What's an easy, achievable way to start your day off right and promote your overall health? I've got the simple steps I take to set up my day that has a lasting impact and is easy to implement
Our stay at home order was just extended well into May here in Dallas. While as a mom of four that was a lot to take - this all has been a lot to take, no Netflixing and chilling going on over here! - it made me want to focus on the positives, unless I wallow in darkness of isolation for too long and wind up depressed. I realized how lovely and slow our mornings have become, and how much I'm enjoying that. When Henry started kindergarten last fall, our whole morning routine got bumped up by almost two hours! I'm decidedly NOT a morning person. If left to my own devices, I'd sleep until at least 8am everyday, not get out of bed until 8:30 and not really get anything done besides sipping coffee and reading until 9:30. This stay at home life has reminded me how much I love slow, easy mornings that ease you into the day. If you're looking for a re-boot for your morning routine, now's the time to practice! In light of that, I thought I'd share a few healthy morning rituals I do that get my day off to a great start. Since we all have a little time right now, might as well read up, give them a try and see what works for you, right? Here's my achievable, healthy morning routine:
1) Upon waking up, drink 8oz of water
Whether it's warm with lemon, cold with ice, or what you put by your bed last night, the first thing you should do after opening your eyes is drink some water. Think about it: you just slept for hours, not consuming any hydration. Your body needs a drink! Replenish your cells by giving them some water immediately.
2) Easy skincare routing
The last time I got a facial (that feels like 3 years ago even though it was just December...) the gal who worked on my face gave me some sage advice that I've been able to incorporate easily, since it takes all of about two minutes. Splash your face with COLD water. This will help reduce any puffiness. Pat dry and use your moisturizer. Then use a rose quartz roller (they're less than $20) to press that into your skin. The roller helps your skin absorb it and the cold quartz helps with further decreasing puffiness while also increasing circulation. I took it a step further and use my moisturizer along with this rose roller under my eyes, then I use the rose quartz roller to press it all in. Takes less time than going to the bathroom and makes your face look refreshed and dewy.
If you're looking for an easy makeup routine, I wrote this post on what I use and what I do that helps you look polished and put together in about two minutes. Notice a trend? I'm all about easy and low maintenance!
3) Set up your coffee or tea right
Some people are anti-caffeine, but there have been tons of studies that show drinking one cup of coffee a day (a small to moderate amount of caffeine) boosts your metabolism, provides antioxidants and is also anti inflammatory. I drink one small cup (I'll get through about 3/4 of the cup I have pictured) and I'm set for the day. Speaking of, here's a good way to boost the health effects of that coffee: add a tablespoon or two of coconut oil. You'll get a dose of medium chain fatty acids - the kind that are good for your health and have also been shown to reduce tummy fat! I'm not a fan of cooking with coconut oil, as I don't like how it makes everything taste "coconut-y." But in my coffee? I honestly don't taste it at all! I still add half and half to cut the acidity of the coffee, so you can still prepare your coffee as you like it, even with the coconut oil in it. The same goes with tea, if you're a morning tea drinker.
4) Take your immunity boosting vitamins
I'm not a breakfast person, so I actually do this step a little bit later into the day, but if you are a wake and eat type of person, this is perfect to do as you eat your first meal. I add one scoop of a prebiotic (this one was recommended to me as a quality brand) to either acai berry juice or pomegranate juice. Prebiotics are the fuel needed to support a healthy gut (whereas probiotics are the actual bacteria you add to your gut - many of which are killed off by the acid in your stomach before they even get there! Prebiotics have proven to be more beneficial than probiotics, or they can be used together for maximum efficiency) Then I take a B vitamin that has zinc in it, a turmeric capsule, and selenium. All of these support a healthy immune system, are anti-inflammatory and/or are minerals we're deficient in. The two juices I take all these with are loaded with antioxidants too!
That's it. I told you this would be achievable, so I'm not going on and on and listing a hundred things for you to do. Just drink a little water, de-puff your face, add some coconut oil to your coffee and take your vitamins. All in all, we're talking less than 15 minutes of a "routine" here, and most of it you're doing anyway (like washing your face and making yourself coffee.)
1) Upon waking up, drink 8oz of water
Whether it's warm with lemon, cold with ice, or what you put by your bed last night, the first thing you should do after opening your eyes is drink some water. Think about it: you just slept for hours, not consuming any hydration. Your body needs a drink! Replenish your cells by giving them some water immediately.
2) Easy skincare routing
The last time I got a facial (that feels like 3 years ago even though it was just December...) the gal who worked on my face gave me some sage advice that I've been able to incorporate easily, since it takes all of about two minutes. Splash your face with COLD water. This will help reduce any puffiness. Pat dry and use your moisturizer. Then use a rose quartz roller (they're less than $20) to press that into your skin. The roller helps your skin absorb it and the cold quartz helps with further decreasing puffiness while also increasing circulation. I took it a step further and use my moisturizer along with this rose roller under my eyes, then I use the rose quartz roller to press it all in. Takes less time than going to the bathroom and makes your face look refreshed and dewy.
If you're looking for an easy makeup routine, I wrote this post on what I use and what I do that helps you look polished and put together in about two minutes. Notice a trend? I'm all about easy and low maintenance!
3) Set up your coffee or tea right
Some people are anti-caffeine, but there have been tons of studies that show drinking one cup of coffee a day (a small to moderate amount of caffeine) boosts your metabolism, provides antioxidants and is also anti inflammatory. I drink one small cup (I'll get through about 3/4 of the cup I have pictured) and I'm set for the day. Speaking of, here's a good way to boost the health effects of that coffee: add a tablespoon or two of coconut oil. You'll get a dose of medium chain fatty acids - the kind that are good for your health and have also been shown to reduce tummy fat! I'm not a fan of cooking with coconut oil, as I don't like how it makes everything taste "coconut-y." But in my coffee? I honestly don't taste it at all! I still add half and half to cut the acidity of the coffee, so you can still prepare your coffee as you like it, even with the coconut oil in it. The same goes with tea, if you're a morning tea drinker.
Yes, my pomegranate juice is in a Jameson glass... It's the right sized glass for the job! |
I'm not a breakfast person, so I actually do this step a little bit later into the day, but if you are a wake and eat type of person, this is perfect to do as you eat your first meal. I add one scoop of a prebiotic (this one was recommended to me as a quality brand) to either acai berry juice or pomegranate juice. Prebiotics are the fuel needed to support a healthy gut (whereas probiotics are the actual bacteria you add to your gut - many of which are killed off by the acid in your stomach before they even get there! Prebiotics have proven to be more beneficial than probiotics, or they can be used together for maximum efficiency) Then I take a B vitamin that has zinc in it, a turmeric capsule, and selenium. All of these support a healthy immune system, are anti-inflammatory and/or are minerals we're deficient in. The two juices I take all these with are loaded with antioxidants too!
That's it. I told you this would be achievable, so I'm not going on and on and listing a hundred things for you to do. Just drink a little water, de-puff your face, add some coconut oil to your coffee and take your vitamins. All in all, we're talking less than 15 minutes of a "routine" here, and most of it you're doing anyway (like washing your face and making yourself coffee.)