Devote just a few minutes each day to these simple, good for your body and mind practices, all designed to enable you to make healthy choices for the rest of the day.
FILTERED WATER AND FRESH LEMON
Start your day with a glass of filtered water with lemon to replenish fluids and encourage a system restart as soon as you wake up, suggests Dawn Thorpe Jarvis, R.D. senior director of nutrition science and educational content for Garden of Life.
STRETCHING
"Stretching just for five minutes will get your blood flowing and ease tension," says Lauren Fleri, a Cross Fit Level Two coach at Brick New York. It's easier to treat your body well when it feels good, not achy or tense. This works for me: try sitting back on your heels, knees shoulder width apart, then bending over, chest on knees, arms stretched long out in front of you, shoulders down, and take a few deep breaths in and out through your nose. You can also open your knees more, which will deepen the stretch in your hips.
EAT SOMETHING NUTRIENT RICH
I always try to eat a breakfast with protein, oats and fruit. See the recipe below for overnight oats!
DON'T FORGET THE GREENS!
"In the morning your metabolism is slow so your want to get it revved right away," Jarvis adds. "That way you'll jump start a day of effortless calorie-burning." Leafy greens with protein are a wonderful source of many antioxidant nutrients.
GRAB THE BREAKFAST YOU MADE LAST NIGHT
Knowing a delicious, healthy breakfast is waiting for you in the fridge makes getting out of bed easier. Angela Lemond, R.D.N. and founder of Lemond Nutrition loves the overnight oat trend. She suggests this recipe:
Mix 1/2 cup of rolled oats
1/2 cup of plain Greek Yogart
2//3 cup of milk (or substitute of your choice, I use almond milk)
Add vanilla and cinnamon to taste, sprinkle fresh fruit, nuts or coconut on top.
BEGIN YOUR DAY!
Adapted from an article on Women's Health Mag.