Three Things I Do Every Morning
A solid morning routine can have a huge impact on your health. It doesn't have to be long and drawn out, with all of the fancy wellness gadgets and supplements. Today I'm sharing my 3 non-negotiable habits for every morning to ground myself before I begin any tasks I have planned.
These three simple things can be made out to be much more complex than they are. Even so, making sure we do these things before starting on our "to-do's" is key to balancing weight, mood, energy, hormones, overall health... basically all of the things we want to keep in balance!
NOURISHMENT, HYDRATION, MOVEMENT.
These are the pillars to getting a good start to your day. Any combination of effort placed into these three things will help you start your day from a place of self love and good health!
Here is my morning routine that I adjust based on my energy levels and time restraints, although I do try my best to refrain from scheduling things too early that would effect my ability to eat, move and hydrate in peace.
I typically spend about 1-2 hours every morning doing these things.
Hydration
First thing EVERY morning, I drink a full glass of water upon waking. On most mornings, I will follow up with another glass of water and added electrolytes or I will opt for some herbal tea. Any time I leave the house, I fill up my water bottle to make sure that I have safe water to drink! I aim to drink about 8oz of water per hour, stopping around dinner time. My favorite electrolyte is BodyBio E-Lyte.
Nourishment
I aim to spend at least 30 minutes preparing my food and eating it, but sometimes I don't have the patience for cooking in the morning… so I keep quick breakfast options on hand just in case I'm not feeling it, I'll still be nourished. It is important to eat within an hour or so of waking for nervous system balance and especially for those who have experienced prolonged stress or trauma.
Nourishing your body around the same time every morning helps signal safety!
15 minutes or less options: premade egg cups, protein shake, eggs over base culture toast with microgreens
30 minutes plus options: veggie packed fritatta, scrambles with veggies and potatoes, pancakes made from Bob's Red Mill paleo flour with eggs and bacon, eggs over base culture toast with microgreens and other fixings like pickled red onion, capers, maybe some Canadian bacon to jazz it up!
Movement
It's very rare that I don't start my day with 30 minutes or more of movement. I like to get in more of my exercise before the day begins, because energy naturally wanes throughout the day (pay attention to your circadian rhythm!) and other obligations may come up. If I front load my day, that means I will at least have 30 minutes of movement even if I do nothing else!
Most often I find myself doing these forms of movement:
~15 or 30 minutes of strength training with a 15 or 30 minute walk to follow
~ 30 minutes or longer walk around my neighborhood, hills if I feel up for it
~ 60 minute yoga class, I tend to go to the power/heated classes only in the morning because of the nature of this type of exercise to raise cortisol
If this much movement feels overwhelming, or if you find yourself pressed for time, do a few stretches, sun salutations, a quick walk around the block, anything to get your mind and body centered together to begin your day! I also love to incorporate my rebounder into my morning movement, and if you are struggling with movement in the morning, this is a great place to start.
So, the recipe for a perfect grounded morning is to hydrate, eat well, and move your body. It's pretty simple to do every day, as long as you hold the intention!
I hope this inspires you to focus on creating a grounding routine to feel better every day, friend!
