Does your morning start out a little chaotic? You feel like you wake up with plenty of time to get yourself ready and then BAM! You’re rushing out the door with coffee, a granola bar and yogurt to eat AFTER you get to work. You scarf down the breakfast and start work, only to feel tired or sluggish early in the day. Do you get “moody” or “hangry” if you don’t eat at a certain time? Do you need pick-me-ups throughout the day or coffee in the afternoon just to stay away/alert enough to finish the day?
You’re not alone. We live in an era where rushing from place to place is accepted, instant microwave meals are the norm and sitting at the table as a family is unknown. So, after your day at work, the last thing that you want to do is to make dinner, right?! Stopping off and picking up “take-out” or ordering a “door-dashable” meal is way easier. Or popping a couple frozen pizzas in the oven is now more convenient.
You then eat your dinner in front of the TV while still trying to decompress from your work day (a couple glasses of wine help with this part), then you’re off to bed to do it all over again, vowing that tomorrow will be different and you’ll finally start that diet that your friend Barb keeps telling you about, the one that everyone’s doing. But then, you go to sleep and are wide awake at 2am, desperately trying to fall back asleep and just when you do, the alarm goes off and you’re off on another day of waking up with plenty of time to get yourself ready. Only to fall back into the same thing as yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that.
Etc. It’s insane.
I understand. I’ve been there. I have felt just like you. You’re not crazy. The feelings that you’re feeling about your body, your mood
being “off”, being tired all the time, those are real. You know something’s wrong but you can’t quite put your finger on it. You want to change, but you just don’t know how OR you feel too busy/overwhelmed to start.
Here are a few strategies you can start implementing when you wake up
Drink some water. I know.. too simple, right?! Hydration is important on so many levels, even down to the cellular level.
Drinking water first thing in the morning helps with brain function (as the human body is 73% water), cardiovascular health is also dependent as water supports good lymphatic flow, it also helps efficiently transport hormones throughout the body, AND helps carry toxins out of your body.
Be mindful when you’re eating. What does this mean? It means, put away your DISTRACTIONS (phone, tablet, turn off TV). Digestion begins in the brain, so it is necessary for your body to be consciously AWARE of what you are eating.
Cut out the sugar. But you drink your coffee with splenda, your granola bar says “organic” and your yogurt is low-fat. All of these have something in common. They can all disrupt your gut, brain and hormones. Splenda, because it’s an artificial sweetener. The labeling of “organic” and “low-fat” are often filled with hidden sugars. Great Article on hidden sugars
These are just 3 things that you can start in the morning. Try it out for a week or two and see if you feel a change. What’s important is that you take the time to take care of yourself. You can’t give from an empty vessel and self-care starts by actually implementing some small changes to love yourself.
Resources: WebMD; NTA 2020
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