Hey Thistlers, registered dietitian Sam here to walk you through my daily routine! But first - while there is no one-size-fits-all best daily routine, if you’re looking to establish or improve yours, here are two tips to help achieve this goal:

• As circumstances and priorities change, make minor adjustments to your daily routine.
• Focus on one change at a time. This is also one of my top tips when setting goals with customers during nutrition consultations. I want others to feel capable and successful throughout the process, not overwhelmed and discouraged.

Now, Let’s look at my typical daily routine as a Thistle dietitian!

Daily Routine: Morning

Most of my morning rituals are focused on increasing my energy level to help prepare for the day. 

My dog, Papi, insists we start every morning with belly rubs – I’m not sure who enjoys this ritual more! When he’s more awake and the playfulness kicks in, outside we go for him to have a quick bathroom break. There’s nothing like the energizing effects of fresh air and morning sunlight to jumpstart my daily routine. 

According to Sleep Advisor, even just a few minutes of morning sunlight supports the body’s natural circadian rhythm by slowing down melatonin production in the morning, and increasing it in the evenings. This part of my daily routine becomes challenging in the winter months when I have to bundle up for the elements, but I try to stay consistent because I know it benefits me.

Once back inside it’s time for one of the most important parts of my daily routine – coffee! My pour-over setup is typically reserved for weekends when I have more time, so for today we’re sticking with classic drip coffee. While everyone’s sensitivity to caffeine varies, the Mayo Clinic cites a daily limit intake of about 400mg of caffeine (equivalent to four 6 oz cups of coffee). On a recent trip to Colombia, I stocked up on lots of coffee and am still working my way through the stash. Best souvenir ever! 

While the coffee brews, I always drink a 16oz glass of water. After a long night of no fluids, morning hydration is key. Many associate feeling thirsty as the first sign of dehydration but others include fatigue, headache, and dizziness. Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning not only rehydrates my body, but also helps me feel more alert and awake. 

For the next part of my daily routine, I enjoy about 10 minutes of stretching or morning yoga. These brief movements help increase oxygen and improve circulation. They also set me up for a calm morning as I ease into the day. Thanks to my Thistle meal subscription, I have more time in the morning to consistently fit in this quick stretching routine. 

As a dietitian, I want my breakfast to include fiber, protein, and some healthy fats. If I can sneak in some veggies from time to time with more savory breakfasts, great! But this isn't the expectation everyday. With Thistle, my breakfasts are so convenient and check off the nutrient boxes I look for. Lately I’ve been loving our Sprouted Brown Rice Pudding with Cardamom. This warmly-spiced rice pudding gets its creaminess from coconut milk and features 13g of protein from a variety of sources: sprouted whole grains, hemp seeds, pistachios, flax seeds, and cashews! After enjoying breakfast, I am awake, energized, and ready for the rest of my daily routine.

Daily Routine: At Work

My job at Thistle has a ton of variety day-to-day, which I love! Most days I get to chat with a few customers for a 1:1 nutrition consultation. In between consultations, I have other fun projects to work on such as writing an article for Thistle’s blog, recording reels for our social media, highlighting nutrition information for weekly emails, and staying up to date on the latest nutrition research. 

As I’m working in the morning I love sipping on our Hearty Greens juice. It’s my current favorite – so refreshing and delicious! The subtle apple flavor works wonders to mask the bitterness sometimes found in certain vegetables. 

Around noon I’m ready for lunch and a break to stretch my legs. This is my opportunity to get out for a quick walk with my dog and refuel with my next Thistle meal! Lunch is typically our largest meal offering in terms of volume, so occasionally when I’m a little short on time or just want some variety I’ll opt for a dinner meal instead. It was pretty chilly on my walk this particular day so our Red Thai Curry fit the bill. With 26g of protein and 11g of fiber, this meal is perfect for filling up and warming up!

Toward the end of my workday I usually reach for a snack in anticipation of my upcoming workout. Our 24 Carrot Gold Muffin is one of my favorites; it gives me the quick energy I need before exercise. As my snack digests, I check my email one last time then fit in some movement to transition out of work and clear my mind from the day’s events.

Daily Routine: Evening

After working out, it’s time for dinner! As it helps to improve sleep and digestion, eating dinner earlier is a healthy habit I’ve been working into my daily routine. Whenever I fail to be intentional about this goal, the night seems to get away from me and I’m eating much later than I would like. 

In order to eat dinner earlier, a fridge stocked with Thistle meals is key, as the typical time commitments of preparing and cooking dinner are completely eliminated and post-dinner cleanup is minimal! Since I opted to eat my dinner meal for lunch, tonight I will be enjoying our Waldorf Salad with ½ an avocado that I need to use up. 

Once dinner is finished, I shift to relaxation mode and enter the wind-down stage of my daily routine. I often crochet in the evenings – a hobby I picked up during the pandemic. It cuts down on the time I spend mindlessly scrolling my phone and is gratifying to work on small projects while watching a show with my husband. 

We’ve recently committed to a hard stop for watching shows to allow more time to read before bed. My 2023 goal is to read more for fun (as much as I enjoy reading nutrition studies, this registered dietitian needs some variety!) and finish at least one book a month. Once in bed and snuggled up with my book, it doesn’t take long before I’m ready to call it a night and fall asleep. 

Thanks for joining me on my daily routine!