My Morning Wellness Routine

When I first started toying with the idea of building a website I thought it would be about a lot more than just recipes. I envisioned letting people in on my health and wellness routine. I was in such a good place. I’d been on my longest workout streak, I felt strong. I had stamina. Additionally, I was meditating, taking a circ walk and drinking a green smoothie every morning, and I honestly felt better than I possibly ever had. My routine was keeping me grounded and stable.

Unfortunately, it turns out that launching a website and agreeing to be the co-chair of a nonprofit organization requires a lot of attention. Workouts and green smoothies got pushed aside for a bit while I dove headfirst into launching Everyday Alchemy and settling into my role at Slow Food Atlanta. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s something I’ve taken note of. It felt like I’d finally put this puzzle together, and then accidentally knocked over the table it was assembled on. And honestly, it feels like some of the pieces must have slipped through a crack in the floor.

So maybe by explaining to you what I loved about that routine, I can find my way back to it. Let’s start with the things that I haven’t let go of. 

Morning Meditation

I do a guided meditation for 15 minutes a day, every day. You can find the link to it here and here. I’ve been at it since the spring of 2024, and there’s really no way to measure what life would have been like without it, but I will say that on the rare occasion that I need to skip it, my husband usually notices pretty quickly- because I am, shall we say… not the same person. 

And as I’ve become more calm and relaxed thanks to this part of my routine, I can’t help but notice that the words meditation and medication are only one letter off.

Circ Walk

This one I owe to the Liz Moody Podcast. Right now you are probably wondering what a “circ walk” is. Fair enough, no need for suspense. “Circ” refers to your circadian rhythm, which is basically your internal clock. The idea is that humans used to spend a lot more time outdoors, and way less time looking at screens, and that our bodies take cues from the outside world about when to wake and when to sleep. So if you get outdoors, sans sunglasses, ideally as close to sunrise as possible, you can help your body set its rhythm. 

It’s a great opportunity to get the blood flowing. I love taking a short little walk around the neighborhood, even in the cold. And I’m not going to lie, it makes me feel like a total badass when the weather’s bad and I still manage to make it happen.

Green Smoothie

I still do this several times a week, but I would like to get back to doing it every day. I prefer having a green smoothie over a green juice because it’s got more fiber, and with the addition of healthy fats and whole fruits I find that I don’t get an anxiety filled blood sugar spike. It’s a great midafternoon pick-me-up alternative to that second (or let’s be honest, third) cup of coffee.

And if there’s ever a day when I wake up feeling run down, I won’t even think about skipping my smoothie. It for real helped me finally kick the last of my lingering covid symptoms after 6 months of struggling in 2024. By the way, I should mention that this habit was also inspired by the Liz Moody podcast. 

Strength Training and Cardio Workout

It’s pretty telling that before I was willing to write this little segment I went doom scrolling on Instagram for 10 minutes! We all know why women should strength train, but in case we actually don’t- according to the Mayo Clinic, it’s great for fending off osteoporosis, while helping your metabolism stay fired up. It is also helpful for managing chronic conditions such as diabetes and depression, and it can help protect your sense of balance and your joints. 

And cardio exercise is important as well because it can help us manage our weight, strengthen our immune system, and reduce risks of heart disease and high blood pressure. It’s also great for balancing our mood and increasing endurance and stamina. 

It’s so rewarding to see your cardio capacity improve. No matter where you start, even if it’s just walking for 5 minutes a day and slowly building up, it’s better than nothing. 

That’s where I found myself when I got diagnosed with Graves’ Disease. It was a hard road back to healthy, but it was worth putting in the effort. I don’t ever want to get that sick again. 

So lately I’ve been doing 20 to 30 minutes of a guided yoga routine every morning to get me back into the habit. I plan to slowly build back up to an hour, and then start incorporating weights and running back into the mix. 

And honestly, after going and looking up the benefits of exercise for this post, I am feeling much more inspired to get back to it.

Final Thoughts:

With time and dedication, we can achieve a lot. And every day is a new chance. Skipping a day or even a month doesn’t mean you can’t start back up tomorrow. Sure, you won’t have the same capacity as you did before. But that’s ok, just take it as it comes. We’ll get there. And obviously, please check in with your doctor or healthcare provider before making any major changes to your wellness routine—what works for one person might not be right for everyone.

I’d love to hear what you do to start your day off right. And if you plan on incorporating any of the steps in my wellness routine, I’d love to know which ones you plan on trying, so don’t forget to drop a note in the comments!