The New Year is a time of reflection and renewal. For many of us, it’s also a time of lofty aspirations, high expectations and, come February, abandoned resolutions!
We think creating a healthy morning routine is the easiest way out of this trap. The truth is that while New Years’ resolutions often put the focus on health, they’re far from a guarantee of better behavior to come.
Last year, U.S. News reported that 80% of resolutions fail. Not exactly encouraging! Instead of setting broad and lofty goals this year, we like to focus on what we can do. Creating a healthy morning routine is more attainable, simple and life-changing than promising to “lose 10 pounds,” “run 20 miles a week,” or “eat healthier.” It’s the perfect solution if you’re craving change in the New Year but afraid of bailing on another resolution.
With the simple steps in this post, your morning routine will become a resolution you actually WANT to keep.
Why It Works
Unlike resolutions, building a morning routine focuses on positive habit formation. When we make resolutions, we often forget to include the steps we’ll need to take to get there. That’s like trying to drive from Chicago to L.A. without a road map.
You might figure it out, but chances are you’ll get a little lost along the way.
Habits are the key to successful behavioral change. Once the steps you must take to reach your goals are engrained into your daily life, they become impossible to ignore—and change is inevitable.
A good routine helps us string together several healthy habits that yield big results in practically no time. What’s more, a solid morning is often the gateway to a productive, focused day. Why not harness your renewed energy this New Year and maximize its potential?
Just include a few basic components and your morning routine will leave you energized, calm and ready to tackle your goals head-on.
3 Key Components
It’s important to note that no two morning routines look alike.
Your perfect routine will probably be constrained by time and preferences. We’ve identified three key components of a healthy morning routine, but we want to encourage you to compress or expand these steps to fit your life!
A routine is only helpful if it’s attainable. To that end, consider adding just one of these components every day for a week, building out a routine that suits you. That way, when most resolutions are crashing and burning, your healthier routine will be kicking into high gear!
Movement
Get moving first thing! Healthy movement will get your blood pumping and jump-start your day with a helpful dose of cortisol.
Yes, we all have a friend who wakes up at 6 a.m. for spin class (maybe you’re that friend—go you!). If you’re a morning-worker-outer, we commend your spirit. But that’s not really what we’re talking about here.
While it’s perfectly healthy for your morning routine to include your daily exercise, we recognize that isn’t everyone’s cup of WonderFUEL. So if you’re hesitant, think of this component of your morning routine as movement, rather than exercise.
You might choose to take your doggo on a 20-minute walk around the neighborhood, do a short yoga flow, or simply perform some light stretches.
If you can move your movement outside, even better!! Research indicates exposure to bright light early in the morning helps regulate our circadian rhythms, which can be hugely helpful in creating healthier sleep.
Stillness
A period of stillness can help us get centered for the day.
The thing is, it’s simple to wake up, roll over, and immediately check our email. But scrolling through our newsfeed first thing in the morning sends our minds straight into overdrive.
Mindfulness meditation is our go-to exit from this hamster wheel. Guided meditation apps like Calm or Headspace offer a simple, accessible form of meditation that can totally transform your day.
We’re talking research-backed reductions in anxiety, increased focus and potential benefits for chronic disease, all from a few minutes of deep breathing and calm. This is powerful stuff!
If meditation still sounds intimidating, we totally get it. Some of our favorite ways to focus include gratitude journaling and connecting with our personal spiritual practices.
And if you’re pressed for time, a moving meditation like yoga is a great way to combine the movement + stillness aspects of your morning routine for maximum results in minimal time.
Energy
We think breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but you don’t have to make a huge meal to reap its benefits.
Since we’re focused on mindset shifts this New Year, we recognize that what you eat for breakfast can set the tone for your day.
Taking a few minutes to thoughtfully consume some energy will yield huge rewards as your day goes on. And yes, this might look like a healthy breakfast when you have time to cook. But if you don’t (remember, this routine is all about realism!), an MCT-based drink might be just the ticket.
WonderFUEL is the perfect complement to your healthy morning routine! With 7g of energizing MCT’s from coconut oil and no added sugar, it’s Paleo, Vegan and keto-friendly.
Unlike carb-heavy breakfasts or sugar-laden energy drinks, MCT’s provide sustained energy through a unique metabolic process that allows our brain to quickly access them for energy. That means you get lasting mental energy when you need it most.
Used to that morning cup of Joe? Our WonderFUEL’s Coffee flavor has 90 mg of caffeine to jump start your routine, and the healthy fat from coconut oil will smooth over any energy dips.
If ditching caffeine is on your to-do for 2018, our Turmeric Golden Milk is a fantastic alternative! Organic turmeric and ginger roots are anti-inflammatory, and you’ll still get all the energy-boosting goodness of MCT oil.
The best part? WonderFUEL is convenient to grab and go, making it the easiest way to round out your morning routine.
Your Best Year Yet
We know this simple strategy of creating a healthy morning routine is going to be a game-changer for you next year, and we can’t wait to see you put it into practice.
Remember that the length of your morning routine doesn’t really matter. As long as you can find a little time to move, find stillness, and energize your body each morning, you’ll be ahead of the pack in 2019.
WonderFUEL is here to sustain you throughout the New Year, and we can’t wait to grow alongside you in 2018!
So, do you have your 2018 morning routine planned yet?