movement.
Sound: Listen for birdsong, rustling leaves, wind through branches.
Smell: Breathe in the earthy scent of soil, bark, or moss.
Touch: Feel textures — the ground under your feet, the bark of a tree, the air on your face.
Mindful Walking: Bring your awareness into your body. Notice how your shoulders, arms, and legs move. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to what you feel underfoot or the rhythm of your steps.
Tree Connection: You can gently lean against or embrace a tree and simply breathe. It’s a lovely way to connect, release tension, and absorb the grounded calm that trees naturally offer.
Find your Sit Spot
Find a quiet place to sit for 10–30 minutes — a fallen log, a bench, or a picnic mat. Observe everything around you: light, texture, patterns, movement, and sound.
You might choose to journal or sketch what you notice, meditate or pray, enjoy a mindful snack, or simply sit and breathe. There’s no right way to do this — your only goal is to be fully present.
Gratitude Walk Back
As you slowly walk back, take a few moments to reflect. How do you feel now? What did you notice or appreciate? Which tree, plant, or sound stood out to you? End with a small inner thank you — for the forest, for yourself, and for the moment you took to rest.
Garden Bathing(Home Practice)
If you can’t get to a forest, you can still enjoy a mini version of this practice at home. Sit near a tree in your garden or balcony, or near a window with a view of greenery. You can even connect with a houseplant or recently planted tree — research shows that proximity to plants still helps calm the nervous system.
Use the same approach: slow down, breathe, notice, and appreciate.
Final Thoughts
Forest bathing is a beautiful, accessible way to reset your mind and energy — no special skills or travel needed. Try it once a week or even once a month, and notice how you feel before and after. Keep a small journal or voice note to record your reflections.
For me, forest bathing is both restorative and preventative. It helps me reconnect with peace — whether I’m walking under summer leaves or through the quiet, rain-soaked woods of winter. Will you try forest bathing? I’d love to hear what you discover.
Remember, muddy boots and messy hair still count — what matters is that you showed up.
Will you try forest bathing? I’d love to hear what you discover.
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple
You Felt a Small Shift Today… Let’s Help You Keep It
That small shift — whether it was a moment of calm, a little more energy, a sense of relief, or simply feeling more like yourself — that is where meaningful change begins.
But on low-sparkle days, it’s easy to lose that feeling. Motivation dips first. Overwhelm creeps in. And even the gentlest intentions fade.
Your body doesn’t need pressure or perfection. It needs one easy mini practice you can return to — especially on days that feel heavy, uncertain, or tense.
The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn “I want to feel better” into one easy, real-life step — by helping you choose and begin a challenge you can actually use when your mood dips. Most people like to complete it over a relaxed weekend, and it includes short step-by-step videos and simple printables to help you begin gently.
✨ Download the Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit
A calm, supportive starting point for your first Align & Uplift practice.
Inside, you’ll gently discover how to: 🌿 understand where you might need emotional or energetic support 🌿 choose one tiny Align & Uplift practice that fits your real life 🌿 begin without pressure or relying on willpower 🌿 notice subtle shifts that help you feel lighter and more grounded
You’ll also receive: ✉️ weekly reminders to support your consistency 💬 access to our private community (coming soon)
(Part of the Align & Uplift Pathway — reconnect with calm, joy, and emotional balance)
Real self-care is about listening to yourself. Because being healthy isn’t always easy — but it can be made simple.
Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.
How to Plan your First Forest Bathing Experience – Ready to Recharge & Feel Refreshed.
Print or Save as PDF
Notes
Printable Summary – Forest Bathing “Recipe”
Goal: Recharge, relax, and refresh your energy through mindful time in nature.Duration: 30–60 minutes (or longer if you wish)You’ll need: Comfortable shoes, water, mat or chair, journal, weather-appropriate clothing
Choose a forest, wood, or tree-filled area
Set a simple intention
Walk slowly and use your senses
Find a sit spot to pause and reflect
End with gratitude and appreciation
Feeling inspired? Join the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter for gentle self-care ideas, new challenges, and community support.
Learn how dry brushing can support lymphatic health, reduce bloat, and refine skin texture in this simple 28-day routine for beginners. Your glow starts here.
The Skin You Forgot You Had
As the weather warms and the winter layers come off, there’s always that moment — you catch a glimpse of your arms or legs and realise you haven’t really seen them in months.
It’s not about vanity; it’s about rediscovery. For most of us, the skin on our face gets all the attention, while the rest quietly hides under jumpers and jeans, waiting its turn.
That’s why this month’s challenge is all about remembering the rest of you — your arms, legs, shoulders, and back — all the skin that’s been patiently waiting for a little care.
For me, this started as a spring ritual — part reset, part reunion — a way to literally brush off winter and wake my body up again. (And yes, dry skin brushing really does make you glow — even before the holiday tan.)
This simple 28-day practice takes just a few minutes a day, yet it leaves you feeling more alive, energised, and at home in your own skin.
Will this Dry Skin Brushing challenge support my well-being?
Is Dry Skin Brushing something that could support your wellbeing needs?
Here are some signs that dry skin brushing could benefit you.
** Dry skin brushing is not performed on the face
Your skin looks dull – has lost its glow
Your skin is dry and flaky
Skin is more oily
Poor skin texture (feel & appearance i.e. skin bumps) and tone (colour)
Visible pores and clogged pores
Ingrowing hair
Skin breakouts
Fatigue and tiredness
Bloating, puffiness & water retention
Frequent headaches
Recurring infections such as UTI or colds
Constipation
**These are good areas (symptoms) to assess and score before you start the challenge
When to avoid skin brushing
Speak to a health professional first if you are currently undergoing immune-system treatments, have ongoing skin infections, psoriasis, eczema, open wounds, burns,skin growths or take topical steroid creams.
What is Dry Skin Brushing?
Full disclosure: There are no scientific studies to back this self care practice.
Claims about reducing cellulite have not been proven…
Now that is out of the way – what do we know about dry skin brushing?
Dry Skin Brushing has been practiced for thousands of years – all around the world
In Ayurvedic medicine it is called Garshana and traditionally uses a raw–silk or linen sock.
In Japan it is called Kanpumasatsuand uses a dry towel
In Chinese Medicine it uses dried fruit fibres such as a Loofah
The Greek & Romans used copper Strigils
In Native American medicine itused corn cobs
In Polynesian cultures they used crushed seashells
And the Turks and Russians used the popular body brushing method.
Dry Skin Brushing is performed before a shower when the skin is dry. Use a dry towel, brush or loofah and brush over your skin causing a pleasant friction. You only need to do this for a couple of minutes and use a firm but not hard pressure. Then follow with your regular shower routine.
The general rule is to brush towards your heart.
** If your goal is to reduce lymph congestion (Puffy skin) see links below.
Because Dry Skin Brushing can be stimulating it is recommended to do it earlier in the day. Especially if you have sleep issues.
Honestly it is very simple to do (full instructions below) and feels great.
How Does Dry Skin Brushing Work?
When you brush your dry skin, you loosen dead skin cells, so that they can be washed off and reveal new, smooth and brighter skin cells.
Dry skin brushing is a form of exfoliation speeding up the process of shedding old skin cells. It is thought that regular exfoliation improves skin texture and tone i.e. pink bumpy skin and enhances body lotion/product absorption.
Another aspect of detoxification is your Lymphatic system. This is like a slow moving canal carrying waste out of the body – that relies on body movement to squeeze it along the body . Old time healers believed dry skin brushing encouraged movement of the Lymph.
Dry Skin brushing can be helpful as a regular practice if you are unable to be active most of the day. This might result in relief of puffiness and water retention much like massage.
Dry Skin Brushing also activates nerve endings in the skin which is what creates that pleasant tingling and invigorating sensation.
Preparing for your Challenge
Luckily this self care practice is simple to prepare.
You can use any of the following;
An existing body towel (not too soft!) long enough to do your back
A Dry Skin Brush with natural bristles (detachable handles are handy!)
A Loofah
Optionally you can dive deeper in which type of Dry Skin Brush to use HERE
You will also need to capture details about your before and after assessments and tracking sheets to help you stay consistent.
If you haven’t already, grab my FREE Self Care Starter Packwhich includes printables and walks you through the whole process.
How to do the Challenge
For the challenge you only have to do the basic routine at least 3 times a week for 4 weeks (28 days). * You can choose to skin brush every day
Assess and score your overall well-being – especially those areas mentioned at the start of this article – before you begin and again when you complete the dry skin brushing challenge.
Remember you can use either a dry towel, special dry skin brush or loofah
Basic Routine
Start from your feet and brush upwards in long sweeps along the front, back and sides of your legs. Include your buttocks. Medium pressure.
Then go from your hands to your shoulder in the same manner. Don’t forget the back of your neck!
Use a circular (anticlockwise to mimic the colon and aid the process) movement across your abdomen and then for your armpits.
When it comes to your back, I always go upwards in short strokes from the base of my back and downward strokes from my shoulders. Don’t forget your sides under your arms which I do in short strokes.
I go very gently if at all, over my chest area and avoid my face
It should take less than 5-minutes.
I have never followed a set number of times to brush each area or complete the routine – my routine is more intuitive.
Once is fine but if you intuitively feel that you want to do more – do! Remember the benefit comes from repeating the routine 3 times a week for 4 weeks.
Start with a mild pressure – this should not make the skin red and irritated.
Notice how you feel when you have completed your dry skin brush.It should feel good!
Then have your shower as normal.
Tweak the Dry Skin Brushing Challenge to Your Needs
Following the basic routine 3 times a week is enough to see results.
You can also choose to dry skin brush every day. I would not do it more than once a day.
You can also tweak the routine to your needs. If dry skin brushing makes your skin very irritated try a softer pressure or material.
There are detailed routines that work more closely with your lymphatic system which a naturopath might advise to support specific health conditions.
And of course you can leave out certain areas of your body if you need to.
Advanced Skin Brushing
What if you want to focus mainly on your lymphatic system with dry skin brushing?
I like to combine dry skin brushing with a manual lymphatic drainage routine to open up my lymph nodes first ** Simple challenge coming soon.
You might find it interesting to check out this dry skin brushing technique for lymph movement HERE
Assessing your Dry Skin Brushing Challenge Results
At the end of the 28-days you complete another assessment.
What differences did you notice? Write them down.
I just like how good dry skin brushing feels and how soft my skin feels afterwards and I also know I am helping my body detox better.
How about you? Is this self care practice something you will include in your regular self care menu?
Conclusion
Congratulations on completing your 5 Minutes to Feel Good in Your Skin: A 28-Day Dry Brushing Challenge!
I hope you’ve found this practice helpful, energising, and maybe even a little bit joyful. After all, it’s not just about smoother skin — it’s about remembering the rest of you that’s been hiding under those winter layers.
And remember, one month is only the beginning. Self-care — like glowing skin — builds with consistency. So keep brushing, keep noticing, and keep showing up for your body in these small, simple ways.
Because feeling good in your skin isn’t a quick fix — it’s a relationship that gets better the more time you spend together.
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple
Take the First Step…
We’ve all done it — promised ourselves we’d start that new healthy habit “tomorrow,” and felt oddly proud of the plan… until tomorrow never comes.
The truth is, self-care doesn’t need a perfect day — just a small, curious step today. Your body learns from action, not intention.
The Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn what you’ve learned into action — so your self-care finally becomes real, simple, and yours.
Turn inspiration into action — with a simple system that helps self-care finally work with your body, not against it.
If you’ve been reading along and thinking, “I’d love to try this myself one day…” — you don’t have to wait, or wonder where to start.
The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit gives you the gentle structure to make your first challenge easy, personal, and effective. It’s the same step-by-step approach I use when following the challenges alongside you — so you’ll feel supported every step of the way.
Inside, you’ll find: 🌿 A gentle Before Assessment to pinpoint what your body truly needs — so you can stop guessing and start seeing real results 🌿 Step-by-step guidance (plus short video walkthroughs) to choose the right self-care. 🌿 Printable planners, reflections, and trackers to help you stay consistent 🌿 Access to our private community (coming soon!) — for gentle accountability and encouragement
You’ll also receive: 💌 Weekly self-care reminders, new challenges, and encouragement in the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter 🪴 Access to our free private community — where women share progress, celebrate wins, and remind each other we’re not alone
(Part of the Practical Self-Care Pathway — build habits that support your body’s natural balance.)
Real self-care is about listening to yourself. Because being healthy isn’t always easy — but it can be made simple.
“Instant access—start your challenge today.”
Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.
For the challenge you only have to do the basic dry skin brushing routine at least 3 times a week for 4 weeks (28 days).Assess and score your overall well-being – especially those areas mentioned at the start of this article – before you begin and again when you complete the dry skin brushing challenge. You can use a dry towel, dry skin brush or loofah.Basic Dry Skin Brushing Routine
Start from your feet and brush upwards in long sweeps along the front, back and sides of your legs. Include your buttocks. Medium pressure.
Then go from your hands to your shoulder in the same manner. Don’t forget the back of your neck!
Use a circular (anticlockwise to mimic the colon and aid the process) movement across your abdomen and then for your armpits.
When it comes to your back, I always go upwards in short strokes from the base of my back and downward strokes from my shoulders. Don’t forget your sides under your arms which I do in short strokes.
I go very gently if at all, over my chest area and avoid my face
Assess and score at the end of 28 days.How did you get on?
Looking for easy ways to move more — even when exercise feels impossible? These 65 fun Non-Exercise Movement ideas help you sit less, boost energy, and improve well-being through simple daily actions. Perfect if you live with pain, fatigue, or mobility challenges, or just want to break up long sitting hours. Gentle movement really adds up — and pairs perfectly with the 28-Day Gentle Movement Challenge.
Do you sit for long periods of time? Wish you could move more, even when exercise isn’t possible?
You’re in the right place! 💛
This post is packed with 65 fun, easy Non-Exercise Movement ideas to help you sit less, feel better, and even burn extra calories — all without doing a formal workout.
If you live with chronic pain, fatigue, mobility limits, or simply spend many hours sitting (think office work, driving, or studying), these small movements can make a big difference to your well-being.
I created this list to go alongside the 28-Day Gentle Movement Challenge — a self-care reset designed around the benefits of gentle, everyday movement (known as NEAT, or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).
🌿 Why Non-Exercise Movement Matters
You’ve probably noticed that some people just can’t sit still — they’re always fidgeting, stretching, or getting up to do something. It turns out, all those little movements add up!
One study found up to a 2,000-calorie difference per day between two similar people — simply based on how active their daily movements were.
Now, weight loss isn’t the main goal of non-exercise movement (this is about wellness first), but knowing that small actions can gently support your metabolism is a great bonus — especially if intense workouts aren’t realistic right now.
We all know someone who just can’t sit still for very long, turns out all that fidgeting and jumping up to do something that could wait, makes a big difference to your NEAT movement.
The Goal
The aim here is to:
Sit less — try short 2–3 minute activity bursts every 30 minutes.
Stay active — even on days when you have to sit for long periods.
Move gently and consistently — to boost circulation, energy, and mood.
You’ll find 65 practical, enjoyable ideas below — grouped into five easy sections that match the 28-Day Non-Exercise Movement Challenge.
These ideas are simple enough to start today and might even inspire you to add more structured exercise later on (if and when you feel ready).
Not only will you burn calories, but fidgeting can relieve anxiety, boredom and help with changing bad habits.
Here are some ideas to get you started.
Tapping each finger 5 x
Fist-pump in the air each side 10 x
Tapping toes each foot 10 x (sitting or standing)
Tapping toes both feet 10 x (sitting or standing)
Bouncing heels each foot 10 x
Bouncing heels both feet 10 x
Hand circles – rotate wrists and fingers 10 x both directions
Knitting or crochet
Sketching or colouring
Adult fidget toy – Shashibo
Adult fidget Spinner
Challenge 2 – Ideas of how to Stand more this week
The benefitsof standing more include improvedposture, back-pain, circulation and cardiovascular (heart) health, insulin levels (sugar) and boosts focus and concentration.
Calories burned between standing-still and sitting were not significant although when you stand for periods of time you are more likely to keep adjusting your posture (fidget).
Here are some ideas of how you can stand more this week
Stand while on the phone.
Stand at the kitchen counter when using electrical devices.
Stand while ‘crafting’.
Stand in front of the TV or Youtube
Stand doing chores around the home – sprinkle them throughout the day
Stand and take a ‘power pose’ or mountain pose
Stand for 5-minute meditate or listen to short guided visualisation
Stand and perform breathing exercises
Standing desk – if you work from home this is a great investment.
Challenge 3 – Active sitting Ideas
Active or dynamic sitting is where you include frequent micro movements while sitting for long periods of time.
The benefits include improvedposture (back, neck, shoulder pain), core-strength and circulation (cardiovascular/heart health).
Seated workouts are a very popular solution for those with restricted mobility or who need to sit for long periods for work. Full Seated-Workouts are classed as formal exercise (which you can also include) YouTube examples Here, here & here.
You can use these workouts for ideas to create micro 2-minute active sitting movements.
Active sitting (fidgeting while seated) burns extra calories (energy expenditure) and if you can move your legs while seated this increases by 20-30%
Here are 20 ideas to include for micro-active-sitting
Seated arm rows
Overhead arm raises
Knee lifts
Knee extensions
Seated chair march
Arm swings
Arm reaches
Toe taps
Seated cat cow stretch
Chair forward bend
Chair spinal twist
Neck stretches
Seated Eagle arms Seated bent over rows
Seated shoulder press
Seated bicep curls
Seated triceps extensions
Rocking Foot stool such as HERE
Under-desk-pedal-bike – Try This.
Office ball chair example Here
Saddle chair
“It’s 100% free—no strings attached.”
Challenge 4 – Ideas to Include More Calf Raises
Calf raises not only burn calories but also strengthen calf muscles which improve lower body function, improve stability and reduce risk to sprains and strains.
Calf-raises also support the ankle and knees.
These can be done seated or standing, on a step and with dumb-bells.
Remember the Non-Exercise goal is micro 2-minute sessions throughout the day.
Read or watch BELOW how to perform calf raises
How to do simple calf raises
Sit or stand with both feet on a flat surface with your toes pointed straight ahead.
Lift one or both heels off the floor to flex your calf muscle.
Pause for moment, then slowly return to the floor. That’s one rep.
These are the well-known examples of NEAT movement. The little every day activities and tweaks you can make to gently increase your movement without formal exercise to burn more calories and boost your well-being.
How many of the following ideas can you include today?
Pace when you take a phone call.
Park further away so you walk more steps.
Identify where you could stand more in your normal day.
Housework counts as NEAT – can you increase your daily cleaning activity? How many 5-minute chores can you complete in a day?
Walk with friends and family
Walk the dog
Clean the car
Gardening counts as NEAT – how many 5-minute jobs can you complete today?
Cooking and clearing up counts as NEAT
Walk whenever you have the choice
Having a shower counts as NEAT
Dancing
Spending time with kids
Getting up and making a drink
Warm-up movements from a workout
Squats
Arm swings
Stretch while watching tv
Take the stairs whenever you can
Summary
Whew well done you made it to the end! So that wraps up my 65 Fun Non-Exercise Movements Ideas to inspire you to take the Challenge HERE
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple
You’ve already started thinking about how to care for your body’s everyday needs — why not make it easier to stay consistent? The toolkit shows you exactly where to start
Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit
Turn inspiration into action — with a simple system that helps self-care finally work with your body, not against it.
If you’ve been reading along and thinking, “I’d love to try this myself one day…” — you don’t have to wait, or wonder where to start.
The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit gives you the gentle structure to make your first challenge easy, personal, and effective. It’s the same step-by-step approach I use when following the challenges alongside you — so you’ll feel supported every step of the way.
Inside, you’ll find: 🌿 A gentle Before Assessment to pinpoint what your body truly needs — so you can stop guessing and start seeing real results 🌿 Step-by-step guidance (plus short video walkthroughs) to choose the right self-care challenge for your needs — and actually complete it. 🌿 Printable planners, reflections, and trackers to help you stay consistent 🌿 Access to our private community (coming soon!) — for gentle accountability and encouragement
You’ll also receive: 💌 Weekly self-care reminders, new challenges, and encouragement in the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter 🪴 Access to our free private community — where women share progress, celebrate wins, and remind each other we’re not alone
