Has your morning routine changed in recent years? I always got up at the same time as my daughter and rushed through the morning. Afternoons and evenings are always busy with dinner, errands, car-pools, and practices, and then suddenly it’s 10 pm and time for bed. I found that I didn’t really have any time for myself. My workouts were slacking, and my hobbies became non-existent. I decided that I would train myself to be a morning person, and I started getting up at 5 am. At firs,t it was so hard to crawl out from the covers and not hit the snooze button, but now I’ve found that I treasure the peaceful hour and a half where I have the whole house to myself before anyone else gets up! Here is a peek into my morning routine:
1. I followed the Body For Life workout and nutrition plan years ago. The one takeaway I still follow is drinking 12 ounces of water right when you get up. Your organs are dehydrated after a night of sleeping. Water will kick your metabolism and help flush out toxins in your body.
2. Workout. I work from home, so my schedule is somewhat flexible, but no matter how many promises I make to myself about working out mid-morning or at lunch, it never happens. Working out right when I get up or after I take my daughter to school is the only way it gets done. I always feel great afterward, so it’s worth getting up early for.
I get lots of reader questions about my workout routine, so here it is…
My regular routine is swimming a mile three days a week. I also like to do a DVD workout a few times a week, alternating between Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred, some of the Insanity workouts, or The Firm Body Sculpting Basics (the 80’s bodysuits crack me up, but it’s a hard workout!).
If I’m short on time, I do three sets of this routine, which takes about 30 minutes…
10 pushups
25 crunches
25 squats
20 lunges (each leg)
50 jumping jacks
1 minute wall sit
If I’m really short on time, this is an effective workout that takes about 10 minutes…
Download Flower by Moby. Bring Sally Up, Bring Sally Down…
For the first 2.04 minutes of the song, follow the up and down while doing pushups and hold for the chorus.
Start the song over, and do a set of squats and then v-sits.
3. Make Your Bed. This Navy’s SEAL’s advice to grads was all over social media last spring. His message made sense; by making your bed in the morning, you have completed your first task and gotten your day off to the right start, making you appreciate the little things. Good advice! A made bed is also more inviting to get into at night!
4. Eat a healthy breakfast. Krispy Creme donuts always sound good, but I’m addicted to sugar and would eat several. Then, my blood sugar gets wacked out, and I crash. A smoothie with lots of fruits, veggies, and a scoop of greek yogurt keeps me full until lunchtime. Check out some of my smoothie recipes here!
5. Spend 15 minutes reading. Whether it’s a chapter in a book or the newspaper, reading helps improve your memory and analytical thinking. It also helps me stick to my goal of reading one book per month! If you are looking for a good book, check out my most recent book reviews here!
6. Organize and prioritize. My desk is a mess by the end of the day, and if I haven’t cleared it off the night before, it needs to be done before I can start my workday. An organized workspace starts your day on the right track. Make sure this takes precedence over checking email!
I’ve stuck to this routine for over a year, and it’s now a habit. Getting things accomplished early feels great, and not rushing sets the tone for a stress-free day!
What is your morning ritual?
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