LIGHT, MOVEMENT, HYDRATION: THE PERFECT MORNING

WELL. It was an EXTRAORDINARY past couple weeks — I mean it was JUST JAM PACKED — here at THE SKINNY CONFIDENTIAL. We decided to go to New York City for work, like non-stop work & bring our parents along. Michael brought his parents, I brought mine. The days were spent interviewing some amazing people for the podcast, going to meetings all over the city, & connecting with creatives in my industry. Then at night we would do dinner with our parents- we went to this one Italian joint, Scalinentia- where Blake Lively claims if she were on a desert island she would only want their truffle pasta- & stuffed our faces. So you can imagine the bloat is real. And then this week has been prep for the LIVE PODCAST in LA.

One thing that most definitely did not change is my three things I do every.single.morning. These three things set up each day for me. Think of them as a framework. A framework that is so very needed on crazy days. It’s to the point now that if I do NOT do these vital three things, I’m a grumpy bitch. LOL. Then something changed: a secret. Once you learn this secret you will never wake up the same way again. The second your eyes open you will think the same three things- trust me.

( You should know I discovered this secret morning routine through Aubrey Marcus’ book– we interviewed him on The Skinny Confidential HIM & HER Podcast & he raved about his morning routine, again. Let’s just say his morning routine helps him reach his full potential, everyday ).

Backstory for you: I used to be BAD in the morning. I was very, very REACTIVE. Nothing was proactive. I thought I needed to spring out of bed, rip the covers off, check my emails, & grab coffee. What a lie! A real lie, you know! This was just not effective. Throughout the day I noticed I was irritable & grumpy, this was because my foundation ( my mornings ) were not structured properly.

I did what I always do when I’m stressed. I sat back, I observed my behavior, & I started to READ. Read about successful people & how they set up their mornings. I read & listened to many books & finally came to the conclusion that all of these uber successful people were incredibly methodical when it came to their sacred mornings.

Instead of overwhelming myself, I started to crowd out the bad.

Phone gets plugged in ACROSS THE ROOM so there’s absolutely no temptation to reach for it first thing in the AM.

E-mails do NOT ( & I mean DO NOT ) get checked until 10 AM when I am sitting at a desk.

And CORTISOL is controlled by waking up with 10 to 20 minutes of meditation every morning.

BUT HERE’S THE SECRET. The secret Aubrey raves about, the THREE things: LIGHT. MOVEMENT. HYDRATION.THAT’S RIGHT, the secret is simple- LIGHT. MOVEMENT. HYDRATION. Let’s discuss:

THE SKINNY CONFIDENTIAL WAY TO WAKE UP:

♡ LIGHT:

First things first ok! I’m not a huge fan of the sun, however, I LOVE to open the shade the second I wake up. I feel like this sets the tone of day- it’s like saying ‘OK IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP’ to the body. To be totally transparent, I would totally sleep with the shade open just because I feel like your body responds well to it- you know what everyone always says about caveman rising with the sun? Well, I love the idea of waking up to the sun, not an alarm. An alarm feels jarring. SADLY, Michael hates the shades open when we’re sleeping so I have to settle for just waking up & IMMEDIATELY opening the windows. I like light & AIR ASAP. Really wakes me up. After I get my light, I go back to the bed & meditate.

♡ MOVEMENT:

After mediation I like to WALK. Just a walk makes all the difference. I ask my Chihuahuas in the most OBNOXIOUS voice ever: “DO YOU WANTTTTTTTTT TO GO ON A WALK!!!!!!!!” They dance around on their tippy toes making peculiar noises while I prepare their leashes AND off we go to the local coffee shop. If this doesn’t happen, I like to go downstairs to the gym & walk on the treadmill. The point is I MOVE. WHATEVER I do, I like to move first thing!

♡ HYDRATION:

So hydration is happening from the second I wake up. After I open the shades, right before a quick meditation, I run to the kitchen & prepare a liter of water with a pinch of pink Himalayan salt ( I have it in this glass salt holder, ready to go ) with a whole lemon, juiced. I squeeze the lemon in the water, not caring about the seeds- we got to go!

I spoke with Harley Pasternak ( who trains Ariana Grande, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Adam Levine, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Megan Fox, Amy Schumer, Halle Berry, Jessica Simpson- TO NAME A FEW! ) & he told me when it comes to HYDRATING: “the recommended daily allowance is 2 to 3 L of fluids a day. I feel that that number should be higher. At least 3 L of fluids a day, in all forms of non-caloric beverage. I drink water most of the day, coffee a couple times a day, & an electrolyte beverage ( like Propel ) before my workouts. If I’m working out in the heat, or longer than 90 minutes, possibly a second Propel Electrolyte Water.” HE IS A FAN OF PROPEL TOO- so you know, I love it! Propel is the only water with enough electrolytes to replace what is lost in sweat.

I drink water throughout the day. My favorites are pouring my water into an easy to drink tumbler with a straw. It makes drinking extra water easier. Sometimes I get so bored with plain water so I drink something like Propel– something with electrolytes! Especially pre & post workout. This adds some flair to the whole water situation. It’s funny because I have been a ride or die Propel fan since high school- my friends & I literally thought it was cool to keep Propel ( remember the vintage blue bottle with the twist off cap? ) in our car’s cup holder. Some things never change…well the bottle has changed because the label is PINK. Which we love! The facts: when you sweat, you lose more than just water. Propel is the only water bottle with enough electrolytes to put back what is lost in sweat. It’s designed for all people with busy, active lifestyles who want a water that is formulated for ALL levels of fitness WHILE supporting hydration. So you know: the key electrolyte in Propel Electrolyte Water is sodium which helps replace what is lost in sweat by stimulating thirst- YES PLZ.

Anyway, you can always find me with water with salt & lemon, Propel, TSC Detox, or water with something fancy added to it- the point is HYDRATE. Hydrate from the second I wake up, to the second I go to bed. I like to think of my body as a flower- it’s all dried up in the morning & needs to be watered.ANYWAY! There’s my morning secret. SECRETS are fun. That was a fun chat- now I would love to hear: HOW DO YOU START YOUR MORNINGS? Are you reactive or proactive? Sometimes I FEEL LIKE I AM AN ALIEN because I am so specific, then I remember that the secret to success lies in your morning routine. Well at least that’s what I tell myself?

Hope you have the best day ever- maybe a little LIGHT, some movement, & lots of hydration. I mean you could even mix Propel with a little tequila…that counts as hydration right?

Talk soon, X lauryn

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++ this post is in collaboration with Propel. As always all opinions are my own.