Day in the life: Naked Margarita founder Lydia Ward

The majority of the ceiling in our room is made of glass so, as much as I’ll set an alarm just in case, the sunshine wakes me up — usually at about 6am. In the dark of winter it’s obviously a little trickier, but I feel that waking up with the sun is such a nervous-system-soothing way to start the day right.

Priority number one is always to roll over and plant a smooch on my husband Chris’s forehead. Heart happy. Oxytocin maxxed out. Then we can attack the day.

I drink a pint of water first thing (we’re never more dehydrated than after waking up) and then I scrape my tongue and brush my teeth. Then, supplements. Emily English’s Epetome has been a total game changer for me. I take one of those with Vitamin B12, myo-inositol (I have polycystic ovary syndrome) and Viviscal hair and skin supplements. Then, Chris and I have our “morning meeting”. Sitting on the bed or on the sofa with toes tucked underneath bums, it’s a sacred time and feels like our verbal journalling. Then we take it in turns to use the CurrentBody LED mask.

Every day starts with a morning smoothie. Think fibremaxxing times a thousand. Flax, chia, walnuts, almonds, protein, cacao, coconut milk, dates… if it’s sold in Holland & Barrett, it’s probably going into that smoothie. Lunch is something moderate-sized but tasty. We try to stick to the 80/20 rule so if it’s a really healthy plate of food, we’re absolutely going to be chasing that with a delicious sweet treat. Dinner could be anything and everything. A good quality protein dressed up in the herbs and spices from the day’s cuisine of choice. I tend to lean towards my eastern heritage and cook foods from Asian cultures, but will never kick a perfectly cooked steak frites off the table.

I do at least an hour of dog walks every day. Workout wise, I’ll aim for at least three a week. This will be a combination of weights and Pilates. I also find skipping an amazing way to get your fitness up.

Lydia Ward is the founder of Naked Margarita

I have an Apple watch but ended up having a bit of a hiatus with it unless I’m working out. It was doing my nervous system no good having it pinging every time messages/emails came in, so we maintain a healthy, happy distance unless I’m exercising.

The mighty little walking pad is the most underrated piece of tech in my routine. It’s great for habit stacking, work and getting your steps in — especially important when we’ve had hunch-heavy days at the laptop. For any endometriosis/PCOS ladies, I also couldn’t recommend Myoovi enough. Pain can hit 12/10 at certain times of the month and having something to help block it means that I can spend less time doubled over, wailing in pain.

A friend of ours, Stuart Sandeman, is an amazing breathwork coach and former Radio 1 DJ (@Breathpod) and we’ve picked up so many useful breathwork practices from his content over the years. Box breathing is an utter saviour if stress or anxiety creep in — breathe in for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four.

I’m a big fan of nootropics and have incorporated them into the non-alcoholic version of our Naked Margarita. L-theanine and magnesium are two absolute favourites and we’ve put effective levels of both in, as (metaphorical) sprinkles on top of a drink we are just so proud of. We’ll also often take a mushroom complex, in pill form, on busy-brained days when focus is really needed.

We’re big fans of the ritual of making and pouring a drink, be it a gorgeous margarita or a heavenly cup of jasmine green tea. There’s something so soothing about all the little steps involved in making yourself or your loved one something beautiful to sip.

Trust your gut. Your body tells you what you need if you listen to it. Everything in moderation. Don’t put pressure on yourself or chase perfection because no one, no matter how much time, money or patience they have, can be perfect.