Hey everyone! I get questions all the time about how I stay healthy with such a busy schedule. So I thought I would put a post together about my wellness routine and how I get my day started.
My morning wellness routine isn’t something that happened overnight, and to be honest I’m still tweaking/working on it. You also shouldn’t feel compelled to do things this way because I do them—figure out what works for you! At the very least, I hope this post inspires you to put together your own wellness routine or simply some healthy habits you complete every morning.
1. 6:30 AM: Wake up
I’ll be honest when I say that part of what inspired me to put together a wellness routine was reading about so many other wellness routines. And I realized that while these routines are cool and inspiring, they weren’t totally realistic, at least for me. So I’m sorry, but I’m simply not the kind of person that wakes up at 5 AM most days. I do it when I have to, but usually, 6:30 AM is my optimal wake-up time. Why? Because a lot of evenings I train clients until 8 PM and won’t eat dinner until 9 (stay tuned for another blog post on eating late). I simply don’t have enough downtime to get relaxed and prepare for the next day. And thus, 6:30 AM is my wake-up time.
2. 7:15 AM: Gym Sesh
I am a big believer in morning workouts. They accomplish a lot for me. For starters, an exercise is a great tool I use to reduce anxiety and stress. And I find that by getting my workout done first thing in the morning, I can feel much less anxious about any task I have to do that day. In other words, getting my workout done and out of the way in the morning helps me focus on other tasks better throughout the day. Whether I’m training a client, working on a recipe, writing a blog post, or doing strategic planning for my personal training practice, I feel much more relaxed and focused when I exercise in the morning versus when I don’t.
3. 9:00 AM: Shower
After getting home from the gym and looking like a hot, sweaty, mess, I really like to use my shower as an opportunity to detox. One thing I’ve noticed is that if you’re strapped on time for a wellness routine, you can improve your health but adding wellness elements to your routine. For instance, I’m going to shower every morning after the gym, and even on days where I don’t exercise. So, when I do shower, I’m going to try to incorporate a few wellness routines into my shower to get the most bang for my buck. Enter essential oils and oil pulling
Essential oils— The evidence isn’t totally clear on the health benefits of essential oils, but I’m a big fan of using them in my showers. Depending on how I’m feeling, I’ll use a variety of essential oils in the shower. I do this by placing 5-10 drops of the essential oil in the corner of the bathroom stall. I then let the shower run for 3-5 minutes. The water vapor hits the essential oil, and pretty soon my whole bathroom smells like a spa! In terms of what essential oils I use, like I said they vary. However, I do try to use detoxifying, cleansing, and/or uplifting oils that are great for the morning. There are many sources for detoxifying essential oils, but some of my favorites are tea tree, eucalyptus, patchouli, grapefruit, lemon, and frankincense.
Oil pulling— Again, the science on oil pulling is slowly emerging, but after a scary root canal procedure I had not too long ago, I want to do everything I can to keep my teeth healthy. I do this by swishing 2 teaspoons of coconut oil around in my mouth while I shower (I keep a small jar in my bathroom cabinet). The oil reputedly helps eliminate toxins, bacteria, and even stains from your teeth. In my eyes, this is a simple way to work dental care into your wellness routine. Keep in mind, however, that oil pulling is NOT a substitute for brushing your teeth every morning!
4. 9:15 Clean Kitchen and Breakfast
I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t complete any chores in the morning. But my usual routine is to clean up my kitchen as I quickly make myself a recovery shake post-workout.
What’s for breakfast? Honestly, it totally depends? Lately, I’ve been on a kefir smoothie kick:
The smoothies usually consist of one cup of kefir, a handful of greens, some fruits, and a little ground flax seed for fiber. Overall, I keep it pretty simple, healthy, and tasty!
I also like a cup of coffee in the morning. I stick to fair trade, organic roasts. The opinions on coffee are mixed of course, but honestly, I think the pros outweigh the cons. Coffee is a great source of antioxidants and offers loads of health benefits. So if you needed another excuse to drink some java, you now have one!
5. 9:30 Start My Day
With this routine, I’m able to start my routine relaxed, refreshed, and ready to tackle the day! What’s your favorite way to start your day?