Making the choice to live a physically and mentally healthy lifestyle comes by prioritizing your health and finding what works for you. I am a true believer that nutrition and health is not one size fits all and it’s finding what works for you that makes healthy a way of life! Our lives should not revolve around a diet or eating perfectly the key is to learn how to work a healthy lifestyle into our crazy busy lives. When you can learn to embrace a healthy lifestyle even when life gets out of control, it will be constant that will benefit you in so many ways.
My healthy routine is not something that I developed overnight and trust me it is not perfect every single day. But through years of trial and error I have found what works best for me. My routine keeps me both mentally and physically healthy and sane, lol. I am someone who likes routine and consistency; I’m totally a type A person. Although my days don’t always go as planned, having a plan for how my day is going to turn out and what meals i am going to have and when is really what helps me to be the most successful. I also always try to be prepared if my day doesn’t go as plan. Again things aren’t always perfect but the routine I have developed and practice daily is really what helps me to continue to embrace and love my healthy lifestyle!
4:30/5:00 am – Alarm Goes Off!
On a weekday I typically wake up between 4:30 and 5:00 am. Yes I know this sounds insane and awful but this is my “me” time. I wake up early before work to go to the gym. I typically get to the gym between 5 and 5:30 and this is where the fun begins! Working out at the crack of dawn has not always been my routine but in the past 5 years I have found that this is what truly works best for me. Working out is something that I not only love for the physical benefits of it, but for the mental benefits of it as well. My morning workouts are a time for me to mentally zone out and be in the moment. It is the time of the day where all I have to focus on is me and what I am looking to achieve that day. I also find that they energize me. I am not a coffee drinker so my workouts are my caffeine high! My workouts vary daily but I usually start my workouts with a 2 to 3 mile run or interval cardio workout. After my cardio and getting a good sweat on I usually do some type of weight/ resistance training based on what body parts I want to target that day. Again not every day starts this early. If I don’t have to be in the office too early and on the weekends I will definitely sleep in a little but I still always try to do my workout first things in the morning to get me going. On the weekends my workouts vary a little more and I enjoy running outside or taking a spin class to switch things up!
6:00/6:30 am – Morning Rush Begins!
I have never been someone who can exercise with a food in my stomach so when I get home from the gym I grab a few almonds to nibble on to get my metabolism started while I get ready for the day ahead. I also usually drink a large glass of ice water with lemon during this time. I usually spend the next 45 min to an hour (depending on if I feel like blow drying my hair that day) getting ready for work and organizing myself for the day.
7:15/7:30 – Breakfast!!!
I have to admit, I have not always been a breakfast person. But there is absolutely truth behind the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” and through practice I have found what breakfasts work best for me. I am proud to say that I have really grown to love breakfast and I now truly look forward to my first meal of the day. My breakfast choices vary and mostly depend on how much time I have before leaving for work. Most mornings my breakfast is a shake. I love shakes because I can take them on the go and I make a different one every time. It’s an easy way for me to get in a lot nutrients in the morning. Some of my favorite morning shakes are the NM thin mint shake and a peanut butter and banana shake. I also love the NM pumpkin protein shake in the fall! If I have a little bit more time for breakfast I can get a little more creative. Some other breakfast that I will make during the week are Greek yogurt and fruit bowls (with a tsp of dark chocolate chips for fun!), banana and egg “pancakes” or eggs with TJ’s everything but the bagel seasoning.
8:00am: Work Work Work!
My workday starts at 8:00am and from the time I walk into the office to the time I leave for lunch my schedule is pretty packed! From 8 am to 12:30/1 pm I am seeing clients. Because my mornings are pretty full I bring an easy snack that I can sneak in in between clients. My usual go to is almonds or cashews. After my morning clients I head home for lunch!
1:00/ 1:30 pm: Lunch Time!
Most days I have a longer lunch break so I can go home for lunch. Because I never know what the week can bring I always prep on the weekends for lunch and dinner. I usually prep at least two proteins, veggies and a healthy starch. I always prep grilled chicken because its easy and versatile and one other type of protein. Lately I’ve been really into making different types of chicken meatballs and meatloaf! My current obsession is buffalo chicken meatballs, recipe coming to NM soon! Having prepped proteins helps make lunch super simple and quick! My go to lunch is a big salad with protein. I know I know salad equals boring right??? Nope! Not in my house! I love making big colorful salads with a ton of veggies and healthy toppings. Some of my favorite salad toppings are cucumbers, sweet grape tomatoes, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, roasted veggies, avocado and cheese. Once I assemble all my veggies, I’ll add in one of the proteins I’ve prepped for the week and then I eat!
Now again not every day is this routine. Sometimes my lunch breaks are super busy and filled with running errands. On those days, if I didn’t have a shake for breakfast, I will make a shake for lunch and take it with me on my errands. Once a week I will grab lunch from my favorite healthy eatery in Sayville called Cornucopia. If you live in or around the area I highly recommend you check it out! It’s a health food store that has an amazing healthy deli section. Some of my favorites there are the south beach chicken salad and beandito salad. They also have great soups!
3:00 pm – Back to the Grind!
I start seeing clients around 3 in the afternoon until around 7pm. Again during this time my schedule is pretty crazy so I usually bring a protein bar to have around 4/4:30 because its quick, easy and curbs my hunger until dinner time. Again I am not perfect and sometimes eating at the perfect right time doesn’t always happen! If this is the case I will break my protein bar up into a few pieces and grab a piece when I can!
7:00/7:30 – Dinner Time!
As soon as I come home from work I eat dinner and prepping my food really makes this doable. Because I wake up so early I usually try to go to bed early so I keep my dinner light and simple. Some of my favorite dinners that I prep are chicken meatballs with zucchini pasta, turkey chili, grilled chicken with roasted veggies chicken tacos and stir fries. If it’s a night I get home earlier I definitely love to get creative with dinner and try new recipes! I usually try at least one new recipe a week to keep things exciting!
After a long day I am usually pretty tired and after dinner I take time to wind down by watching some silly Bravo TV show and organize myself for the next day. On the weekends I always enjoy one night of ice cream (my favorite indulgence)! During the week sometimes I will have a cup of decaf tea with stevia after dinner if I have any sweet cravings. My favorite tea is peppermint green tea. If I get a chocolate craving I will do ½ a packet of all natural hot cocoa! (I found one at whole foods that is really good)
9/9:30 – Bedtime!
I go to bed pretty early on weekdays because I get up so early. I have never been someone who needs a ton of sleep but I definitely aim to get at least 7 hrs a night!
As I stated earlier, the routine I have developed has been a process in the making. My healthy lifestyle is something that has not always come easy and there are still days that don’t got as planned, but I have always found that is you prioritize your health you will achieve a healthy lifestyle. For me it’s all about balance and accepting that every day is not going to be prefect. But I always remind myself that if I practice what I preach and work through the challenge my healthy lifestyle will always prevail!
