Building a Simple Wellness Routine When You’re an Athlete, Mom or Both

Some mornings, I wake up ready to train, meal prep, drink my water, handle business and be that girl before 9 AM.

Other mornings? Somebody can’t find a shoe, breakfast is getting cold, I have somewhere to be, my workout window is disappearing by the minute, and I realize I haven’t even finished the water I poured myself an hour ago. 😂

If you’re a mom, an athlete or living somewhere in the beautiful chaos of being both you probably get it.

Wellness sounds simple until you’re responsible for more than just yourself.

That’s why I’ve stopped looking at wellness as a perfect routine and started looking at it as a collection of small things I can consistently come back to.

Your wellness routine does NOT need 15 steps.

Social media can make taking care of yourself look like a full-time job: wake up at 5 AM, journal, meditate, make the perfect breakfast, train, take supplements, hit 10,000 steps, stretch, meal prep and somehow get eight hours of sleep.

Meanwhile, moms are reading that list like, Okay…but when am I supposed to pack lunches? 😂

A good wellness routine isn't the one that looks the prettiest online. It's the one you can actually maintain when practices start, the kids need you, work gets busy or you have a tournament coming up.

For me, it comes back to a few basics: hydrate, nourish, move, recover and keep my everyday wellness habits simple.

1. Hydration before perfection 💧

One of the easiest things we can do is also one of the easiest things to forget.

Drink your water.

As an athlete, hydration matters around training and competition. As a mom, sometimes it simply means keeping a bottle nearby while you're running everybody around.

Don't make it complicated. Start your morning with water, keep it visible and refill throughout the day.

2. Fuel yourself like someone who matters 🥑

Moms are REALLY good at making sure everybody else eats.

Then suddenly it's 2 PM and we're surviving on three bites of somebody's leftover breakfast. 😭

Your body needs nourishment too.

I try to build meals around foods that actually satisfy and fuel me, protein, carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats, especially on training days.

And no, every meal isn't Pinterest-worthy.

Sometimes wellness looks like the beautiful athlete plate.

Sometimes it looks like making the best choice you can with the time you have.

Both count.

3. Movement doesn't always have to be a workout 🏃🏾‍♀️

This one is especially important for athletic moms.

When you've identified as an athlete, it's easy to believe movement only "counts" when you're training hard.

It counts when you lift.

It counts when you sprint.

But your walk counts too.

Stretching counts. Playing outside with your kids counts. Mobility while watching TV counts.

There are days when I'm training like an athlete and days when my body needs something completely different.

Learning to respect both has become part of wellness for me.

The athlete never left, but she doesn't have to perform every single day.

4. Create wellness habits that fit YOUR life 🌿

This is where something like our LOCA Shots fits naturally into my routine.

LOCA isn't my entire wellness routine and it shouldn't be.

It's one simple habit inside a much bigger picture.

Made with orange, lemon, ginger, turmeric and cayenne, it's something I can keep refrigerated and easily incorporate into my morning, training-day nutrition or a busy day when I'm heading out the door.

That's what I want Shey Natural Health Bar to represent: not complicated wellness or the idea that one product magically does everything for you.

Simple tools that make taking care of yourself a little easier.

5. Recovery IS productive 😴

This might be the hardest lesson for athletes and moms.

We're used to doing.

One more workout. One more load of laundry. One more email. One more thing before bed.

But recovery is part of the routine too.

Sleep when you can. Stretch. Take the slower day. Sit outside. Put your phone down. Do something that has absolutely nothing to do with being productive.

You don't have to earn rest.

What happens when life gets chaotic?

Because it will.

The kids get sick. Work gets busy. You travel for a tournament. You miss a workout. The meal plan goes completely out the window.

You don't quit your wellness routine. You adjust it.

Maybe today's routine is:

Water. A nourishing meal. Ten minutes of movement. LOCA from the fridge. Earlier bedtime.

That's enough.

The goal isn't maintaining the exact same routine every day. The goal is having a few habits you know how to return to.

To the mom who keeps putting herself last…

Your family doesn't need you to become obsessed with wellness.

And you don't need another impossible standard to live up to.

You deserve habits that help you feel strong, energized and connected to yourself again.

If you used to be an athlete, she's still in there.

If you're currently competing while raising babies, you're allowed to pursue your goals AND acknowledge that this season looks different.

And if you're simply trying to feel more like yourself again?

Start small.

Drink the water. Eat the meal. Take the walk. Rest. Build one habit. Then another.

Your wellness routine doesn't need to be impressive.

It needs to work for your real life. 🌿

Keep building your routine with Shey Natural

At Shey Natural Health Bar, we're creating wellness products and resources for real people living real, busy lives from athletes and athletic moms to entrepreneurs and families simply trying to take better care of themselves.

Explore LOCA Shots, cold-pressed juices, smoothies and more at sheynaturalhealthbar.com.

Be Natural. 🌿