11 Genius Wellness Tips We've Learned From Our Secret Facebook Group

Have you joined our secret Facebook group yet? THE/THIRTY's Wellness Club is our designated virtual hangout to chat all things health, nutrition, and fitness—a safe space to ask burning questions and get real about our wellness journeys. With discussions ranging from bad breakups to activewear recommendations, we're constantly blown away by how insightful, supportive, and savvy our members are.

So that's why we'd like to extend an invite to you if you haven't already gotten in on the action. It's simple: It's a closed group (because again, #safespace), so you'll just need to head to the Wellness Club page and request to join.

In the spirit of our amazing little community, we're counting down some of the best wellness tips we've encountered in the group in recent weeks.

1. Look at your gym membership as an investment

While it's easy to balk at the cost of working out these days—ClassPass, gym memberships, and drop-in classes all add up fast—it's worth considering that a paradigm shift might be in order. One Wellness Club member recalls having a lightbulb moment shortly after she and her wife finally signed up for the gym after waffling about the cost for months. "She turned to me and said, 'This is going to sound cheesy, but I'm so happy we're finally investing in our health,'" she writes. "It was an instant aha moment, and we haven't missed a personal training session since."

2. That being said, if you're on a tight budget, don't underestimate online workouts

There are a ton of wallet-friendly resources out there, from cheap streaming versions of the trendiest boutique workouts to 100% free HIIT circuits on YouTube. Among our members' recommendations are the following:

Sweat (free to download on iTunes): Kayla Itsines's app offers the Insta-famous trainer's 28-minute workouts in an easy-to-follow format. You'll have to pay $20 for a series of workouts, but it's still a bargain.

Glo ($18 a month): This online video platform boasts a variety of yoga classes taught by some of the most celebrated instructors in the industry. Plus, you can choose a flow based on your time constraints, mood, which body part you'd like to work, and more.

Fitness Blender (free): One member credits a recent slim-down to this site's free Tabata videos.

3. Cutting out sugar isn't easy, but it is doable with these tips

The Wellness Club community showered one member with words of praise and encouragement when she admitted she was seeking help to cut down on her sugar intake, but among the comments of support were also some noteworthy tips for getting through a sugar detox, including the following:

Check your ingredient labels. There are tons of hidden sugars found in many foods you wouldn't expect, like salad dressings, Sriracha and turkey bacon.

Prep is key. Make your meals ahead of time and pack snacks so you'll never be tempted to reach for something sugary when hunger hits.

Be prepared for a rough first few days, and expect you may feel withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches and irritability. One member admits that the first few days were hard, but then it got much easier.

Replace sugary treats with foods that will help you ease off your addiction, such as dark chocolate, herbal teas, cinnamon, and nut butter. 

4. Break that snooze-button habit

Easier said than done, we know. But whenever sleep struggles come up in the Wellness Club—which is a lot—one of the oft-mentioned tips is to quit snoozing altogether. The reasoning: When you hit snooze and give yourself 10 minutes extra sleep, you're messing with your body's natural sleep cycle—which actually makes you drowsier once you finally get out of bed.

5. Good clean-beauty brands aren't as hard to find as you think

When it comes to cleaning out your makeup drawer (literally), the Wellness Club has all the best vegan and organic brands to try on lock. RMS Beauty, Ilia, and Kosås are just some of the many suggestons. 

6. Breakups are tough, but self-care is paramount

According to our group members, wallowing is a form of wellness. Other recommendations: Get some face time with friends and family, find catharsis in a tough SoulCycle class or boxing, and even take a solo vacation somewhere if you can swing it. For more pointers on how to practice mindfulness after a breakup, check out THE/THIRTY contributor Alexis Novak's amazing insights on the matter.

7. Skip the Pepto and aspirin, and cure aches and pains the natural way

It turns out members of the Wellness Club have quite the variety of go-to remedies for dealing with bouts of nausea and headaches alike: Ginger chews, peppermint tea, sparkling water, and peppermint essential oil (sniffing, not consuming) are all popular recommendations to treat an upset stomach, while gua sha massages, CBD, and plenty of fresh air are suggested for alleviating headaches and migraines.

8. There are natural ways to treat muscle soreness, too

For those so-sore-can't-even-move days, the Wellness Club members have even more natural remedies up their sleeves. Soaking in a warm bath (extra points if it includes Epsom salts), gentle stretching, CBD oil rubs, and active recovery workouts such as a brisk walk or light yoga are all some of the tricks they swear by to relieve tight muscles.

9. Gym-timidation doesn't have to be a thing

THE/THIRTY contributor Chelsea Miller's thoughts on "gym-timidation" seriously resonated in our Facebook group, and many members chimed in with additional tips for overcoming workout anxiety. The consensus: Put on "blinders." That means putting on your headphones and queueing up your music before even leaving the locker room and tuning out all of your surroundings as you dive into your workout.

10. Stay motivated by listening to one of their favorite wellness podcasts

Almost 30, Bulletproof Radio, and That's So Retrograde all claim residency on Wellness Club members' playlists and help keep them motivated in (and out of) the gym. 

11. Hack your phone for a healthier lifestyle

Translation: Don't let technology become your own worst enemy. We live in the age of distraction, and it's all too easy to feel frazzled and anxious with our inbox and social media feeds pulling us in several different directions. One Wellness Club member recommends playing with your phone's settings to automatically turn off all notifications after a specific time, and another (who may or may not be yours truly) suggests keeping it on Airplane Mode at night.

Ready to add to the discussion? Request to join THE/THIRTY's Wellness Club.

This post was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated.