How This NYC Nutritionist Starts Her Day
At Covey, we’re inspired by the routines of leaders and influencers we admire. Now, we’re getting real with an insider look at their regimens to see what we can learn.
This month, we wanted to figure out what the healthiest people do each morning to begin their day on the right foot. After all, as we head into the New Year, making small yet meaningful changes to our A.M. rituals can have a lasting impact on our happiness and wellness.
That’s why we turned to New York City-based registered dietitian and nutritionist, Marissa Meshulam. She’s the founder of MPM Nutrition and has helped many find the right balance in their diets.
On Instagram, she chronicles her nutritional adventures, shares recipes and tips, and inspires her followers and clients to make better choices. We love her practical advice, focus on real foods and mindful eating, and well, her morning routine is pretty amazing.
Here, some tips on making the first few hours of your day the best they can be:
Pair your coffee with a glass of water.
Talk about relatable: Marissa says that she’s already looking forward to her morning cold brew when she goes to bed. And while that first sip can’t be beat, it’s not the only A.M. beverage she pours for herself. As she explains, we all wake up dehydrated, so it’s important to drink a tall glass of H20 with your coffee, too.
Test out supplements
While improving her water intake, Marissa also swears by daily supplements. There are a variety of formulas to meet various needs and deficiencies, and it’s best to check with an expert to figure out what’s ideal for you. Marissa's top picks are:
- Turmeric to fight inflammation and improve heart health.
- A probiotic for better digestion and gut health.
- Zinc to strengthen your immune system.
- NAC to regulate brain health and function.
Get your body moving.
Once she’s had her morning bevvie, Marissa turns to exercise to pump up her energy and adrenaline levels. Her go-to is a Pilates class she takes three times a week. But if her schedule doesn’t allow, she’ll simply go for a brisk walk outside before work.
Eat within an hour of working out.
Marissa says it’s essential to eat breakfast within an hour of working up a sweat to replenish the nutrients our body lost from fitness. Particularly, having enough protein is necessary to keep our systems functioning properly. Here are some excellent breakfast protein choices:
- Two eggs.
- Chicken or vegan sausage.
- Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
- Black beans or quinoa.
Use last night’s leftovers to make breakfast.
Raise your hand if cooking feels like a drag in the A.M.? With busy schedules, early meetings, and sleepy eyes from last night, it’s okay if you would rather not stand in front of the stove first thing in the morning.
Instead, take a trick out of Marissa's routine and use last night’s leftovers as your breakfast! After all, there are no rules on what you ‘should’ eat for meals: if breakfast for dinner is a thing, why can’t dinner for breakfast also be an option?
Take a pause before we start our day.
If this sounds like your ideal morning routine, but you know it’s not realistic every day, that’s okay. Even Marissa admits that she doesn’t always have time for a slow, holistic start to her day.
However, no matter how much she has on her plate (no pun intended), she makes sure to take a ‘pause’ and refrain from checking her email. This moment of mental zen is the most crucial part of your day, so don’t skip it!