The 3-Ingredient Detoxifying Elixir Connie Britton Has Every Morning

Welcome to My Morning Routine, where Connie Britton and other good-life gurus share their personal (frequently surprising, often healthy) morning rituals—to help you make your a.m.’s more awesome.

Connie Britton
Star of Nashville and Friday Night Lights, activist, and healthy heart advocate with Quaker Oats

My ideal morning routine? I would wake up way before my son, have a wonderfully soothing meditation. I'd shower or take a bath, and then I'd waltz into my son's room to get him up and make us both a divine breakfast.

In reality, it's never quite like I hope. It's usually something a little more like wake up, don't have time to meditate, splash some water on my face, get my son up, give myself a pat on the back for getting breakfast on the table before school.

I usually set my alarm for somewhere between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. If I get up early and meditation is in the cards, then I love it. I've been meditating for many, many years and started out with a meditation teacher who had a very specific style. I did have a few books back in the beginning, but now I really have a method that works for me. I think the apps are amazing and it's so great that so many people are embracing and learning about meditation—but I can sort of get into the zone on my own.

Then, I usually start my day—before any food—with this amazing aloe vera and vitamin C drink that I mix with a probiotic, with a lemon water on the side. I try to drink both of those in full before I have anything in my system—it's a good pick-me-up and flushes out any toxins that accumulated overnight.

My beauty routine is incredibly simple in the mornings—especially if I'm going off to work with hair and makeup there. I do enjoy a splash of cold water on my face first thing to wake me and my skin up and very strongly believe in using all-natural and non-toxic products on our skin and bodies. Christy Coleman, who helped create the makeup line for BeautyCounter, is a friend of mine, so I saw the process that she went through and the years of research and development to make sure the products were completely non-toxic and good for you. So in the mornings, if I put anything on, it's a light moisturizer or sunscreen and that's it.

Then, my son and I will both have oatmeal together for breakfast. It's genuinely so easy to make for both of us and it keeps him full until lunch, which is always a nice bonus. I prepare them both the same way: I'll mix in a little coconut oil, almond milk, and maple syrup. He likes a little bit of raisins, but no raisins for me ever.

I do generally have coffee, but I'm not one of those addicted-to-coffee people—in fact, a lot of times I'll have decaf coffee. Or I'll have a chai tea or matcha latte. I like the ritual of a warm drink in the morning, but I'm not a person who has to have a cup of coffee in order to get going in the morning.

I used to work out in the mornings all of the time. That's one thing as a single mom that's really tricky because you know, I can't just leave the house if my son isn't awake or at school yet. I actually just got a rowing machine, so now I can wake up early and do that in our house before waking him up. I prefer to do things outside though, so if time allows I'll schedule my workout for later in the day, whether it's hot yoga or an outdoor run or hike.

If you're in need of a morning refresh to shake the morning blues, Jessica Alba has a brilliant method for staying motivated. Or cut yourself some slack! After all, Kayla Itsines never works out in morning.