Since I came out about my wellness journey last year here in this blog and also on my instagram, the feedback was incredible. I realised, through the many dm’s, emails and messages, that many of us women are literally rocking in the same boat.

I read that loads of you are discovering more about your individual needs, that some of you are exploring your own biological chemistry after experiencing fatigue, ongoing symptoms or lack of wellness at some level.

Our conversations really enlightened me. I learnt that many of you are seeking solutions for your health conditions, that there is a definite uncertainty around diet choices, and a general feeling of stress / anxiety about lifestyle choices. We talked cruelty free and sustainable practices, the effect our choices have on our personal health and the impact this has on our sense of worthiness, in a society that overloads us with guilt around our personal choices.

It was so refreshing to talk openly with you. I realised through this vulnerability and openness how incredibly inspiring it is to share and be heard without judgement, and how much I gained from listening to your insights and experiences. I really value this platform now more than I did back in the original instagram days, when my posts were trending and the engagement was real. As I transitioned out of creating styling and recipe trends, I consciously moved into a space of  truth and transparency in my mission – which is to inspire whole health. This has been the golden route for me.

The lack of credibility that I noticed online with reference to many of the foodies and influencers in health / lifestyle and the one-sided messages on social media was one of the main reasons why I decided to speak openly about my personal experience.

I think, more than ever, that we need to really tune into our own intuition when it comes to making serious lifestyle decisions for ourselves and our family.

Trial and error is a great way to start tapping into that intuition which so magically and effortlessly exists within every single one of us. The main issue we face, without realising, is that we often drown out our intuition, or little voice of reason, or the gut feeling, or inner guru (whatever works for you ;).  We are so accustomed to tapping into what’s going on around us, that we lose sight of what’s going on within us. This is where your self-care practice comes in. Quietening down, switching off the noise around you and tuning into you through breathing exercises, mediation, yoga or whatever rocks your boat, all lead you inward, to find your inner voice. I write about this extensively in my previous posts on self care (check older blog posts).

I said all that upfront because I have avoided writing this blog post for years, ’cause of this exact dilemma. I don’t think it’s healthy to emulate another person’s diet, exercise / beauty  routine, or lifestyle without consulting yourself first. There is no one size fits all prescription. So me coming out with a “Day In My life” has never sat well with me.

After being asked for more clarity around my current (non-plantbased) dietary choices, I was challenged to confront my reluctance to share. As many of you support my work through the cookbook and app, and have been followers of my recipes since day 1, from a purely ethical perspective, I believe this is a necessary next step.

And because I have finally gotten to that place where I feel whole in my mind and body, and where I feel confident and well versed in my routine, I’m as comfortable as I’m ever going to be, to share what’s been working a charm for me.

I will briefly summarise a day in my life with some details that may lead you to experiment, or find inspiration, take a test, get some rest (yas), make a positive change or just get you thinking about your personal choices. I will say upfront, there is no right or wrong, no one-way solution. Each to their own. This is my own. I hope it helps.

6.30am

I wake around 6.30 most mornings, but I don’t get out of bed till around 6.45-7.00am. I usually lay in bed for 10-15 minutes, rising slowly. I reflect on my sleep, how I feel in my mind and body, what I’m thankful for, and what’s planned for the day. I cuddle my dog, which is heaven. My husband is normally out of bed and at work early so he misses out 😉

7.00 – 8.00 am

I help my kids get ready for school, which means pack lunches and make breakfast while I sip on warm water with fresh lemon. I’ve been starting the day this way for the past 12-18 months, and I feel great for it. Lemon water first thing helps flush the digestive system, balances your ph levels (alkalises) and hydrates the body. I find it provides a natural energy boost and also satiates me for the next few hours.

8 – 9.30 am 

I walk my kids to school for they 8.20 start, and then continue on with Deeno, my dachshund for approx 45-60mins.

Starting my day with a power walk on my own – with no appointments / classes to rush to, no chit chat (I promise I’m not ant-social lol) and time outdoor in nature is everything. I have been active all my life and have done many different kinds of exercises, all of which I really enjoy. But if I over-commit to fitness classes in the mornings, whether it be at the gym, pilates or yoga studio, I end up really missing my daily walk and usually need to take a little hiatus to get back to basics.

During summer and also in the shoulder seasons, I take an ocean dip after my walk a few times a week. I live pretty close to the water so this work well for me. During the school holidays, I go up the coast where we live a few metres from the ocean. This has been the ultimate situation for me, as I just head down to the beach barefoot and in my swimmers for a long walk on the sand and then a swim. It’s not busy up where we live on the coast, so it’s often just me and a few locals swimming. This occasional ‘sea change’ has been my greatest gift as it really winds me down more than a holiday abroad could ever do.

9.30-10.30 am

I come home, and if I’m not in a rush to get to work, I’ll take an extra 30 minutes to leisurely stretch on my fit ball and do some easy resistance exercise on my mat. I do pilates kind of moves, with a focus on my core and pelvis mainly and some butt and arms moves occasionally. I finish with some mindfulness practices which is 5-10 minutes of breath work. I usually follow my own rhythm, but if I find myself really wired / restless, I’ll listen to a guided session. Sometimes I’m too hungry, so I get up to eat first, and then return to my mat after eating. Just depends on how I feel.

10.30 am

I’m usually ready for breakfast or brunch by now. I take a shower, get refreshed and then start prepping my meal. I often have a lentil dhal (recipe in the Hippie Lane App) in the fridge that I’d prepared a day earlier so I will heat 1/2 cup of dhal with some kale and spinach in a fry pan til the leaves have wilted. I prepare half an avocado, a handful of nuts (I love 2die4 Actiavted Pecans – try it!) and some mango or kiwi and have a feast.

The fruit gives this dish the perfect sweet / salty vibe. I might add some organic chicken breast to the warm dhal mix once or twice per week, if I know I have a long day ahead. This meal sustains me to 3pm.

If the weather is warm and I feel like a cooling breakfast, I usually have soaked grain-free bircher (coming to the app) or soaked cacao and raspberry chia with almond butter.

If I am in a rush, I usually have 2 pieces of my paleo bread with avocado, and / or almond butter. 

I follow up my meal with a kick-ass Matcha Latte that I look forward to religiously every single day. I pimp it up with high grade collagen powder and my mix of adaptogens. More on this soon! Recipe for the make-at-home matcha on the Hippie Lane App.

I take my day supplements which includes a host of compounded vitamins and my energy-producing herb and adaptogen mix.

11 – 4pm

I get dinner together and begin work while my children are at school. Most of my work happens at home  – this includes recipe writing, photography and video shooting, blog writing, content creation for collaborations, planning and liasing with clients / brands. I will have meetings out usually once a week, and attend events occasionally, but mostly, I’m working from home. If I have slower weeks, or I get my work done in flash and have some space, I catch up with friends, take a reformer class, hit some appointments, or head to the shops for necessities. Ultimately, I’ll get some time for a massage once a week or fortnight and time to read my growing stack of books.

If I’m not bound to the kitchen, and my work is wellness related, I take my laptop and book to the beach and work from there. Deeno is with me always!

I drink filtered water through the day. I aim for 2L.  If I get hungry, around 2-3pm, and if I have a stash of treats in the freezer, which I often do as I rotate between making my favourite lower sugar recipes from my app (ie Matcha Donuts, Bounty Balls, Cherry Ripe and Red Velvet Bliss Balls, Reeses’s and Coconut Tahini Cookies), I’ll have a little something with a lemon / ginger tea. If I’m not so lucky, I will have some nuts and berries.

4 – 5pm

I pick up my kids from school and usually return home to get dinner going and the other mum duties.

5.30pm

For dinner, it varies but some staples for my family are lentil bolognese, veggie burgers with roast potato chips, taco bowls, baked felafel with heaps of sides, mushroom san choy bao or lentil dhal. If we’re keen, we may have grilled fish with roast veggies, and occasionally roast lamb with middle eastern sides. If we eat meat, we choose organic and ethically sourced. If we have fish, it’s always wild caught. If this is not available, we stick to plant based dishes. This is very important to me.

I keep it low grain for me whenI can, so if it’s Burger night, I have them bun-less with a Caesar Salad on the side. Both recipes are on the Hippie Lane App. If we’re having the Lentil Bolognese, I’ll have mine with zucchini noodles and the for Taco Bowls, I just cut out the corn chips. I don’t make two meals for our family, so I just improvise.

If I’m craving carbs, I just have it, I don’t deprive. I love potatoes so I would never cut them out completely, but I’m mindful of how much I eat and how often. What helps me stay committed? I keep in mind my progress. Since reducing the amount of starch and sugar I consume, along with taking the personalised supplements, adaptogens and the superfood additions to my matcha, I found myself elevating from adrenal distress and getting to a new level of wellness. When I was relying too heavily on starch like potatoes, rice noodles and even quinoa, I felt more sluggish through the day and craving sugar at 3pm. This was my personal experience, that I only realised after making a switch and noticing the difference.

I normally make enough food for dinner to have leftovers that I often use bits for the kids lunches which I begin preparing for the next day. This is a godsend for mums of gluten-free children 🙂

6 – 8 pm

Wrapping up the day which consists of completing work tasks while helping my children with their homework and getting on with house chores before putting the kids to bed.

8-10 pm

I catch up with my husband, and if I can, I may watch a bio / documentary on tv, or get stuck into a book.

I take my night supplements which includes an adaptogen sleep mix, magnesium, zinc and vitamin C.

I head to bed at 10 to get some time to reflect and wind down to my restorative / healing routine (more info coming soon).

Re supplements and daily products that I rely on to get me functioning at my best, I am going to have my custom made products available on the new upgraded Hippie Lane website which should be complete by next month!

This is purely because I feel that food and recipes alone is not the answer to achieve whole health. There are some key practices that make it all come together, and I WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOU! This is what’s been consuming me of late, and what’s been taking my attention. The knowing that I can do more with my knowledge, that I can offer a more holistic service to help you reach your goals – This is everything to me.

My experiences, through my work with Hippie Lane, my life before HL, the counselling years, this life I’ve got to live and my personal health journey has helped shaped this headstrong woman to write these personal posts for you. I’m all for it. All this experience is invaluable to me. It has been the drive and motivation to provide you with the inspiration that is all bound up within the works of Hippie Lane.

Can’t wait to share all the beautiful details that’s evolving as we speak. I’ll be talking more about this over the next month or so.

STAY TUNED!

T xo