City life is hectic, fast, loud and over-stimulating and if you are not careful, it will slowly suck the life out of you. I’m a long time resident of New York and I know this place well; staying healthy here isn’t defined by expensive gym memberships or fancy supplements nor is it about what the wellness influencers say to do. It’s a matter of a few basic habits you really follow. Here is my routine that keeps me grounded, alive and always me, no matter how crazy the week gets.
Sunlight First Thing
Before I pick up my phone, I go out of the house. If I’m in a coffee shop and I get some natural light into my eyes, then my entire day is set. It lets my body know its morning, enhances my mood, and — the part that you can’t put down on a book — helps me fall asleep so much easier that night. No phone. No scrolling. Just sunlight. Test it for a week and you’ll notice the difference.
Hydration That Actually Works
While having water throughout the day is ideal, it’s not enough if you’re also going for a walk with the kids and it is a hot summer day. I put electrolytes in my bottle, or just a bit of sea salt. That’s it. There is no need to use a special powder to make the white paper. Minerals are required for the absorption of water, and I noticed that it was after I began doing this that my afternoon laziness and random headaches went away.
Coffee, the Walkable Way
I can’t do without coffee, but I do have a preference about how I consume it. I go for a walk rather than ordering food to be delivered extra steps, fresh air and a very small ritual to make the morning feel like it’s actually on purpose. No sugar – of course! An unflavored cappuccino or black coffee will not crash your system at 11 a.m., but a sugary drink will. Bonus: It’s better to support a neighborhood café than another corporate chain.
Workout – Whatever Fits
There is no set plan that I follow. It’s heavy weight one day, sprints another day, pushups in my apartment another day. It’s not perfection, it’s consistency. Get as active as you can, on a daily basis. It’s better to do a crappy 30 minutes of exercise than to do a perfect 90 minutes that you don’t. Stop overcomplicating this.
Sauna (Optional)
If you have a sauna at home, it’s a cool side effect post-workout, as well as for circulation and just taking a break for a few minutes. But let me say this: If you are already working up a sweat in the gym, this is entirely up to you. If you don’t have one, don’t worry about it. You don’t need this, it’s a luxury.
Cold Plunge (or a Cold Shower)
Same energy here. A cold plunge feels incredible after training, but you don’t need a fancy tub. End your normal shower with sixty seconds of cold water and you’ll get most of the benefits — better mood, more alertness, and a weird little dopamine boost that carries into the rest of the day. Start with thirty seconds if the full minute feels like too much.
Real Food, Eat Like You Would at Home
This is the one that most people miss in NYC. Food is available on every corner and ordering your meals out isn’t that expensive. My guideline: treat others the same way you treat yourself. A protein, some vegetables, a real carb. Rice bowl topped with beef and bok choy. Eggs and greens for breakfast. Avoid all junk food in a wrap or with an ingredient list that includes thirty things you can’t pronounce. Real food, no frills plates, no thinking.
Nighttime Like Home
End of day is more important than people think. I start to turn down the lights an hour before I get in bed, I reduce screen time, and I read. As long as it is the Bible for me, I am going to use it — that’s a novel or a journal for you, whatever helps you unwind. If you do need to watch TV or other screen in the evening, use blue-light filters and if you need to wear a sleep mask, then any room will look like a hotel room. Make sleep time really count, as it will really affect the quality of the day.
