Exercise
What happened when I tried Liz’s morning routine for a week
Writer, Stacey Carter, reveals what happened when she tried Liz Earle’s morning routine for a week.
Establishing a morning routine helps to set the tone for the day, but for many of us, structuring them isn’t always easy. My morning and evening routines are often dictated by my mood. Sometimes I prefer an early night, other days, I’ll stay up late to finish a TV show or catch up with a friend. As a result, my energy levels fluctuate.
My initial thoughts of Liz’s routine are that it has all of the right ingredients. Along with habit stacking, she adds moments of reflection, which are sometimes hard to come by if you’re rushing to get ready for work! So, with her schedule in hand, I give myself a week to see how I feel.
Liz Earle’s morning routine
Consider your first thought of the day
Liz starts her day with a stretch in bed, before taking a moment of gratitude for a positive thought. I’ve always found journaling helpful for organising my thoughts, so it feels good to make the first thought of the day more intentional.
For me, writing something down is always easier than reciting it in my head. With a pen and paper in hand, I jot down my positive thoughts. Starting the day like this really helps set the tone for the rest of my morning. I also find myself returning to them later in the day in challenging moments.
Spend time on your dental health
The next part of Liz’s routine involves heading to the bathroom, rinsing her mouth and doing some quick tongue scraping. Despite never trying tongue scraping before, I’ve heard how beneficial it can be.
Studies like this one from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, show that it’s great for curbing bad breath—a byproduct of the bacteria that coats your tongue.
While I don’t notice a massive difference in the smell of my breath (I always use mouthwash first thing in the morning as per my dentist’s advice!), my mouth definitely feels cleaner.
Liz then has a quick glass of filtered water before brushing her teeth. I didn’t think drinking a glass of water would make much difference, but actually, the additional step helps me take a moment to pause in between each activity.
Research published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene has also shown that drinking or rinsing the mouth with a glass of water can remove up to 60% of the substances that contribute to bad breath. A wellbeing win.
Rehydration is key
Hydration is a key part of Liz’s morning routine. After brushing, she has another glass of water—this time with electrolytes.
I’d recommend opting for a brand of electrolytes that don’t contain any added sugars or discounting any with a particularly strong taste if you suffer from morning nausea. The brand I use has a horrible aftertaste. It’s difficult to drink the whole glass in one sitting!
Liz has a natural electrolyte recipe on her Instagram that I find much more palatable. Plus, it’s super easy (and cheap!) to make at home.
Make meditation work for you
Liz then does five to 10 minutes of guided meditation using an app like Calm or Insight Timer.
I’ve struggled with meditation in the past, especially in the morning when my brain feels a little slow to wake up. To help focus my mind, I take a 15-minute stroll and soak up some early morning sunshine while listening to a guided meditation.
I don’t notice much benefit to this activity until the final Friday morning, when I realise that I’ve accidentally missed this part of the routine! I feel a little disconnected, so decide to pencil it in at lunchtime instead. It turns out, a walk in the morning really sets me up for the day.
Tailor your supplements
Supplementation should be personal to you. While Liz takes NMN and sometimes L-Ornithine, my routine is a little different. I tend to take vitamin D and omega-3 in the morning, along with an iron tablet in the afternoon, just after I’ve had lunch.
I can be forgetful about this so, this week, I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to take them. A very helpful addition to my morning!
Spring to action—if you can!
I try to avoid doing exercise first thing in the morning. I often feel groggy when I wake up, so I prefer to shift workouts to midday or the evening if I can. Liz’s morning workouts often vary, but as a rule of thumb, she does yoga, running or HIIT.
Plus, if she doesn’t have much time to do anything else, she’ll do 100 squats, some stretches, 60 push-ups and 50 tricep dips.
For the first two days, I do yoga to ease me in. Then, I alternate between a run and a HIIT workout for the rest of the week.
Because the rest of Liz’s routine is so structured, I actually feel quite awake by the time the workout rolls around. A pleasant surprise!
After a morning sweat session, Liz hits the shower and incorporates an icy blast of cold water for 60 seconds towards the end. I love hot showers, so this part is difficult for me, especially when the temperature outside drops. However, by Thursday, I find I’m tolerating the icy water far better than when I first started. And much to my surprise, I even enjoy the invigorating feeling afterwards!
Final thoughts
Moving my body, mentally preparing my mind and implementing small, positive health changes sets me up for a good day ahead. It’s also satisfying to know that you’ve done all of these things for your health before 9am!
Find out more about Liz’s healthy living hacks in her new book, A Better Second Half
