Akshara

When I was in high school, I would wake up on a Saturday at 12pm and have a woolies mud cake (if you know!) and a glass of coke (full sugar).

Straight anarchy.

Now at the young age of 31, waking up at 12 pm, eating a slice of cake and drinking coke upon waking is what my nightmares and indigestion are made of. Growing up in a time where wellness routines, let alone morning routines were not as popular as much it is now, I have now understood the importance of a balanced routine, made up of good eating habits, wellness and exercise.

I want to preface this post by saying health and wellness is extremely individual and deeply rooted to ones own internal understanding of health and wellness. To say health and wellness is fixates to one specific definition is ignorant on my part. Health is holistic.

I am a creature of habit and am a routine-based person, i meticulously plan every chore, event and to-do list by the minute, ensuring I get the most out of my day. Between the on going to-do lists, I make it a conscious decision to do things that contribute to my overall health.

Here a few of my favourite non-negotiables:

1. Morning Elixir: Starting my morning with hot water is essential and there is nothing more I want . My current mix is: Cumin seeds, mustard seeds, black sesame seeds and either turmeric or amla (gooseberry) powder.
2. Skin Care Routine: No matter what time of the morning and/or night it is, I am washing my face and slapping on a moisturiser and eye cream. As an accutane alumni and thanks to adult acne, my routine has changed drastically. My current vanity: Avene Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream, La Roche Posay Cicoplast, Dr Dennis Gross LED Mask, Round Lab Birch Juice SPF, sheets masks and CeraVe Retinol.
3. Movement: I heard somewhere “exercising for 1 minute is better than 0 minutes”. This anecdote has shifted my mentality about working out. A simple 30 minute walk boosts my mood exponentially. If not walking, I enjoy Pilates 2 -3x/week and home workouts.
4. 80/20 rule: Eighty percent of the day I eat lots of fruit, veggies and home cooked food. Twenty percent of the day I like do indulge, usually in a sweet treat. I love eating and cooking Indian food and cannot go two days without a form of rice. I love eating khichdi with yoghurt, dal, stir fry and home made pizzas. My preferred indulgences are gelato, tiramisu, Thai fried rice and raspberry and lemon scones.
5. Reading: Books have always been personal. The happiness and content I feel when reading can only be described as bliss. I enjoy reading fiction and try and read as many Indian authors I can get my hands on. See my top picks for July. I read for pleasure and often find myself in a world far from mine.

These rituals have me feeling my best throughout the day and I try very hard to continue to build on these healthy habits. My routine is ever evolving, especially because it is so hard not be influenced by celebrities, but having an understanding not one shoe fits all, will have you discovering your own routine. In saying that, I have always been influenced by Bollywood Celebrities to try home made beauty hacks, for instance Janhvi Kapoor has on numerous occasions spoken about her journey with Pilates and putting on face packs with fruits. Also, this article, I didn’t wake up like this, is a great read for anyone comparing themselves to glossy magazine covers of celebrities. Sonam Kapoor unveils the mask of Bollywood, growing up with food noise and the harmful nature of comparison.

Overall my goals is to do build little habits that equate to my bigger goals of feeling my best each and every day.

Until next time.

-A