The last couple years I have been on quite a health journey. You can read more about it on my other blog, but long story short… After trying EVERYTHING I was able to lose over 30lbs (or 20% of my body weight). I am now at 11% body fat, and am happier, healthier, more energized, and less stressed than I have ever been (and that’s saying a lot since I am a 42 year old business owner with 4 busy kids).
I believe that good health is MUCH more about sleep, water intake, good nutrition, fitness, and good mental health than anything else. And I don’t believe that any one drink or 10 drinks is a cure-all or magic answer to weight loss. However, I’ve done a lot of research and added some drinks to my daily routine and I’ve noticed a difference in how I feel.
Note: I'm not a health care professional and am only sharing my personal experiences with health and wellness. Also, even though I make an affiliate commission on items purchased in this post, nothing here is sponsored. If I have a discount code, it's because I first loved the product and then reached out to the company to get a code to share with YOU.
Drink Station Organization
With an already super busy life, adding these practices into my daily routine has been a stretch. The good news is that organizing a very functional drink station has streamlined my mornings so it takes me no time at all.
I have a counter space right next to my fridge where I store my Creami, blendtec, and tea kettle. They get used every day so I choose to leave them out (and yes I dream of an appliance garage someday). In the cabinet right above those small appliances I have all my mugs, my frother, and all of the ingredients used for my daily drinks decanted in either OXOs or glass canisters with bamboo lids.
I am able to maximize that cabinet so everything is easy to see, beautiful and with the fridge right there I never have to take more than one step to access what I need. I keep a separate caddy with glass canisters housing all the extra supplements I use when making my smoothie cups. They are stored in my island and I just grab the caddy when I am ready to make my smoothies.
Healthy Drink Recipes
Even though my family teases me incessantly about my insane number of cups I have lying around the house, these daily routines make me HAPPY. Here are the drinks I have EVERY SINGLE DAY:
1. Water
I drink SO MUCH WATER. I just got my first Owala bottle and I am loving it. Goodbye Stanley, hello no more leaking and no future wrinkles from constantly drinking out of a straw. Even though I do love my drinks, I prioritize water throughout every day and I know it is the most important drink I can be putting in my body.
2. Lemon Water Drink
This is the first thing I drink when I wake up. I feel like it wakes me up, cleans me out, and gets things off to a great start in the morning.
2 cups warm water (I prepare and drink my drink straight out of my liquid measuring cup)
Ginger juice or 2 ice cubes (I make my own ginger juice by boiling ginger and then blending it up, straining the water, and freezing the ginger water in an ice cube tray)
1 lemon
Raw honey (I never measure, but I probably squeeze in about about a tablespoon of honey)
I boil the water while I get out my two ginger cubes. Pour the hot water over the cubes, add the lemon with a lemon squeezer, then add honey and stir with a straw. Lemon juice can be harsh on tooth enamel so I always drink with a straw and brush my teeth afterwards.
3. Shot of Insanity
I make 8 days worth ahead of time and then drink 3 TBSP of it each day. It’s awful, but I just drink it as fast as I can. Usually right before or after my lemon honey water.
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup fermented honey garlic (I make this myself and got the recipe here)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne
4. Pre-workout
I add these 3 ingredients to a shaker bottle and drink on my drive to the gym. I love Just Ingredients but after researching, wished that the BCAA content was a little higher so I just supplement with my own.
10oz water
1 scoop of Just Ingredients Caffeine Free Pre-Workout, favorite flavor is Strawberry Limeade (Use code reset_your_nest for 10% off)
1 tablespoon of 2:1:1 BCAAs
5. Cup of Joy
There's nothing I love more in the morning (winter and summer) than a warm cup of comforting goodness. This year I went on a quest to lessen my caffeine intake while also nourishing my body with good things and this is what I came up with.
I love my tea kettle and it is cute enough that it sits on my counter because it gets used multiple time a day. I add the three powdered items to hot water. Mix with a frother. Add the MCT oil and splash of coconut milk and froth again. And enjoy my favorite morning routine. Oh, and I’m convinced it tastes even better with in my beautiful mugs.
6. Drink Mixes
I love the high quality ingredients and flavors of these drinks and have a hard time taking my vitamins with plain water. I usually drink whatever sounds good that day and it helps me get my vitamins down.
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Just Ingredients Mango Lemonade Collagen Peptides
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I don't use a special recipe when adding Perk, but it is a special treat I have on days that I need a pick me up or just something warm and comforting. I loved perk for many years, but this year I have made an effort to cut out all sucralose and caffeine which meant that many of my favorite perk flavors I no longer drink. I have been so happy this year that Perk has released more caffeine free and naturally sweetened options. My favorite is the Naturally Sweetened Horchata Flavor (still has caffeine). It has 6 grams of protein and is so good. I usually add one scoop to very warm water and add a splash of almond milk, then froth and enjoy.
One supplement I have been adding to my flavored drink of choice for the day is Armra. It is grass fed bovine colostrum and comes with a little tiny scooper with unflavored powder. It contains over 400 bioactive nutrients. I have noticed it helping with my skin, bloat, hair, and just overall wellness (and immunity). It is a great product and even though the price tag is high, I am still working my way through my first container and it has been well over two months. My husband is taking this as well and he has also noticed a difference.
Vitamins
7. Protein Shake
I probably end up having Protein shakes 1 or two times a week, but I prep 8 protein shakes at a time to make it super convenient. I pull out all my supplements and scoop the powders, seeds, and fruit (everything but ice and liquid) into cups. Then when I want a shake, I dump the cup contents into my Blendtec, add liquid and then pour the finished smoothie/protein shake back into the cup.
Protein powder: I LOVE all Just Ingredients Protein Powders. The vanilla bean and chocolate have a hint of coconut to them, but I like that (just FYI). My favorite flavors when I am not doing a fruit smoothie or a chocolate shake are horchata and snickerdoodle. Use code reset_your_nest for 10% off.
Chia seeds (1tbsp)
Flaxseed (1tbsp)
Frozen fruit, spinach, other greens
Sometimes I will add Aloe Vera juice or coconut water as well
When I use chocolate protein powder I always add a frozen banana, when I use vanilla protein powder I like to make berry options or tropical fruit blend smoothies (I get the blend from Costco).
8. Seasonal Drink Before Bed
In the winter: warm chamomile or cinnamon tea or Just Ingredients hot chocolate
In the summer: Creami protein ice cream
I just have to say this is my absolute most favorite thing. I got it for Christmas and because I live in a constant state of cold in the winter in Utah I couldn’t get myself to use it. However this summer I have tried some recipes and it is incredible. I don’t remember the last time I ate ice cream because I have been so strict about sugar and not eating after dinner each night. Having a super healthy chocolate gelato (which is what it tastes like) every night feels like the biggest treat and it is high in protein and I eat it totally guilt free. I found these recipes that I love because they don’t call for sugar free pudding mix. I also bought extra jars so I can bulk prep 6 pints at a time and make them all week long for my whole family.
Here's a yummy Creami recipe for you to try:
Tart cherry juice (¼ cup), my favorite is from Trader Joes
Everyone's health journey is different but I hope you love these drink recipes as much as I do and organize a drink zone in your home that helps you make healthy choices too! There is no one magic solution to loose weight but these drinks and the other healthy habits I've been building in my routines have really helped me look and feel better.
Jen is the founder of Reset Your Nest, a Professional Home Organizing Business in Utah (servicing Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, Alpine, Highland, Mapleton, and St. George). She loves creating order and systems out of chaos and is known for bringing a beautiful aesthetic as well as easy to maintain function to any space. She shares her tips and tricks on Instagram @reset_your_nest.
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