4 Morning Rituals
FEEL LIKE A MILLION BUCKS IN THE MORNING
You wake up… now what?
If you want to create a productive, energy filled day (and who doesn’t) it might be time to take to heart the old adage, “the early bird catches the worm.”
Early-morning sunshine has a tendency to make us feel alert and focused.
There’s also a psychological component that comes into play. You might be surprised how much you can shift your mood by simply leveraging this early-morning energy.
But, it’s easy to lose your mojo within the first two hours of waking up because you can become REACTIVE instead of PROACTIVE. Instead of tying up your laces for a workout, you get tempted to stay snuggled in bed checking social media.
Morning habits are important, because the decisions you make in the first 90 minutes of your day can either jumpstart or handicap the next 12 hours.
Here are 4 rituals that are part of my morning routine. If I get two of them in within the first 60 minutes of waking up, I know it’s going to be a great day.
These may seem like small habits, but remember… the small action items add up to big rewards.
1. Expose Yourself (To The Sun)
As soon as you wake up, step outside for few minutes and take in the daylight. This burst of UV light can brighten your mood and give you a blast of energy.
Plus, going for a nature walk wherever you live, can make you more resilient to the current stresses of life.
You already know about the benefits that walking has on your brain… and now research is showing that taking a conscious walk in mother nature AMPLIFIES the mental health benefits of a walk.
People who regularly walk in nature have “quieter” brain, meaning that there is less blood flow in the area of the brain associated with rumination.
2. Salute The Sun
The Sun Salutation is a full-body workout that creates both strength and flexibility. And both are a necessity! Yoga stretches out your tightest spots, makes you more bendy and more chill while strengthening muscles that don’t get love during your other workouts…like your back and knees. Don’t know where to start?
3. Legs Before Eggs
Remember this saying…”legs before eggs!” It’s a simple reminder that working out before you exercise can facilitate weight loss by forcing your body to burn fat for energy.
After your gym session, try my go-to mini frittata recipe!
INGREDIENTS:
– Nonstick cooking oil spray
– 3 whole eggs
– 3 egg whites
– 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
– Freshly ground pepper
Add 1/2 C. of any of the following:
– Sliced fresh mushrooms
– Green or red bell pepper, chopped
– Lean chicken or turkey sausage, crumbled
– Tomato, chopped
– Onion, chopped
– Fresh spinach, chopped
– Asparagus
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray six 1-cup muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Mist a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add sausage to hot skillet and cook until no longer pink. Drain off fat and place sausage in a bowl.
Saute the bell peppers, mushrooms and onions (if you choose) in the same skillet until tender (2 to 3 minutes). Add to sausage and cool. Add in the additional ingredients of your choice.
Stir the eggs and Parmesan cheese into the vegetable and meat mixture. Divide egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin tins. Place a tomato slice on top of each (optional).
Bake in preheated oven about 20 minutes or until eggs are set. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 6 mini frittatas.
Note: Leftover frittatas are perfect protein snacks on the go. They can be reheated gently in the microwave. Be cautious to not overheat, because the eggs can become rubbery.
4. Start With a Shot
A morning ginger shot is guaranteed to stimulate your body and wake you up! Ginger is an age-old treatment for nausea, plus it’s a natural anti-inflammatory. Here’s how to make your morning ginger shot…
Ingredients:
8 oz hot water
1″ ginger root, chopped
Juice from 1 lime or lemon
1 drop Oregano oil
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Directions:
Peel the ginger, then chop the into small chunks. Put in the bottom of a mug along with the oregano oil. Pour in the hot water. Squeeze the juice from the link into your mug, and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.
