If you’re a TikTok addict like ~muah~ then you’ve most likely seen the “that girl” trend. Becoming “that girl” is all about becoming your best self by creating a healthy lifestyle. Girls film a daily vlog of themselves, compiled with a compilation of short clips of everything they do in a day to be healthier and happier.
@virgohabits new day, new opportunity. #5amclub #morningroutine #productivity #thatgirl ib:@vanessatiiu
♬ y did dis blow up – aotishiko
Usually consisting of:
- waking up before 7 AM
- making your bed
- exercising
- eating clean
- being productive
- doing something you enjoy
- clearing your mind, by reading, journaling, walking, etc.
Personally, I have been on a health journey for what feels like forever. I work out weekly, pay attention to what I eat and try to sustain an overall happy lifestyle by staying productive and enjoying hobbies. However, social media often paints a picture of unrealistic lifestyles and beauty standards, especially in trends. But the benefit of this trend is that it’s sustainable, healthy, and realistic.
The past few months I haven’t enjoyed getting up early to workout, I procrastinate tasks more than usual, and feel unmotivated to eat consciously. Hence, why I needed to try becoming “that girl”: the healthy lifestyle TikTok trend more than ever…
Waking Up Early
Before the pandemic, I was definitely a morning person. However…since the pandemic started and everything moved virtually, I cannot get out of bed until 7 AM. And 7 AM may still be too early for many, but I used to be up at 5:30 every day! “That girl” is focused on being productive, meaning there is no time to waste, especially the time before sunrise. 5:30 seems to be the general time “that girl” wakes up – so I have made that my daily goal Monday through Thursday.
I’m going to be honest, I have not been able to get out of bed at 5:30 every morning, but I’m getting close! The mornings I did make it to 5:30, I ended up feeling really being grateful for it. I would wash my face, brush my teeth, make my bed (I always make my bed – the start to a productive day is a clean room), and dress for my workout. I felt insanely productive and less stressed about my day because I realized my “to-do” list wasn’t looking so long after all. I felt that I had more time (duh) not only to get work done but to do things I enjoy earlier in the day.
Eating
As I mentioned before, I’m always conscious of the food I put in my body. But while becoming “that girl” I’m putting in extra effort, because she eats clean clean. In almost every TikTok, there’s a green smoothie present. I actually hate smoothies, and I hate vegetables. But I was dedicated, thus I took a trip to Target and Trader Joe’s to buy everything I needed. I did some research on different green smoothies and ways to mask the taste and found quite a few ingredients that changed my perspective on them.
Smoothie Ingredients:
- Kale
- Spinach
- Teddy’s Organic Smooth Peanut Butter
- Cocoa Nibs
- Organic Chocolate PeaProtein Powder
- Unsweetened Almond Milk
If you also hate spinach and kale, then cocoa nibs, peanut butter, and flavored protein powder are a game-changer, trust me. The smoothie went from tasting horrendous to manageable. I will not be implementing this into my every day, but I will be doing it every week. However, I have been cooking a ton – which I’ll talk about later! Something really important I learned when trying to be healthy is to not restrict yourself! Don’t feel like you can’t eat bagels or cookies because you’re trying to be healthy, because that’s not realistic. It’s all about eating those foods in moderation, that’s key.
Being Productive
Being productive is the majority of this lifestyle, and I learned through this trend that productivity follows with a productive morning. Because getting up early, fueling your body with clean food, and working out are all extremely productive already! I found that following this morning routine set me up for a productive day. By doing these healthy tasks, it made me want to continue to put in the effort. Thus, it was easier for me to start my workday and not lose momentum.
“That girl” spent her productive day working on her computer in front of her window with a glass of water, so I did the same! Fortunately, my job also takes place from a computer. Being productive is definitely a trend I can get behind because being productive is one of my sources of happiness and confidence. Does that make me sound like a workaholic…
Self-Care
Self-care comes in many forms, for “that girl” it often involved reading, journaling, walking outside, or face masks. Face masks have a personal agenda against me and my acne-prone skin, so that was a quick no. But, I love to read, so that was an easy activity to implement at the end of my day. I’m currently reading Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare if anyone is wondering, and it’s absolutely amazing. Reading is something that always brings me joy and clears my mind.
Cooking was my second form of self-care that I enjoyed way more than I expected. I started watching Selena + Chef on HBO Max (it was amazing FYI), it gave me this boost of motivation to start cooking…and it was so fun. By cooking, I was not only eating healthier food, but I felt more relaxed because I was forced to only think about what I was making. It made me feel like Meryl Streep in It’s Complicated where she bakes and cooks all of these amazing meals for everyone.
Recipes I Loved (they’re super easy!):
Everyone finds joy and peace in different things, and I’m learning more and more that branching out to new hobbies can only add to your life rather than take away from it. Whether it’s reading, exercising, photography, shopping, etc. Therefore, I really encourage you to try something new, especially this lifestyle and headspace.
Living life, and writing about it as I go.
I absolutely love this! It is always hard to try to try and live a “that girl” lifestyle because of social media. But, I like how you took this lifestyle and made it your own. It starts with one little thing that makes you happy and if i doesn’t all you need of find something else. I will definitely to make sure to try the smoothie. Also I’ve also recently feel in love with reading again and it genuinely makes me happy!
The trend is toxic because it has such a limited idea of what “health” is. It’s also classist and fatphobic. Not everyone is a morning person and that’s okay, it doesn’t mean you are unhealthy or lazy. Not everyone is able bodied: Not everyone can afford to eat bespoke salads and Green juices everyday. The way you look after yourself is completely personal and shouldn’t be an *aesthetic* or trend to aspire to. The hyper focus on productivity is toxic too. People need to rest and should be encouraged to do so.I’m glad people are starting to see this trend for what it is!