Are you ready for a morning routine that serves you? We’ve all been guilty of hitting the snooze button, flying through our shower, coffee, and emails before screaming out the door. But does this “routine” set you up for your day in a positive way? And did you even remember breakfast?
Reconnect with your mornings in the New Year, and realize the positive change throughout the rest of your day. Ready to renew you? Start first thing in the morning.
1. Water
We all know that water is an integral key to good health. The Institute of Medicine
recommends that men drink 104 ounces (13 cups) of water per day, and women should drink 72 ounces (9 cups) of water per day. If drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning doesn’t inspire you, adding a fresh squeeze of lemon might do the trick. If you have a hard time hitting your water consumption goal, consider using an app, like
Waterlogged or
Hydro Coach, or setting reminders on your smartphone. Find your new favorite water bottle and you’ll be downing those ounces with ease in no time.
2. Tea Time
There’s nothing wrong with starting your day with a cup of delicious coffee. In fact, studies show that it might even be good for you, but it’s worth taking a step back now and then and assessing how much caffeine you’re consuming every day. Remember that a Medium cup at your local Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts is actually the equivalent of two cups. Try scaling back to a normal 8 oz portion and then switching to black, green, or herbal tea for the rest of the day. The average cup of coffee has about 150 mg of caffeine -- tea, on the other hand, has about 65 mg per cup. Because tea has less caffeine than coffee, the caffeine curve is more gentle and won’t leave you crashing by mid-afternoon. Interestingly enough, studies have found that the biggest difference between tea and coffee drinkers is when you hit the hay. The theory is that the increased amount of caffeine in coffee is still lingering, whereas the lower amount of caffeine in tea is long gone from your system. (
source)
3. Meditation
A few minutes of meditation every morning is a surefire way to start your day on the right foot. If meditation intimidates you, don’t fear. There are a ton of great apps and videos that will guide you in your introduction to meditation. The goals of meditation vary, but a wonderful side effect is quieting and calming your consciousness. A few moments focusing on your breathing will have lasting positive effects throughout your day. Meditation has been shown to improve focus, energy levels, and even eating habits.
4. Smoothies
Skipping breakfast isn’t cool, but sometimes life gets in the way of our best intentions. If making eggs and toast just isn’t realistic (which is totally okay!), smoothies might be the way to go. Getting into the smoothie game might be as easy as throwing some ice, banana, almond milk and Orgain Plant Based Protein Powder into a blender. You don’t have to get fancy with ingredients, since Orgain has a great nutrition profile right out of the tub!
Some of our favorite smoothie recipes include:
If you’re tight on time in the AM, check out our
five 10-minute breakfast hacks to get yourself fed
and out the door on time. Keep a few
Orgain protein shakes readily available for the perfect solution when you are in a time crunch!
5. Exercise
One of the reasons we love a quick and easy breakfast, is that it frees up more time to get in a little exercise in the morning. If you’re renewing your commitment to fitness, why not get started first thing? You don’t even need to go to the gym to improve your wellbeing. Something as simple as slipping on your sneakers and taking the dog for a walk around the block, yoga, or stretching could be your new AM ritual. Exercising in the morning has a variety of benefits, depending on what exercise you do, but all morning exercise will have a positive effect on your metabolism for the rest of the day.
Studies have found that if you are looking to lower your blood pressure and improve your sleep, 7 AM is the ideal time to get your sweat on. Plus, exercise triggers endorphins, so your mood will be lifted, too!
Sometimes the smallest steps can make the biggest impact. By taking some time every morning to fuel your body and mind properly, the positive effects will spread throughout your day.
