My Morning Routine

Our world has changed drastically over the last few weeks due to the spread of the Corona Virus (COVID-19). People are staying home more than ever as we practice social distancing all over the world. While a homebody lifestyle may be new for the majority, I have practiced this way of life for years as an introvert who works from home. I have become a bit of a hermit, so my day-to-day has not changed much recently. I began working from home in March of 2018 and graduated college in June of 2019. Once I graduated, I had even less reason to leave the house and the structure of my day was entirely up to me. For the first 1-2 months after graduation, I struggled to get into a good flow for work. In search of some balance throughout the week, I decided to curate a morning routine which helped me focus on my tasks and uplifted my mood. If you are struggling to get into a positive groove during this time, I wanted to share my morning routine in hopes of helping you out! I created this routine based on what makes me feel the most positive at the beginning of each day. The morning routine you create for yourself may look different based on what makes you feel best!

1. I set my alarm to 8:00 AM Monday - Friday and take my dog Rosie on a 15-30 minute walk as soon as I wake up. Since we have been spending more time at home, I have been trying to take her on longer walks, but ultimately it depends on how much is on my to-do list that day. During this time, I catch up on my favorite podcasts and enjoy the fresh air. 

2. When we get back home, I drink a large glass of room temperature lemon or lime water on an empty stomach. Doing so has many health benefits such as aiding digestion and fighting inflammation. It’s also a really easy way to get an extra boost of vitamins and get hydrated first thing each day.

3. As I sip on my lemon/lime water, I make 1 large cup of coffee. I have been making coffee at home for at least 6 years and it has saved me so much money! I usually spend between $7.00 - $10.00 on a bag of coffee beans that lasts 2-3 weeks. I typically limit myself to 1 strong cup of coffee per day. This is the coffee maker and bean grinder that I have at home (affiliate link).

4. After a few sips of coffee, I begin preparing for my morning workout. I do my best to exercise at home for 30 minutes 5 days per week (Monday - Friday). My favorite workouts are on the Popsugar Fitness YouTube channel. I usually search for full-body workouts with no equipment needed and sometimes I’ll throw in an additional 10-minute ab workout or extra stretching session. I also try to incorporate yoga at least once per week.

5. I’m not always hungry first thing in the morning, so sometimes I practice intermittent fasting until my appetite is sparked around lunchtime. If I’m mildly hungry after my workout I usually eat something quick and easy like fruit or a bagel and other times I’ll make a full meal such as a potato bowl with beans and raw greens. I’m going to share this recipe on YouTube soon. Be sure to subscribe here so you don’t miss it!

6. Once I am done working out and eating, I shower and change into something cute and comfy like leggings and a sweater. After I graduated college, I would often skip showers or just wear the same pajamas all day, but I have realized that showering and changing is actually a great way to reset for the work day- even if I don’t plan on leaving the house for much. I don’t usually do my makeup unless I plan on shooting content later in the day. I’m typically ready to start admin/computer work between 9:30 - 10:00 AM.

For a while I also implemented making the bed, but I must admit that this is the least important thing to me first thing in the morning. I do it often, and I love how it makes the bedroom feel neat and organized, but everything else on this list is much more important in contributing to my overall happiness and productivity for the day/week. I am still trying to get better at it, but I am not always consistent with it. Something else I would love to incorporate more is journaling, but I have a hard time squeezing this in without waking up earlier and I am not naturally a morning person. At the beginning of the year, I was writing in my journal once per day (mostly at night) and I would love to pick this up again at some point throughout the day because writing is very therapeutic for me.

Creating a structured routine and turning inward first thing each day has been life changing for me! I hope that sharing how I start my day encourages you to try something like this to optimize your time and mood throughout the week.

How to Prepare for your First Plant Based or Vegan Holiday Season

Thanksgiving 2018 was my first holiday on a plant based diet. I developed chronic illness and extreme allergies last year and had my first flareup August 1, 2018. Before I got sick, I was primarily a vegetarian for several months. Shortly after,  I opted to cut all animal products out of my diet because I ate A LOT of cheese which resulted in a high fat diet and I felt that a lot of my underlying health issues were due to inflammation. When a person eats too much fat it is difficult for our body to process and cleanse, therefore, I made the choice to change my ways. Although I was committed to eating healthier long term, at times I struggled in social settings.

The holidays, and any gathering with loved ones, often revolves around food. As a new vegan, the holiday season can be a stressful time because you are just learning how to navigate a new diet and lifestyle. Flexitarians often use scenarios like holiday meals or parties as a time to give in to eating animal products, but if you are truly committed to a plant based lifestyle I have curated a list of tips to help you get through your first holiday season a little easier.

Offer to Host

Last year, Mario and I decided to host our own intimate Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas lunch. We had my mom over for Thanksgiving and his parents over for Christmas. If you are worried about not having anything to eat at your family dinner or holiday party, I think this is a great option because you are in complete control of the setting. Mario and I both have food allergies and we love to cook so it was a natural choice for us. When we hosted my mom we made mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, sweet potato soup, and had a side of gluten free vegan bread. When Mario’s parents came over we made our favorite spicy bean soup which was a hit!

Eat Beforehand and Bring Extra Food

For those who do not feel hosting is an option, I recommend eating before you head to the holiday gathering and perhaps even preparing some extra food to bring for yourself and for others to try. This is a great way to satisfy your belly without feeling like you’re missing out and showing your loved ones that vegan food is delicious and accessible. For example, Mario and I will be spending Thanksgiving with his family this year and we decided to cook some staple options for us and others to enjoy. We are making a large pot of vegan mashed potatoes with coconut milk, sautéed green beans and mushrooms with garlic, cranberry sauce, and a pumpkin pie. We will likely purchase an allergy friendly vegan pumpkin pie that is available at Whole Foods. Each of these meal options are on theme for the holiday season and are pretty easy to make while still being flavorful. If you are unable to cook in advance, I recommend preparing yummy snacks to munch on for the duration of the event. 

Be Prepared to Explain Yourself, but Don’t Get Too Deep

If your whole family or all of your friends eat animal products and this is the first time you’ve made a change like this, your loved ones may have a lot of questions or concerns. They may ask why, wonder if you’re getting enough nutrition or protein, or even make fun of your choices. Their questions or comments can be very uncomfortable when you are the center of attention and everyone is waiting for a response. Therefore, I suggest to keep the answers simple. Personally, I don’t think a holiday celebration is right the time to get deep into justifying your reasoning for transforming your diet and lifestyle- especially if they are not receptive to it. There are so many reasons one may choose not to consume animal products: to better their health, for the well being of our planet, because they love animals, or a combination of these reasons. Regardless of why you chose to make the change, I would answer as simply as possible and leave it at that. I feel it's important to give honest answers, but keep the explanations short. It may take them a while to warm up to the idea and many people are genuinely curious, but just don’t understand because it’s such a foreign concept to them. Answering genuine curiosity with patience and kindness will open the door and hopefully later you can have deeper conversations about your new diet and lifestyle.

I hope you find these tips useful for your first holiday season on a plant based or vegan diet! I struggled to find ways to work around social settings in the beginning and implementing these three concepts have helped me a lot over the past year. Wishing you a cozy holiday season filled with lots of love and yummy food!