TikTok Trend: How to slay your Winter Arc

The ‘Winter Arc’ – the autumnal glow up. Time to prioritise health and well-being in order to be the best version of yourself this winter and avoid the slump into bad habits.

The steps below are not radical for me. The majority I already implement a lot into my daily routine (and wholeheartedly recommend), however, what I need to focus on is consistency, and writing them all down helps stay me on track and keeps me accountable. So without further ado, please see my breakdown of how I am going to slay my winter arc 2024.

Nourishment

Supplements – establish a lit supplement routine to put me in tiptop shape and keep wintery bugs at bay!

Hydration – drink 500 ml of water as soon as I open my eyes in the morning. Aim for 3 litres a day and stay consistent with drinking electrolytes (which I typically drink in the morning / during my am workout).

Ditch coffee in favour of Matcha – and not the uber sugary flavoured matcha drinks, i’m talking simple matcha powder and milk (cows for me). Supplementing this with herbal teas like green tea and peppermint. Need to try and get my cortisol under control!

Now, the Leon Subscription (for those of us in London) does pretty good Matcha – making it a more affordable option for those out and about.

Focus on protein – there is a time and a place for protein powders, puddings and shakes, and I am a fan, but I really want to concentrate on ‘natural proteins’ such as greek yogurts, fish, organic meat, nuts and high protein pulses for the majority of my protein during my winter arc. Though don’t get me wrong, I love nothing more than an Arla Chocolate Protein Pudding at the end of long hard day (it is better than wine, right?).

Cook more from scratch – what it says on the tin really (ironic lol), prioritise cooking with good quality and seasonal produce where possible, up the variety of fruits and vegetables I onboard a week, and make sauces and dressings from scratch to avoid preservatives. Also, get that fibre in ya!

Gut health and pre/probiotics – I am talking fermented things: kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir – not overdoing it, but introducing more to my diet to keep my gut nice and happy.

Reduce soda – I am not going to suck all the joy out of my life, but I need to seriously reduce the amount of coke zero I consume whilst sat at my desk in the afternoons!

Reduce alcohol – no drinking on a weeknight, and less binge drinking on a weekend.

Reduce salt intake – I LOVE salty food, and flaking extra salt on everything, and salty porridge… but for the greater good, I will attempt to be mindful with my heavy handed salty ways.

Beauty

Facial Massage – give consistent ‘do it yourself’ facial massage a go. I own a Gua Sha but have literally never used it, so that’s high on my list of winter arc introductions. Also, use my ice roller more in the mornings to give my skin and generally life a pep.

Dry brushing – be more consistent with dry brushing, and don’t just zoom through, but take my time.

I like a dry brush with rubberised nodes, like this one.

Body skincare – be more consistent with my body exfoliation and hydration routine, follow my exfoliation schedule meticulously and make sure not to skip moisturising, even if means lugging large bottles of product around London to the gym.

Lymphatic drainage – invest in a few visits to a lymphatic drainage massage in London over the coming months – if anyone has any recommendations i’d happily hear them!

Try a hydration facial – again, do some research on what London has to offer in terms of best facials for hydration and give one a go. Hopefully all the money saved from drinking less will take the sting out of the cost.

Be more consistent with my nighttime skincare routine – I skin cycle, but can be really lazy! I see amazing results with the products i’ve invested in when I use them correctly, so I want to commit to actually utilising them over the next few months so I can see the difference.

(Products I use include, Tatcha Dewy Cream (dreamy), Medik8 Crystal Retinal, Paula’s Choice AHA / BHA Toner and Dr Sam’s Cleanser).

Dental hygiene – now, I am no monster – I brush my teeth twice a day. But I could definitely be better at flossing and also using my tongue scraper. I am going to make all three, two times daily, a non-negotiable for the coming months.

Sunscreen everyday – As it gets colder, darker, more depressing in London, you could be be fooled into thinking you don’t have to maintain your daily sun care routine… WRONG. I will consistently apply sunscreen all day, everyday (even when it is lashing 45 degree angle rain and all hope of every seeing the sun again is lost).

Exercise & Rest

Walk walk walk – 10 thousand steps a day! I will have to invest in a good anorak for the London Autumn / Winter, but walking places instead of using public transport will increase your cardio and decrease your chance of catching the lurgy from the gross tube! If push comes to shove, I will just finish my daily walks on the treadmill.

Swap HIIT for Low Impact – To be fair, I have been doing this for the past few months and I have lost weight, my inflammation has reduced, and I feel so much better overall! So I shall continue to implement 2/3 low impact weight training gym sessions a week, along with 2/3 reformer pilates classes on top of that. And even more walking!

Yin Yoga – Introduce Yin Yoga into my nightly routine 1 to 2 nights a week + overall focus on stretching and post-workout cool downs more.

Prioritise Rest & sleep – 8 hours is the goal! I prepare myself for a good night’s sleep by having a wind-down evening routine that starts around 8.30/9ish – ambient lighting, a clean flat, skincare, magnesium, tucked up in bed and reading. I also use pillow sprays and reduce screen time for the final hour before I intend on falling asleep. It isn’t perfect, and I need to be better at it, but I want to get my sleep to a chef’s kiss level! I use a white noise machine that simulates a storm, and also always have my loop earplugs on standby in case my upstairs neighbour decides to disturb the peace. Too much rest is also bad though, and it is important to try to avoid festering and hibernating for the sake of it! We can all be guilty of a fester day in bed when it is darker and colder, and one every once in a while is okay, but just need to avoid making it a habit.

General Well-being

Wake up earlier and seize the day – trickier in the winter months (I use my Lumie light to kick me into gear), but I want to take advantage of extra time in the morning to reflect and then get my life in order.

Goal setting – set small achievable daily goals (e.g. drink 3 litres of water) and also bigger long term goals (e.g. be more consistent with social media and growing my blog). Writing daily lists and splitting my time into manageable blocks to structure my day and make hitting my goals feel more achievable.

Finances – limit eating out to once per week and swap hectic and expensive weekends for weekends that are more mellow and slow. With Christmas on the horizon, and the general cost of living, I want to reduce my financial anxiety by making more informed purchases and avoiding instant gratification shopping.

Dating – now, I love nothing more than producing memes on TikTok all about the audacity of modern dating and the situationship trap, but ultimately I want to meet someone, so I need to be more positive and open minded as I re-embark on my dating app journey. I also need to put less pressure on myself, and even the people I date, from the get go, and give this important part of my life the time and energy it deserves. Here’s to cuffing season!

Say no – I want to be more empowered to say no to the people and things that do not serve me anymore! Like an emotional spring clean.

Practise gratitude – I am lucky in so many ways, so instead of being consumed by thinking of all the things I am not, and all the things I want, I will be grateful for everything I have and all the wonderful people in my life.

Culture onboarding – I live in one of the most fantastic cities on earth. The amount of art and culture in London you can immerse yourself in and learn about is almost impossible to quantify. So I will combine many of the above steps, by walking around all the free and amazing museums, galleries and areas this city has to offer.

Slay.