in a world that’s so out of control right now, i’m using my morning routine as a way to create the structure and normalcy that i crave. i’m typically a pretty steadfast morning routine reliant, but this has become heightened in today’s state. here are some of my morning routine non-negotiables and how i’m navigating through a very uncertain time. also, i realize i wrote a full-on post about my quarantine daily schedule that covers my morning routine, but i wanted to share what’s been working and what i’m trying to hold tight to to help create a more peaceful day.
workout
i’m finding that my OG morning routine of rolling out of bed, brushing my teeth, and working out right away is the best way to not feel tired while i’m working out. right now i’m getting up and working for an hour or so before working out, and i find that i start dragging. it really is true that working out gives you energy – i just need to time mine better. regardless, getting that in right away means i’ll actually do it. right now i’m walking + trying to get outside for a walk. i’ve also been taking advantage of all of the 7/14/30+ day free trials of a number of online fitness classes, and have found a couple i really enjoy. would you guys be interested on a post on those? let me know!
probiotic
i started taking seed probiotics a few months ago. while they’re pretty expensive for probiotics, i really believe in the benefit of them, whether perceived or real. there is SO much data that says your gut and brain are connected, and i truly feel like when i’m not taking care of myself and eating too much sugar/processed stuff (like i am right now while working from home), it affects my mood. i’m desperately trying to make sure i can maintain a mindset of gratitude, fulfillment, and openness, so prioritizing the good stuff i’m ingesting is really important. which brings me to my next point …
intermittent fasting OR #fab4smoothies
i had been unintentionally intermittent fasting for years — i just didn’t have time for breakfast. it wasn’t until i started researching the benefits of it that i tried to become more intentional about it. that being said, i’m not here to sway anyone one way or another. some days it feels really good for me, some days i’m starving when i wake up. no matter what, i work out fasted mostly because i work out really early in the morning, partly because there’s a lot of solid research that talks about the benefits of working out fasted [again, i’m not a licensed health coach/nutritionist/doctor etc. i went to school for marketing, not anything health related]. honestly, i’m just doing what feels good. i’m usually not that hungry in the mornings and find that breakfast, no matter what it is, slows me down and makes me feel sluggish. that being said, there are some mornings i’m just plain hungry, and on those days i’m falling back on my #fab4smoothies. i have a hardcover copy of kelly leveque’s body love everyday, and it has a TON of great new smoothie recipes. need a quick refresher?
protein + fat + fiber + greens
kelly leveque’s fab4smoothie formula
morning pages
i’m still doing my morning pages! i may have missed a few days here and there [and don’t really do it on the weekends], but i’m sticking with it. more to prove to myself that i can keep up with what i committed to than anything. read more about what it is and why i’m doing it here.
here are a couple of things i want to start doing to make my mornings even better:
- read at night instead of looking at my phone. i picked up this book at target last weekend and am really looking forward to starting it. who knows, though, since it might be kind of intense before bed? will let you know.
- drink water first thing [well, after tongue scraping and brushing my teeth]. i don’t drink enough water before i work out, and i really just need to force some down the hatch. bonus points if it’s warm lemon water, but right now my priority is just getting myself downstairs to workout instead of making noise in the kitchen and risking waking the
baby dragonskids.
it seems like a lot, but these little routines i’ve developed have helped me to become a happier, calmer person – before this all happened, during this pandemic crisis, and hopefully after.