With a new year comes new resolutions, and when thinking of the lifestyle changes I’ve made this past year, I realized that the most impactful changes were ones I’ve adopted in only the last 3 months. After being able to test out a few theories and new ideas about my diet, schedule, and self-care routine, I feel confident in sharing how I became my version of “that girl” as part of an early new year’s resolution.
So…Who Is “THAT Girl”?
“That Girl” is a girl (or any gender) that gets up at 5am, meditates, drinks smoothies, has showers every day, journals, eats only healthy food, goes to the gym every day, and is successful in many ways.
Mspyramidhead1 on Urban Dictionary
Now – This is unrealistic for me as well as a lot of other people. The phrase “THAT girl” as well as “her” specific stereotypes originated on TikTok, but I believe it basically boils down to being someone who is in control of their life, who follows a schedule and is committed to living a healthy lifestyle in every aspect. Many of the practices or attributes of “that girl” can be tailored to fit your specific lifestyle, so don’t feel pressured to completely adopt a new way of life overnight.
***In this post I am going to be talking about food, so if that is a sensitive subject for you, please skip the list below***
10 Ideas to Help You Become “THAT Girl”
Fostering Natural Beauty
Going back to beauty basics has been a journey for me, personally. I believe fostering one’s natural beauty is a sort of self-acceptance in a way, where the health of the hair, skin, nails, teeth, eyes, and body are most important. Beauty, biologically and historically, has always been a reflection of one’s individual health moreso than how much we can alter our features to fit a standard. This means putting more focus on skincare rather than makeup, teeth being clean rather than straight, and hair being healthy rather than being the color/texture you’ve always wished it was. This doesn’t mean you have to transition to being completely natural 24/7. I’m no stranger to Botox, eyebrow dye, or lash extensions, but I used to not be able to leave the house without makeup, and now I do it on a daily basis. It feels so freeing.
Intuitive Eating
I’ve adopted the concepts of “intuitive eating”, the French eating schedule, and having all my meals be home-cooked by me. Intuitive eating is all about balance, not restriction, and listening to your body and its natural hunger cues. This category alone may warrant its own blog post entirely since there’s a lot to cover, but try to feed your body fresh whole foods, only when you’re hungry, and stop when you’re satisfied, not stuffed. No food should be “off limits,” but all food can be enjoyed in moderation without guilt or punishment. By eating this way, I personally have lost weight without any fitness changes at all. But the goal isn’t necessarily to lose weight, the goal is to be mindful of what I put into my body, have more energy, and physically feel better. For more in-depth info on intuitive eating and the “French way of eating”, visit nutritionist Lucie Villeneuve (Edukale by Lucie) on YouTube.
Scheduling
Your body already follows a rhythm based on when you sleep, but you can get so much more involved with your daily schedule. I keep alarms on my phone for waking up, each of my 3 meals, taking vitamins, taking prescriptions, even time to stretch and wind down from my day. Being that controlled helps to ensure I can plan events/appointments ahead (like to the hour) to fit my existing schedule, ensure that I don’t get hungry while at work, and ensure that my body expects this routine and can be more predictable. We’ve all scrolled on our phones and been horrified when we finally realized what time it was, but following a schedule can help put you back in control of your life, and “THAT girl” is definitely in control. You can “make time” for fitness, self-care, work, school, social life, cleaning, laundry, sleep, sit-down meals etc. with a schedule.
Vitamins
I have an entire blog post dedicated to vitamins and how important they are to supplement your diet, as it’s exhausting to try to meet your body’s quota for these minerals through food alone. Keep daily vitamins organized in a pill box and take them the same time every day to create a habit. A trip to the doctor and/or blood work could show you specifically which vitamins you may personally be deficient in, but if that’s too involved for you, I recommend:
- Zinc
- D3
- B12
- Multi-Vitamin (magnesium, calcium, vitamin A/B6/C/E)
- Folic Acid, Biotin, Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid
Hydration
Most of us are probably awful at this one. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. So drink up! The human body is a well-watered machine. Personally I prefer to use a 64 oz. water bottle with the times of day on it, as a sort of guide for where I should be during the day, making it easier to keep track of my water intake. Add lemon, cucumber, lime, mint, or other fruits/herbs to make your water more enjoyable/anti-inflammatory.
Yoga, Stretching, and Light Fitness
The body wasn’t made to be sedentary, and it’s a relatively new problem in history that people aren’t moving enough. Pressure to do tons of cardio and lift heavy weights makes fitness seem super unappealing, which usually results to pushing back workout sessions to “tomorrow” too many days in a row. Lately, I’ve been promising my body to at least stretch every day. Going for a walk or doing some yoga is definitely doing your body good, even if you aren’t dripping with sweat after you’re done. The “all or nothing” mentality doesn’t make any sense in “THAT girl’s” world. It’s all about balance and doing something good for yourself and your health. Begin with stretching daily, work up to 10 minute abs or another targeted zone before each shower, and then work up to a 45-minute yoga session, bike ride, or walk every once in a while.
Brain Food
If your daily life no longer involves being a student, it can be strange when no one is forcing you to learn new things every day. I love learning, but didn’t enjoy ANYTHING that was taught to me in school. I try to take the time to work my “brain muscle” as much as I can, whether that’s practicing piano, learning the basics of a new language, or playing a puzzle/problem solving game. It’s the practice that keeps your mind sharp. Furthered learning helps you to make connections in your brain, foster creativity, gain a better understanding of the world, and empowers you to use your knowledge base to make more informed decisions and connections with others.
Self-Care
Self-care looks different on everyone, but the point is to make sure you take the time to do something extra special for yourself every once in a while. Taking candlelit baths, reading a book, meditating, doing a hair mask, having a private dance party, taking a trip to Target, getting a pedicure, having a glass of wine – whatever it is for you, “THAT girl” wouldn’t deny herself a small gift or simple pleasure.
Emotional Health and Awareness
Mental health is a conversation much bigger than this blog, but “THAT girl” seems to be an all-together happy person. For some this is easier said then done, but here are a few little things to think about/remember:
- Allow yourself to experience your feelings fully when they come up whether they be positive or negative.
- Journal to keep track of trends in your moods or habits, and document what you’re grateful for daily. I prefer not to journal, but even just thinking about what I’m grateful for is uplifting to my spirit.
- Show up as your authentic self daily.
- Allow yourself to take time to recharge, decompress, and get in touch with your needs to better serve yourself.
- Do not fear.
- Act out of love, focus on spreading it.
Dressing the Part
Dress like who you want to be, not necessarily who you feel like you are at the moment. Your life may not feel “put together” but that doesn’t mean your outfit can’t be. Even the clothes you wear to sleep or around the house matter and can make you feel more like “THAT girl”.
Conclusion
Happy 2022! I hope this year will be better for all of us, and that you can take at least one thing away from this post and incorporate it into your life, for the better.
If you’d like a full post on intuitive eating or any other specific topic, be sure to let me know in the comments or on Instagram.
Much love, XOXO
