Yesterday, I didn’t even get out of bed until like 10:40 am (which never happens). Then, I headed to yoga, and before I knew it, it was already 2 pm and my day was halfway over! I was so tired all day and it made me really appreciate my typical morning routine, so I thought I’d share with you a few of my favorite ways to reenergize when I wake up.
**This post may contain affiliate (which means I make a small commission when you shop from them) and sponsored products (gifted items are indicated with a [c/o] and sponsored items with a [sp]) because we all have to pay our bills, and I’d rather keep creating awesome content for you than get a real job. All opinions are our own.**
Do Some Moving
Normally I wake up around 6 am and, preferably, I like to brush my teeth, wash my face, stretch or do a bit of yoga, and then take my time to breakfast. Somedays when I’m short on time or when I’m stressed out, I skip the moving around part and end up eating breakfast at my computer. It never fails that on those days I always have a harder time focusing and being productive. So, even when I’m tempted to rush, I always try to make time in the morning to do a few yoga poses, stretch, or go for a short run. I never regret it! Even carving out just 15-20 minutes to get my body moving has a major impact on what I’m able to accomplish afterwards. Try these 5 simple yoga poses to boost your energy!
Try Adding Quip to Your Morning Routine
I’m so weird. I love brushing my teeth, hahah. Or maybe it’s rather that I hate when my mouth feels fuzzy or dirty. I recently got my hands on a Quip electric toothbrush [c/o] and I love, I mean LOVE it! There’s an unboxing video below so you can see what it comes with and how it looks! Not only is it really pretty, but between it and the toothpaste, my mouth feels way more like I just left the dentist compared to when using my ordinary toothbrush. I’m sure I normally rush through brushing my teeth, so I like that Quip pauses every 30 seconds to remind you to switch quadrants and then shuts off after 2 minutes. It makes me feel fresh knowing my pearly whites are nice and clean.
No Late Night Snacks
Typically, I try not to eat anything past 7 pm. I first heard about this “rule” when I was looking for weight loss tips a few years back, and while I did notice it was easier for me to slim down when I was strictly sticking to this, there is something far more important I notice from doing so – an energy boost in the morning. I feel significantly better and way less sluggish in the morning when I cut off food and snacks a few hours before bad. This absolutely not about starving myself whatsoever! If I’m hungry, or on the nights where I’m teaching yoga from 5-8 pm, I of course come home and have something to eat. Typically, if I get in a sufficient amount of calories earlier in the day though, I don’t really even feel hungry late in the evening. If I do need to eat something at night, I try to stick to some fruit or having a small cup of a smoothie (I love the Berry Boost smoothie from Bolthouse Farms). When it’s temping to have sweets or carbs, I remind myself I know I’ll feel better when I wake up if I make a smarter choice (you probably know from my instagram stories that I do eat plenty of ice cream and carbs… I just position them earlier in the day!). I know this might not be a realistic pattern for everyone, so I encourage you to simply start taking a deeper look at the timing of your snacks/meals and how they make you feel. Then you can strategize when you eat based on what’s best for you!
Reader tip: Shower first!
A very big thanks goes out to our reader Sophie who sent us in this tip: “Resisting the urge to have a lazy sofa breakfast and cuddle the cat. Just pushing against every part of me that just wants to do that, and jumping straight in the shower. It makes the difference between a day that sees me struggle to get motivated all day (and feel guilty, but not be able to push out of it) and a day where I hit the ground running and smash it! Sooooo hard sometimes even though I know what I need to do!”
