Starting the Morning Right: 3 Healthy Habits for a New Year

In December, my roommate made me stop and evaluate my health.

Last fall was a busy season for me. I began my third year teaching in Cleveland. The blog launched at the beginning of September, with new blog posts going up every Tuesday. My book Opening the Hope Chest: A Single Girl’s Guide to Homemaking launched mid-September. At the end of that month, I traveled to the Ark Encounter to serve as Bright Lights[1] staff at their Seeking Christ Conference for moms and daughters. My church’s third-annual Friendsgiving came in the beginning of November, pushing me to create new activities that would prompt connection and reflection that I could also share on the blog.

Young Professional Bible studies. Church ensemble practice. Sixty student book reports to grade per quarter. Tutoring. Writing a new book. The list goes on. To fuel the craze, I drank a lot of Starbucks pink drinks. KFC’s five-dollar special was a time-saver. No wonder a severe cold caught up to me in November and came back with a vengeance in December.

My roommate told me, “I’m afraid you’re going to break.”

I didn’t even realize how run-down I was.

But as I recharged with my family over Christmas break, I realized my roommate was right. A few nights of 10-hour sleep sessions, days absent of teaching stress, a round of antibiotics and steroids, and intentionally drinking more water made a definite difference. I didn’t even want a pink drink.

Typically, I am not a New-Years resolution person. But this time, I needed a change as I headed back to frantic pace of daily life. Are you sensing the same need? To start, I wanted to make three changes to my morning routine that would give me a healthier start for my day. Maybe one or more of these ideas will be a help to you.

1. Drink water first thing in the morning. I love having a cup of Darjeeling tea in the morning as I read my Bible and do some writing. However, water gives our brains energy. (I wonder if Daniel was in on this secret!) Drinking a cup of water first thing in the morning helps our minds and bodies wake up.[2] Now I place a full cup of water on my nightstand each night to drink as soon as I get up. Am I getting my full eight cups of water per day? Not yet. But at least I’m starting my morning right.
2. Add a five-minute workout to the morning routine. Although I used to exercise regularly using videos on YouTube, my dedication lapsed long ago. Thankfully, I knew exactly where to find what I needed in the new year. Fitness trainer Denise Austin has 5-minute “Wake-up Workouts” that feature stretches and low-impact exercises. I always feel better after stretching and moving in the morning, and Denise Austin’s positive outlook and encouragement keeps me repeating her routines each day.
3. Plan an energizing breakfast. If we are going to think well throughout the morning, we need a good breakfast to start with. Here are a couple of options I’m enjoying.
   • Yogurt with Toppings. After learning the benefits of yogurt, smoothies, and the various toppings we can add, I invested in several items I could combine for a quick, healthy breakfast. Yogurt with probiotics. Pecans. A sprinkling of chia seeds. Granola. Frozen fruit. (I prefer raspberries.) Chopped strawberries if I have it prepped. All can be quickly combined in the morning without the need to cook or heat anything.
   • Smoothies with Toppings. Sometimes I substitute a pre-prepared smoothie for yogurt. On the weekend, I blend yogurt, coconut milk, frozen berries, frozen bananas, and collagen powder into a smoothie. Then, I divide the mixture up into small containers to be frozen. (If you do this, make sure to leave space at the top of the container because the mixture will expand.) The night before I want to have the smoothie, I move the mixture to the refrigerator to dethaw overnight. In the morning, I stir it up, add toppings, and eat it. This combination makes me very full.
   • Egg-and-Cheese Crescent Rolls. Even though a yogurt or smoothie with toppings makes me feel full, I add a premade egg-and-cheese crescent roll to the menu. Years ago, a friend told me how to make them. In the morning, I throw one or two of these rolls into the toaster oven to heat up while I eat my yogurt. That way, I get protein from the egg and carbohydrates from the bread. If I only need one egg-and-cheese crescent roll per day, one batch will last me all week. You can download the recipe below:

Honestly, I am not the type to make extreme changes to my routines or diet. If I do think big, I become overwhelmed. But these small changes have already boosted my energy and mood as I start my day. What changes are you making in the New Year? What are your favorite morning routines? Share in the comments. I’d love to hear them!

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[2]. Myers, Jihan. 2024. “The Benefits of Drinking Water First Thing in the Morning—and 3 Myths about the Practice.” Peloton. https://www.onepeloton.com/blog/drinking-water-in-the-morning/?msockid=3feaae03beff652939f1bdbfbf9064af