For some context – this wasn’t my first rodeo on a morning shift. In college, I worked part-time for a local station, all while finishing up two degrees. But for some reason, this go-around has been a lot different.

It may be because I’m not 21 years old anymore. Either way, I think I forgot when I took this promotion how HARD it is on your body. I want to add – I LOVE my job, station & the show I anchor. Which is why I knew 4 months in – I needed to make it work. Please note, that every BODY is different. What works for me, may not work for you. I HIGHLY recommend seeking advice from health care professionals if you’re struggling.

Here’s what has worked for me:

1. SLEEP! You have to prioritize sleep over everything. I start work around 3:15 a.m. So I get up around 2 a.m. – the goal is to get 8 hours of sleep. For me, I sorta split it. I take a two-hour nap after work (I’ll go into the napping in my next tip) I go to bed no later than 7:30 p.m. & YES I take I’m melatonin but only the recommended amount. Before I sought out professional advice, I wouldn’t fall asleep till 9 pm most nights. I was gaining a ton of weight. I never had it tested but I was told my cortisol levels were likely high. I was stressed, tired & felt weak. The biggest piece of advice my doctor gave me – SLEEP! She then recommended I see a nutritionist.

2. NAP if you want! If you did the math, I’m not sleeping eight hours straight. Not everyone recommends napping but in order to work out, I need a nap. The biggest revelation I had was when I went to my doctor and told her how long I was napping.                                                            She told me it’s not healthy to nap longer than two hours at a time or else you’re waking up in the middle of a rem cycle. That may be why if you take a super long nap – you wake up feeling kinda blah? I was waking up miserable! I felt like a zombie and never got anything done. So now I set an alarm and RARELY let myself oversleep. She also recommended cat naps! 30-minute naps are helpful too!

   The gang is back together this morning 🌤 pic.twitter.com/15pCOh91xr

   — Megan Reyna (@MeganReynatv) June 1, 2022

3. Be mindful of what you eat and WHEN! I literally had no idea when to eat & it was causing stomach issues. It took me seeing a nutritionist to really map out the type of meals/how often to eat.

• Wake up, eat something small like an apple, toast, yogurt, boiled egg, etc. This is your FIRST breakfast lol

• During show – have a snack like a clementine or banana

• After show around 7 am – SECOND breakfast – something small again – like egg bites or yogurt (always try to change it up!)

• Eat lunch around 10 am – this is important for me so my food is digested BEFORE I nap

• IF I workout – snack around 3/4 – something light but filling

• Dinner around 6 – leaves time before bed to digest & I get to have dinner with my boyfriend! Some normalcy there

        4. Work out but don’t push it – you do need to prioritize moving your body. I personally love               Orange Theory. I need a class setting and someone yelling at me lol! But do what you like and it doesn’t have to be hardcore cardio. Here’s where I wish things were different.

I WISH I had the ability to go to OTF right after work but unfortunately, it doesn’t work with my schedule so I go to a class at 5:15 pm. Yes, cutting it close to dinner/sleep. I may change this and try the 4 pm class! I also highly recommend YOGA! This will help with stress as well. Follow @thenewsyogi on Instagram if you don’t already! Leslie Rangel is a morning anchor in Austin & certified yoga educator. She shares FREE & helpful tips on her page. She also offers zoom classes!

Happy National Donut Day 🍩@WAAYTV pic.twitter.com/10CcQfAS2s

— Megan Reyna (@MeganReynatv) June 3, 2022

     5. Be kind to yourself. As I mentioned, my body has changed, I’ve gained the weight back I worked hard to lose and I’ve been so stressed out about it. After talking with my nutritionist, I came to the realization – I’m still healthy. I’m thankful I found health care professionals who helped me. Not going to lie, I’ve had some doctors tell me just quit. But I love my job! SO, stay healthy, be kind to your body, and once again – SLEEP!

Love,

A very tired morning newsie!

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