Happy Hump Day, everyone! I apologize for not posting last week. I have been working on a blog post about different varieties of rice and their nutritional content/pros/cons, etc., and the researching process has taken longer than expected. I always want to make sure that my informational entries are thorough and all-encompassing, which is why this one is taking a while- thanks for your patience! While I continue to work on that post, I thought it would be fun to walk you guys through my daily routine, specifically nutrition and wellness tips that I implement to keep my body energized and my mind happy. For me, I focus my meals/nutrition around how I am feeling and try to practice intuitive eating to the best of my ability, while ensuring that with each meal I have a carb source, protein source, and fat source. I previously tracked my calories and macros but no longer do so; however, I will include a calorie breakdown with each of my meals for those of you who do and are curious.
I hope you guys enjoy this post, and if you want to know more about my daily routine then just keep on reading!
Early Morning-
I wake up between 4:30 and 6:30 every day, and I typically wake up on my own, using my FitBit alarm just incase I oversleep. If I feel overly tired and/or I didn't sleep well, I honor my body and let myself rest a bit more.
Today, I woke up at 5:00 because I had a Hot Vinyasa Flow class at 6:15. After changing into my yoga clothes, I went upstairs, made one 10 ounce cup of black coffee with two scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (18 grams of protein) and poured myself 32 ounces of water with 3 drops of Young Living's Lemon Essential Oil- make sure if you infuse essential oils into your beverages that 1.) they're therapeutic grade oils and 2.) your water bottle is glass because essential oils leech the impurities from plastic... not good. If I have fresh lemons, I squeeze 1/2 of a fresh lemon into the 32 ounces of water instead, but both make me feel equally revitalized.
I usually wait until after my workouts to eat- some mornings I cycle, some I go to the gym, some I do [solidcore], some I practice yoga- but regardless of the exercise, I enjoy working out without food in my stomach. Sometimes, especially if I didn't eat a lot for dinner the night before or if I ate dinner extremely early, I opt to have some collagen peptides in my coffee or half of a Perfect Bar, which break the fast but still don't make me feel bogged down during my workout.
On my way to early morning fitness classes, I LOVE to diffuse peppermint and lemon essential oils in my car. Today, since I was going to yoga, I diffused 1 drop of peppermint, 2 drops of lavender, and 1 drop of frankincense- such an invigorating yet grounding blend.
Breakfast-
I usually make my breakfasts the most intensive meal of the day. Cooking and creating new dishes is an art that gets my creative juices flowing first thing in the morning- not to mention that doing so allows me to pump my body full of the macronutrients and micronutrients that it needs to function optimally.
Lately, I have been craving Mediterranean dishes- anything with feta, olives, hummus... you get the point. This morning was no different. For some reason, I was inspired to attempt to create a Mediterranean version of deviled eggs, and it was delicious.
I began by placing 4 eggs into a pot of cold water and slowly bringing it to a boil. I then took the boiling pot off of the stovetop and let the eggs cook in the water for about 12 minutes. After they were finished cooking, I placed them in a Tupperware container filled with ice-cold water for 10 minutes- patience is key. After the eggs were chilled, I removed the eggs' shells, cut them in half, and scooped the yolks into a clean bowl. I then added 2 tablespoon of hummus (I used Engine2) and 2 tablespoon of tzatziki (locally sourced) to the yolks and mixed it all up. *Mustard may have also been a great addition to this if you like your deviled eggs to have a little more bite.* Lastly, I scooped this mixture back into the eight halves of egg whites, wishing that I had one of those pretty pastry things to use :( . I saved four halves for tomorrow's breakfast and had some filling leftover that I saved to spread on some toast at another time. I added 1 slice of Ezekiel Low Sodium Sprouted Toast with a teeny bit of ghee topped with steamed spinach, fresh cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese. Voila!
Calorie breakdown (per myfitnesspal):
Item Calories Macros
2 Cage-Free Large Brown Eggs 120 0 C, 8 F, 12 P
2 Egg, Yolk, Large (USDA) 108 0.4 C, 9 F, 5.4 P
1 Tbsp Engine2 Hummus 12 2 C, 0.5 F, 0.5 P
1 Tbsp Tzatziki 22 1 C, 2 F, 0.5 P
1 Slice of Ezekiel Low Sodium Toast 80 15 C, 0.5 F, 4 P
1 Tsp of Ghee 70 0 C, 7 F, 0 P
2 Cups of Raw Spinach 14 2.2 C, 0.2 F, 1.7 P
3 Cherry Tomatoes 9 2.1 C, 0 F, 0.3 P
1 Tbsp of Feta Cheese 35 1 C, 2 F, 3 P
Total calories: 472 Macro breakdown: 23.7 C, 29.2 F, 27.4 P
**Tip: When I was using the Myfitnesspal app to look up nutritional information of fruits and veggies, I would type USDA after whatever I was looking up to get better, more accurate search results.
Morning-
After showering and eating breakfast, I take about 20 minutes to check off things on my to-do list, which helps me feel less overwhelmed later in the day. I feel productive when I check things off, so this also gets my day started on a positive note. I have been taking Care/of Vitamins for three months now and am obsessed. I love that the company encourages consumer education and provides information about ingredients' sourcing. I currently take 2000mg of Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil, 600mg Ashwagandha, 250mcg Vitamin B12, 250mg Rhodiola, and 6mg Astaxanthin every day. I also take 1500mg of Spring of Life's Ultimate Turmeric, which is definitely not a necessity, but there are so many benefits of having turmeric in your diet- I can do a whole post on this if you all are interested. I like this specific, though pricey, turmeric supplement because it also contains black pepper and ginger, both of which are crucial in allowing your body to absorb the turmeric.
As I've posted about before, I am currently studying for my MCAT, which I am planning to take in January 2018. I time-block my day from 9AM-5PM for studying and treat this time like I would any other job, which helps me stay on task and focused. I love diffusing essential oils all day long, especially while I'm studying. My current favorite blend is Thieves, Stress Away, and Lemon- perfect for fall and concentrating.
**My inspiration wall is incomplete. I definitely don't plan on leaving the large gap on the left :)
Snack-
I start to get hungry again around 11:30 or so and 9 times out of 10, I reach for cucumbers. They're one of my favorite veggies, and they pack a lot of hydration, which keeps my body feeling full and nourished. Today, I also had 1 kiwi to curb my sweet tooth.
~green on green on green~
Calorie breakdown (per myfitnesspal):
Item Calories Macros
1/2 Large Cucumber 17 3 C, 0.2 F, 0.8 P
1 Kiwi (69 grams) 42 10 C, 0.3 F, 0.8 P
Total calories: 59 Macro breakdown: 13 C, 0.5 F, 1.6 P
Lunch-
Ever since I saw Lex's post (restoring_radiance on Instagram) about taco salad, I have been making it non-stop. I grabbed about 2 loose cups of kale, squeezed the juice of half of one lemon onto it, and massaged it for about 20 seconds. I find that this makes kale so much more enjoyable for me because it really softens it and allows the lemon juice to absorb into it, cutting through a bit of the bitterness. I usually add some chicken or grass-fed beef, but I just wasn't very hungry this afternoon so I topped it with some cherry tomatoes and salsa and plated the medley with Siete Foods Sea Salt Chips (my ABSOLUTE favorite) and organic guacamole.
Calorie breakdown (per myfitnesspal):
Item Calories Macros
2 Loosely-Packed Cups of Raw Kale 16 2.8 C, 0.3 F, 1.4 P
1 Tbsp of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice (USDA) 14 1.1 C, 0 F, 0.1 P
3 Cherry Tomatoes 9 2.1 C, 0 F, 0.3 P
2 Tbsp of Organic Jack's Salsa 5 2 C, 0 F, 0 P
Organic Guacamole Mini 100 5 C, 9 F, 1 P
28 grams of Siete Sea Salt Chips 140 19 C, 7 F, 1 P
Total calories: 284 Macro breakdown: 32.0 C, 16.3 F, 3.7 P
Afternoon-
Around 2:00, I take a break from studying and do something active. On days where I don't have yoga in the morning, I take a 20 minute break to work on a few poses and alleviate some stress. Today, I decided to take my dog, Oscar, for a walk and listen to a podcast. I listened to The Essential Oil Revolution but am also loving the Nourishing Women Podcast and Sworn. I go back to studying until 4:30/5:00, and then relax until dinner. I usually catch up on my favorite TV shows (I am currently OBSESSED with The Last Ship, Big Brother, and Below Deck) and YouTube channels (favorites include Sarahs Day, High Carb Hannah, Tori Sterling, and Becca Bristow). Sometimes I hop back on the computer and brainstorm ideas for blog and Instagram posts or take that time to read whatever book I'm interested in at the moment.
Dinner-
I like to keep my dinners somewhat light but with enough sustenance to allow me to go to my morning workout fasted but with enough fuel to get through. On Wednesday mornings, I attend a cycling class at 5:30AM, so on Tuesday evenings, I am mindful of this when planning my dinners. Tonight, I am having some pork, steamed green beans, and roasted red potatoes. Red potatoes have become one of my favorite starchy carbs. I simply drizzle some cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil on them, mix them all up, and sprinkle on some pink Himalayan salt and pepper. I roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, which make them soooo crispy and yummy!
Calorie breakdown (per myfitnesspal):
Item Calories Macros
4 Ounces of Pork 162 0 C, 4 F, 29.5 P
~3/4 of 1 Red Potato, Cubed, Baked 82 19.5 C, 0 F, 2.2 P
1 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil 120 0 C, 14 F, 0 P
(drizzled over potato before baking)
1 Cup of Green Beans 34 4.1 C, 0.1 F, 1.8 P
Total calories: 399 Macro breakdown: 23.6 C, 18.1 F, 33.5 P
Evening-
After dinner, my parents and I gather in the family room and watch TV. On Tuesdays, we watch America's Got Talent. I can't believe next week is the finale! Tonight, I enjoyed a Yogi Ginger Tea with one drop of Young Living Lavender Essential Oil, which aids with digestion and calms my body before bed. I then retreated to my room and started diffusing Lavender Essential Oil before going to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. I have been using Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser for about a year and I love how it works with my sensitive skin. After cleansing, I douse a cotton round in some Bioderma Micellar Water to get off any excess dirt/cleanser before applying my Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with one drop of Young Living's Frankincense Essential Oil. Lastly, I apply a few drops of Lavender and Stress Away to the bottoms of my feet, turn on my fan, and get some sleep.
I hope you all enjoyed my nutrition and wellness daily routine!!
Nutritional and wellness needs are very personal and are truly dependent on your individual needs so know that what works for my body may not work for you and what might be best for my body may not be best for you. I obviously am not qualified to give nutritional advice or anything of the sort but wanted to share my routine with you all to give you some points of reference and things to consider. Experiment with your body and see what makes you feel the best, gives you the most energy, and leaves you feeling good about yourself. If you have any questions or if you are interested in learning more about essential oils and Young Living, please feel free to email me at pleasedontkalemyvibe@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram!