Athletic greens review

Lifestyle 🏃🏼‍♀️

So, we are two months in on the Athletic Greens. We (my fiancé and I) initially started drinking this supplement because we wanted to make sure we get all the nutrients we need, without having to stress on food too much. And we do. But what we gained is a lot more. Let me give you the pro’s and con’s of this green morning-drink.

The quality

Before we start, I need to tell you that we did a lot of research when we were looking for a supplement. Athletic Greens is hands down the most complete, high quality supplement out there. Not only does it contain almost every vitamin and mineral you need from very good resources; it also contains enzymes, probiotics and fibre.

On top of that, the ingredients are perfectly proportioned to be as easily digestible as possible for your body – so you actually benefit from all the nutrition that’s in there, and are not simply paying for very expensive pee. So, if you’re looking for a supplement, Athletic Greens is really one of the best out there.

The taste

When we started drinking it the first morning, we were surprised by the good taste. I wouldn’t say it tastes as good as green smoothie or juice (because it’s still a powder), but it wasn’t as sandy to be as some of the reviews said and the taste is pineapple-ly and spicy.

We kinda like it. But the flavour is quite strong and sometimes I have to drink a sip of water with it as it itches my throat (kinda like cinnamon), so that’s something to consider. This doesn’t bother me, personally.

The benefits

We were most surprised by how the felt amazing on the first day. Really – I’m not exaggerating – I felt like I was high on caffeine, had a very good night sleep and took some Ritalin. Except, I didn’t do any of those things. I just had one coffee in the morning and when I wanted to take my second afternoon cup, I decided it wasn’t necessary because I was so full of energy.

Sadly, this effect only lasted one day. The following days, the superwoman feeling was gone and even though I still felt better than before, I wouldn’t describe Athletic Greens as something magical. That was really just the first hit (that I was thankful for though 😉 ), though I think it does tell us something about the effectiveness of the drink.

Some long-term effects for me, are: weight loss (easier than normal, less cravings), better sleep, slightly glowing skin and more constant energy-levels. It also cures hangovers or colds quicker than usual. I also feel that my nails are even stronger than before. And of course, the nice and calming idea that overall, I get all the nutrients I need alone is worth a lot to me.

The Cons

Honestly, I don’t feel like there are real downsides to this drink. But if I had to come up with some cons, it would be that for optimal absorption, you need to wait 30 minutes until you can eat breakfast or have a coffee. Athletic Greens can’t help this – it’s just the way our body works, but this does require some planning in the mornings.

Another more obvious downside could be that this supplement is quite pricy compared to other, lower quality supplements on the market. I personally don’t mind this, as I’m very willing to invest in my health and it makes my life easier. But I can imagine not everyone is willing to pay this amount of money as it does not replace healthy meals.

Are you on Athletic Greens or do you want to try it?

xx Coco

Tips for waking up early (and why you should)

Geen categorie, Lifestyle 🏃🏼‍♀️

To be completely transparent with you; I have never been an early bird. In fact, I always described myself as ‘an evening-person’. I never liked the mornings but loved the evenings. I was at my (creative) best after 10 pm, and never woke up before 8 am unless I really, really had to. My evenings were a last-minute party to celebrate that ‘it isn’t tomorrow yet’. My mornings were a struggle because I ‘had to wake up just to go and work all day’. And I always accepted that this was just my way of living. Until I tried something else.

Why I wanted a morning routine

The transformation of my mornings started with my general hate of working. Don’t get me wrong, I probably have the best job ever, but since I was very young I have felt it as an absolute unfair mistake that society somehow decided that everyone has to work all day for five days a week. It just doesn’t make sense to me. So, every job I’ve had felt like I had to do it, I simply didn’t have a choice, and that makes even the most fun thing to do always feel just like any other job. And since I didn’t want to quit my job (because there is no better job for me out there), I decided to change the way to look at it, from the moment I get out of bed.

I decided to wake up, do something for myself first, and then later on start my work just like ‘one of the many things I do in a day’. I decided to see work as a part of my day, not my whole purpose for waking up every morning. I had to make myself believe that there was something else – something more fun and more important I had to do first, before getting to work. And so, I invented myself a little morning routine.

First, I decided I wanted to stretch and move my body a little bit, just to feel more fit and healthy in the morning. A few days later, I decided to add a meditation to it for a good mood, and a little reading for some intellectual stimuli. Later, I found that I also wanted to clean my house for a few minutes, just so I would start my day more clear and organised.

then, I decided to add a podcast to my cleaning (because it’s more fun and hits two birds with one stone), and I found out that I really enjoy a short walk before I sit down behind my desk. All in all – my morning activities were stacking up, but my mornings did become a lot more fun than waking up cranky, rushing to get ready, and dreading to start working. And most importantly: they became an investment in myself, not my job, my relationship or my social life, but in me.

The pro’s

As bonus, I found out that having some time to spend on myself in the mornings also made the rest of my day a lot easier, more fun and more productive. The only downside is probably that I have to go to bed quite early to be able to get up at 6 am the next morning.

But honestly, I even like that part of it now: my evenings became a lot more relaxed since I am more productive during the day. Today, I would say that having a nice morning route is the biggest reason I stay on track in reaching my goals, and manifesting the dream life I want.

So, how do I (as an ‘evening-person’) manage to wake up every day at 6 am?

Here are my tips:

Lay out your clothes for the next day. This makes getting out of bed and getting ready less of a hurdle. It lowers that bar of unpleasant things you have to do once you get up!
Make sure you love the things you do in the morning. If you don’t like reading or meditation, please don’t do it! Do something that suits you and gets you in a good mood. It is totally fine if this includes activities that aren’t as productive or goal-oriented.
At first, set your alarm clock a little earlier each day. You can take some time getting used to these early mornings. Then, set your alarm at the same time every day, and go to bed around the same time every evening.
Enjoy the quiet moments where you feel like the world is still asleep, cannot bother you yet, and the head start you get by waking up early. Also take some time to enjoy the sunrise – a little present just for you!
Play some music, light a candle, make yourself a fancy cup of tea or coffee. Set the right mood to start your day and enjoy the vibe. This can also make you more excited to get out of bed.
Don’t give up if it takes time getting used to, or if you fall off track. You are totally allowed to sleep in now and then, just pick right back up when you’re ready.

Good luck transforming your morning!

xx Coco

You’re not trying to win life

Geen categorie

This morning I learned that sometimes, selfcare is letting go of all your routines and goals for the day. I woke up at 6 am, after having a week of little sleep and lots of work. I had been hard on myself all from monday through friday, kept waking up early, telling myself to ‘just push through’. So this morning I did my make up, started my morning routine, but when I opened my book to read – I broke.

Breaking point

I had what you would simply call ‘a bad day’. I didn’t have enough sleep, lost a few followers on Instagram, gained a little weight, just started having my period, and somehow my mourning routine took a lot of time and effort. While I realise these are all minor things on a good day, this morning I just couldn’t handle it anymore.

I had worked so hard towards my goals, and now I felt that no matter how hard I ‘pushed through’, I was failing them all. I felt like just wasn’t good at anything I tried, like I was a complete failure. I felt like this was proof that I was trying to do something that just wasn’t for me. But then I realised that what I wanted was a lot and that I was being very hard on myself. I was juggling many new goals and dreams, and wanted to be perfect at them all.

So after crying and hating myself for a few good minutes, I decided to be easy on myself today. I removed my make up again, made myself a tea and a hot compress for my belly, and went back to bed. When I was all warm and cozy again, I made a list in my head of all the things I was actually doing really well.

Nothing in nature blooms all year

I praised myself for waking up all week at 6 am, even though I didn’t get enough sleep any of those nights. I praised myself for staying on track with my blogs and Instagram posts, and for the fact that I gained 600 followers just one week after starting my page. I praised myself for not having one drink in 1,5 months, and having kept up with my reading, stretching, walking, meditating and journalling since the beginning of the year. I also kept the promise to myself to not buy any cheap/unethical clothing and to eat more healthy and plantbased. And most of all, I praised myself for starting my dream: this website!

So picked myself up, got out of bed and tried to rock the day again! No, just kidding. I didn’t. I stayed in my pyjamas all day and moved important tasks to next week. There. Nothing in nature blooms all year. And some days, it’s important to take these words seriously. Some days are for staying in bed, and loving yourself for how far you’ve come. For realising that bad days aren’t ‘failing’ or ‘a set-back’, but actually very important to keep your sanity and get new insights.

Sometimes, you need to realise that no one is perfect (and no, perfectionism is NOT a good character trait), so don’t try to win a race you never wanted to be in anyway. You can’t give 100% all the time, and your growth and transformation isn’t linear. And that despite all these things, you are doing a really, really good job at life. Enjoy it!

xx Coco