Costa Rica Reflections - Week 3 - My Four Top Health Tips

Wellness Effect
May 2
5 min read

Hola desde Costa Rica!

Our third and final week is up and I can't believe how quickly the time in Costa Rica has passed. One thing that unsettles me is how life feels like it's flying by, and one desire I had for my career break was to slow down as I feel like I'm constantly on the treadmill when I'm working. Even though the weeks have passed quickly, each day has felt very long, luxurious and varied.

This week my typical routine has been:

6:30 - wake up and go outside within 10 minutes to get sunlight in my eyes

7:00 - walk to the gym and do a workout

8:00 - walk back home for breakfast with everyone

9:30 - chill by the pool and read

12:00 - go for a walk to Organico or Bodhi juice bar

14:00 - check in with clients, look at test results and write protocols

17:00 - walk to Playa Guiones for sunset surfing

18:30 - get ready and have dinner at home or go out with friends

20:00 - wind down for bed with legs up the wall pose and facial massage

21:00 - bedtime!

The balance of wellness, exercise, relaxation, connection and doing work I love has been perfect, it's exactly what I hoped for when taking this break.

We finished Spanish school last week so had a lot more time this week to explore. We went on an amazing ATV tour around Nosara which took us right up the mountain to a coffee farm, then to a beautiful waterfall and river that was great for swimming. Seeing the Guanacaste region from the mountain was amazing, it's such a beautiful landscape. Wild swimming is one of my favourite activities and sitting in a natural hot pool under the waterfall and watching the fish swim by was perfect.

We also went surfing with some seasoned surfers from the B&B to learn the ropes - omg it is so hard! The waves were crazy and all over the place, not great for surfing but we both stood up (for 1 second but still). We could then go alone and with friends for the rest of the week which was so much fun and great exercise.

I tried an ariel yoga class, which I've never done before, it was in Bodhi Tree yoga resort which is a stunning setting. The class was more restorative than I expected but this was perfect as I was sore from the gym and surfing. Swinging in a massive fabric hammock with a view of the trees was my favourite savasana ever.

Reflections

Wellness can be overpriced

I love a $30 yoga class and a $10 juice as much as the next girl but by week 3 in Nosara, the price of things was getting a bit much. The price of wellness activities isn't just exclusive to well-being hubs in Costa Rica, I see people regularly complaining that wellness is out of their price range in the UK. We can get caught up in this mindset that wellness has to be expensive and you need to spend money for it to work. The amount of money that my clients have wasted on supplements they don't need and the latest treatments or gadgets that haven't made a difference - I'm sure you can relate. It leaves people feeling like wellness or health isn't for them and is out of reach, which causes them to give up. Read on to find out my solution.

Exercise is best when it's natural

Honestly going to a gym and doing a workout or class will never give as good a calorie burn as surfing. No wonder the surfers all look insane! We were surfing for two hours without even noticing the time going by as we were having so much fun. Natural exercise and movement throughout the day is better for you than going to the gym and doing an hours workout then being sedentary all day. Find a sport or activity that you love and you'll not even notice that you're exercising. Even better if it helps you make friends and become part of a community.

Nature is healing

I'm really going to miss the sounds of the jungle when we leave. When I've been voicenoting friends they've all commented on the sounds of the crickets, locusts and birds in the background - they're so loud and constant here but I love it!

Being outside the majority of my day is so foreign to me. I'd love to do it more but in the UK, especially when I'm working full time, I only get out a few times a day. Here I'm outside from when I wake up until before bed, usually barefoot, in the sun or in the sea. I feel, and see, a huge difference in my mood, my nervous system is so relaxed, my skin is glowing and I have been sleeping so well. Being barefoot on the earth (grounding) can reduce inflammation, pain, stress and improve well-being. I also find grounding and being in nature so spiritual, especially swimming in the sea, it makes me feel part of something bigger!

Costa Rica Reflections - My Four Top Health Tips

Keep it simple - wellness does not need to be expensive. Our capitalist, over consumption driven society likes you to think it's something that needs to be purchased but there's so much you can do for free. Getting outside in the morning, at lunchtime and before bed helps regulate your circadian rhythm, walking as much as possible, standing barefoot on the ground, breathing deeply and laughing are all free and will have a positive impact on your wellbeing. Okay maybe your fave wellness influencer says you should buy the next big supplement (hopefully I'm your fave wellness influencer though and I don't) but this is all just noise that you can ignore.
Exercise doesn't have to be boring - If you don't like the gym, don't go to the gym. But that doesn't mean you have to do nothing. Take up a sport or hobby, something that keeps you active naturally, while also having fun, can have huge impacts on your health. It can be a great way to build community, meet new people and keeps you fit. I feel like as we get older we don't make time to do the things we enjoy and we lose connection with them. What did you do as a kid that you loved? Surfing in Costa Rica was fun, I paddleboard in Mallorca and rollerblade in the UK!
Get outside - as I've already mentioned, getting outside is free and amazing for your health. Take it a step further and go somewhere you're immersed in nature. Shinrin-yoku or Japanese forest bathing is a practice where you immerse yourself in a forest environment to connect with nature and improve physical and mental well-being. It's shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, improve immune function, mood and concentration.
Stick to a routine - even when I'm away I still like to have a bit of routine. This helps me get up early, fit in workouts, eat the way I like to and stick to a sleep schedule. It's great to relax the routine a bit but why work so hard to have a good one at home, just to let it all go to shit when you're away? It makes it so much harder to get it back when you get home. I don't find it boring because I love feeling great and my routine helps me do that. Build a routine you love and it won't feel like a chore, you'll want to do it everywhere.

So that's it for my trip to Costa Rica and my reflections from there. Sad times! I'm going to Mallorca for the rest of my career break so if you don't already, follow along on Instagram.

Adios Costa Rica!