We love hearing about other people's routines, so today we talk to Co-founder of LUKA, Lucy, to discover what she is loving right now, her health hacks and so much more!
Where are you located?
I am in Sydney, born and bred! I grew up on the Northshore and have ventured across the bridge (god forbid!) to Redfern. My husband and I have always loved that urban, inner city feel and having shops within walking distance. It can still be a bit rough around the edges at time, but it's great for my boys (Zach, 6 & Sam, 4) to grow up in an area with so much culture and diversity.
Whats your morning routine look like?
In the morning, I want to get out of the house asap! It is like I am racing against the clock before the boys wake up and rob me of my peace. I generally wake up at 5am but can definitely be guilty of hitting snooze a few times - I have way more energy waking at 5am and getting straight out of bed - it really is something in it.
I will then go downstairs, and have hydrogen water. I sit down, sometimes I meditate but to be honest, I prefer walking and exercise as my meditation at the moment.
The mornings I am doing HIIT training, I generally have a shot of espresso. If not, I put on my fav podcast and go for a 45-60 minute walk in nature. I am obsessed with it! It really does make me such a better person. I used to go running but I found that it spiked my cortisol SO MUCH - I would come home amped up and just felt so exhausted all the time!
Then - GAME ON! Lunches, school bags, sports gear, prompting the boys to get changed 450 times then prompting them to get in the car another 500!
I eat brekkie when home from school drop off - am LOVING my chocolate smoothie with LUKA, Oats, collagen, COYO, seeds. YUM!
Fav health hack at the moment...
I am into every health hack every discovered. If TIKTOK tells me to do it, I will literally do it!
But these ones are really amazing - castor oil on my tummy at night - my gosh, seriously, its amazing for the best sleep. I have LUKA Sleep blend after dinner, rub castor oil on my tummy, read my book and I am OUT. and wake up SO REFRESHED!
Also, Brad Yates Tapping. It is amazing. It works. It brings my cortisol down, regulates my nervous system and I can do ones for 5 minutes or 10. so quick, so effective.
Fav meal of the day...
Lunch, it is definitely my biggest meal of the day and I need it to be delicious so I can really enjoy every bite. At the moment, I love my lentil and veggie soup with sourdough bread with a sprinkling of goats cheese or cooking some wild salmon and salad is always delicious. My lunches usually include protein, carbs and fats in the way of olive oil, avocado and goats cheese and LOTS of herbs, herbs are essential to a delicious meal. I finish with a LUKA as my dessert and I don't eat until dinner.
Top tips for staying healthy
I recommend finding your WHY- the real motivation behind why you want stay healthy. If you look around, people are really sick and that is no way to live. When I am healthier, I am absolutely happier.
Walk in nature - it is the single best thing I do and I adore it.
Lemon water - minimum 2L per day or chlorophyll water - these make me feel immediately healthy and help me drink more water.
Reducing coffee - always makes me anxious and dehydrated and disrupts my gut and my sleep.
Lymphatic Drainage Massage - these are so incredible for inflammation, debloating and general wellbeing. I feel on top of the world the day after.
What’s a non negotiable for you each day
Telling my boys I love them, amazing hugs, ALWAYS laughs, some form of self care and ALWAYS LUKA.
Fav self care/discovery book?
Louise Hay, You Can Heal Your Life - it was one of the first books I read of this nature and it really changed everything for me. Also, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, by Deepak Chopra. Deepak is incredible, I listen to his meditations too and he is the best!
Anything you want to achieve this year?
I would have said ice baths as they are all the rage but my nervous system would not deal with it. Less doing and more being. I used to be go-go-go and I am now finding myself retreating more into my own space and I am really loving it. Protecting my energy as much as possible.
What did you do before LUKA?
Gosh, I had a thousand jobs before LUKA! It was a running joke in my family "what career change are you making this week!". I was in advertising and marketing for a really long time, and changed jobs within that industry a lot. Advertising was hectic - it was long hours, expectations were high, high pressure and just high anxiety. It wore me out and gave me all sorts of health issues. It also was not conducive to a working mum which I wasn't at the time, but wanted to in the future.
Whilst I certainly didn't think I would ever develop my own product, I always wanted the flexibility that having my own business brings. I thought I would do marketing contract work when I returned to work after the boys, but there were other plans!
What is LUKA to you?
LUKA is our baby!! It was born so organically from our own desire to help us replace sugar and caffeine. I actually can't believe we created it!
Kate and I are so passionate about helping people create healthier lives, helping them feel their best and removing that guilt from overindulging, it's a way that we can do this with a product we love. If you don't have your health, you really don't have anything - its so important to lead healthier lives.
And of course, working with your best cousin who you have known since birth is SO MUCH FUN! we laugh so so much, we complement each others skills and are always aligned.
I still have LUKA 1-2 times a day and STILL look forward to it each and everyday.
Habits you want to improve...
Being on my phone!!! I need to definitely reduce my reaction to my phone.
And always sugar and caffeine- its so easy to fall into a habit having these too much. LUKA has changed my life in reducing these.
Guilty pleasure?
Watching Pimple Popping videos. Yes, I am one of the many millions who view these.
When’s your fav time to drink LUKA?
After lunch is my fav. The coconut milk powder actually reduces appetite so by having it at these times, it really does get me through to my next meal with no snacks. I am a huge picker, especially as I work from home so I am always in the cupboard snacking aimlessly. It really helps so much with this and it satisfies my sweet tooth. I then power through the afternoon!
I can never finish a meal without something sweet. So my husband and I always finish our dinner with our SLEEP LUKA before bed. Its a nice little ritual we have going where we talk about the day.
What’s your fav thing about LUKA?
The taste is my fav thing about it. The fact that it is healthy is seriously mind blowing for me. I get to have something so delicious that is actually health enhancing is just incredible.
Fav quote/advice?
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away" - Maya Angelou
We hope you enjoyed reading, have a happy and healthy day!
Lucy and Kate
xx