Here’s a wake-up call: What you do in the hour after you get up can help you look and feel your best for the rest of the day. The right moves and foods will give you the focus, stamina, and positive outlook you need to plow through your busy schedule. Plus, you’ll kick-start your metabolism, helping you torch extra calories and melt more fat. Our get-up-and-go routine outlines the latest research-based tips guaranteed to make your morning a true power hour.
1. Wake Up Refreshed
Even early birds can find it difficult to slip out from under their warm, cozy covers on dark winter mornings. Here’s how to make it easy:
Note good things to come
Before going to bed, put a sticky note on your alarm clock reminding you of something fun or exciting that’s happening the next day. “Because of hormonal shifts that occur while we’re asleep, the majority of us wake up feeling a bit down or in a so-so mood,” says Dana Lightman, PhD, a behavioral psychologist in Abington, PA. “Remembering that you’re having lunch with a friend or that your favorite TV show will be on that night gives you a quick lift.”
Keep a cool bedroom
A toasty room temperature makes it easier to nod off, but you may wake up groggy. Lowering your thermostat right before turning out the lights maintains the warmth you need to fall asleep and will cool the room overnight — allowing you to rise and shine. Don’t make it too chilly, though: Experts say the ideal temperature is between 60° and 70°F.
Surround yourself with color
“Seeing a bright, vibrant hue when you open your eyes gets your adrenaline going — and that sudden surge of energy helps clear the cobwebs and kicks you into gear,” says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. Put a red, orange, yellow, or fuchsia throw pillow, blanket, or piece of art in the area you first see in the morning, or slip on a robe in one of these shades. You can even make breakfast visually stimulating (and get a nutritional boost) by pouring yourself a glass of antioxidant rich pomegranate or cranberry juice with a sweet slice of orange.
Put flowers by your bedside
Seeing a bouquet of blooms when they first woke up gave women in a new study a mood lift and energy boost that lasted all day, reports Nancy Etcoff, PhD, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard University Mind/Brain/Behavior Initiative.
Don’t hit the snooze button
There’s truth in the adage “You snooze, you lose.” When you hit snooze, your brain knows it will go off again in a few minutes — so you won’t go into the deeper, more restful stages of slumber. That means you’ll be more tired than if you’d gotten up when it first sounded. A better strategy: “Set your alarm for when you really need to get up,” says Jodi Mindell, PhD, associate director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “That extra, uninterrupted sleep makes you feel more rested and refreshed when you get out of bed.”
Visualize your day
Once you’re awake, close your eyes and picture yourself alert and energetic. “Imagining an activity fires up the same parts of your brain that are used when you actually experience it,” says Lightman. “Thinking positively about the day ahead energizes you.”
Drink a big glass of water
This is a good way to replenish the fluid your body loses overnight , and it provides instant energy. “Everything that happens in your body requires water,” says Holly Andersen, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical Center. “Without enough of it, your systems have to work harder in every respect — which can cause fatigue.” Indeed, even a 2% drop in water stores can tire you physically and mentally. Starting to sip early also gives you a head start on the 11 cups of water the Institute of Medicine now recommends women consume throughout the day to stay hydrated.
Let the light in
A splash of sunlight makes you feel more awake, so read the paper by a sunny window or step outside for a few minutes while having your coffee. “Daylight signals your biological clock to stop the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy, and promotes wakefulness,” says James B. Maas, PhD, a professor and past chairman of the department of psychology at Cornell University. It also increases the brain’s level of serotonin, a chemical that boosts mood. If it’s still dark when you get up, consider purchasing a dawn stimulator (from $80; lighttherapyproducts.com), a device that gradually brightens a light source at a preprogrammed time. Set it to create a dawn that breaks a half hour before your usual wake up time and grows to maximum brightness when your alarm goes off—even when your eyes are closed, the light that passes through your lids signals your internal clock to trigger waking neurons in your brain.
Rub yourself awake
“Massaging your face boosts circulation, making it a surefire way to wake up,” says Maggy Dunphy, general manager of the Aria Spa and Club in Vail, CO. Starting at your forehead and working down to your chin, lightly flutter tap or drum your fingertips, varying the velocity, intensity, and location until you’ve touched your entire face. Bonus: These moves give you a quick healthy glow.
Have sex
Physical activity is one of the best ways to shake off grogginess — and having sex boosts your body’s levels of chemicals associated with stamina (testosterone), energy (dopamine), and calmness (oxytocin), says Helen E. Fisher, PhD, a research professor in the department of anthropology at Rutgers University. What a great way to start the day!
2. Get All-Day Energy
Nothing gives you a natural energy boost like exercise, which pumps fatigue-fighting oxygen to your cells and releases mood-boosting endorphins. Even a short session does the trick: In one study, workouts as brief as 10 minutes sparked energy levels for up to 2 hours. The 20-minute interval program below — which alternates brief bursts of high-intensity exercise with longer, slower segments — is ideal forAM exercisers. “The intervals are invigorating and will get your heart rate up much quicker than walking at a slower, steady pace,” says Tracey Mallett, a certified personal trainer in Los Angeles who designed the workout. Another plus: Walking at a brisk pace burns more calories. Now that’s something worth getting out of bed for.
Your Workout at a Glance
Do the walking program, followed by the Start-the-Day Stretches on the next page, 3 to 5 times a week for a month; then increase the high-intensity intervals to 1 minute (this will add an extra 2 1/2 minutes to the workout). To make the program harder and boost your fitness, increase the high-intensity intervals to 1 1/2 minutes.
Pace Yourself
Use the Rate of Perceived Exhaustion (RPE) to gauge how hard you feel you’re working on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the hardest.
Walking Program
0:00-5:00 minutes
Warm up at a slow, even pace, working up to a light, leisurely stroll (an RPE of 4 to 5).
5:01-8:00
Quicken your pace slightly to an RPE of 6 (you should be able to converse).
8:01-8:30
Walk as fast as you can. This pace should be challenging — an RPE of 7 to 8 (you’ll find it harder to speak).
8:31-10:30
Decrease to an easy pace — an RPE of 5 to 6.
10:31-11:00
Walk as fast as you can — an RPE of 7 to 8.
11:01-13:00
Decrease to an easy pace — an RPE of 5 to 6.
13:01-13:30
Walk as fast as you can — an RPE of 7 to 8.
13:31-15:30
Decrease to an easy pace — an RPE of 5 to 6.
15:31-16:00
Walk as fast as you can — an RPE of 7 to 8.
16:01-18:00
Decrease to an easy pace — an RPE of 5 to 6.
18:01-18:30
Walk as fast as you can — an RPE of 7 to 8.
18:31-20:30
Cool down; decrease to an easier pace, similar to the warm up.
Start-the-Day Stretches
Make time after your workout for these five standing stretches, which help keep your circulation revved, increasing your energy boost. As a bonus, most of the moves target the hardest working muscles in your body, including your thighs, hamstrings, and calves — which tend to be tightest in the AM.
Overhead Reach
(targets shoulders and chest)
Stand tall, holding a rolled-up towel in front of you at shoulder height with hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping arms slightly bent, exhale and lift them up and overhead until you feel a gentle pull in chest and shoulders. Hold for 2 to 3 seconds, then return to starting position. Do 5 times.
Hip Opener
(targets hip flexors and hamstrings)
Stand with right foot about 2 feet in front of left foot. Bend right knee, bring hands down to floor on either side of right foot, and slide left foot back so leg is extended, left heel off floor. Hips should be level, right thigh parallel to floor, and right knee directly over right ankle. Hold for 30 seconds. Lower back knee to floor and shift hips back, extending right leg and raising right toes off floor. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat both parts of stretch.
Figure Four Stretch
(targets hips, glutes, and inner thighs)
Holding onto a chair or wall, cross right leg on top of left thigh (just above knee). Bend left leg and press hips back as if you were going to sit down. Hold for 30 seconds; repeat with opposite leg.
Calf Release
(targets calves)
Holding onto a chair or wall, stand tall with right foot 1 to 2 feet in front of left, feet flat on floor and toes pointing forward. Bend right knee slightly until you feel a stretch in calf. Don’t roll onto the inside of feet. Hold for 30 seconds; switch legs and repeat. To increase the stretch, lean body slightly forward in a diagonal line from crown of head to heel.
Stork Pose
(targets thighs)
Holding onto a chair or wall, bend right leg behind you and grasp right foot with right hand. Pull heel toward butt. Keep hips facing forward, abs pulled in, and pelvis still. Hold for 30 seconds; repeat with opposite leg.
3. Boost Your Fat Burn
You’ll reap benefits all day from eating breakfast: A morning meal shifts your body from an energy-conserving state into calorie-burning gear without effort. And studies show that breakfast eaters concentrate better and are more productive — as well as less likely to be obese — than breakfast skippers. These easy, satisfying recipes feature ingredients like green tea that give your metabolism an added jolt.
Recipes by Mindy Fox
Ready, Set, Sip
Blueberry and Green Tea Smoothie
Antioxidants abound in this refreshing — and filling — breakfast drink. Green tea and blueberries protect your cells from free radicals, which damage DNA in the mitochondria, the key players in your body’s calorie-burning engine. Almonds provide natural protein and healthy monounsaturated fat, while flaxseed adds inflammation-fighting omega-3 fats to the mix. Brewing the tea the night before saves time in the morning. Drink one smoothie today and refrigerate the other serving for tomorrow.
3/4 c water
2 green tea bags
2 c fresh or frozen blueberries
3 ice cubes
12 oz fat-free vanilla yogurt
2 Tbsp whole dry-roasted, unsalted almonds (about 20)
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
Time: 10 minutes + chilling time
Servings: 2 (4 cups total)
1. BRING water to a boil and pour over tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Squeeze and remove tea bags and discard. Chill tea overnight. If using fresh blueberries, place in freezer overnight.
2. PLACE tea, blueberries, ice, yogurt, almonds, and flaxseed in blender. Process until smooth.
Nutritional Info Per Serving:
334 cal, 13 g pro, 55 g carb, 7 g fiber, 8.5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 3 mg chol, 121 mg sodium
Fast ‘n’ Filling
Cranberry Orange Oat Pancakes
Prepare these ahead of time, freeze them, and reheat for the convenience of the boxed variety without the empty calories of refined carbs. Fiber-rich oats and whole wheat flour keep your metabolism in high gear and your cravings in check.
1 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 lg eggs
1 c orange juice
1/4 c
2% milk
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
3/4 c sweetened dried cranberries
Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 (16 4″ pancakes total)
1. PREHEAT nonstick griddle (if using electric griddle, set to 325°-350°F).
2. WHISK together oats, flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, orange juice, milk, and oil.
3. ADD wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in cranberries.
4. DROP 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle and cook until edges look dry and bubbles come to the surface, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until bottom browns and pancake is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with agave nectar.
Nutritional Info Per Serving (2 pancakes):
259 cal, 6 g pro, 39 g carb, 4 g fiber, 9.5 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 53 mg chol, 298 mg sodium
Grab ‘n’ Go
Egg, Cheese, and Bacon Sandwich
Our protein- and fiber-packed breakfast sandwich satisfies a hearty appetite with only 10% of the cholesterol and about half of the sodium of the healthiest similar drive-thru choice. Spinach is what sets it apart: The leafy green provides vitamins A and K and iron, plus coenzyme Q10, a compound required for a well-tuned metabolism. No time to cook in the morning? Make a sandwich the night before and reheat in the microwave the next day.
1 slice (1 oz) lower sodium bacon
1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c liquid egg substitute
1 light multigrain English muffin, toasted
1 1/2 oz trimmed spinach leaves or baby spinach (about 1 c packed)
3/4 oz slice reduced-fat, reduced-sodium
Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese
Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 1
1. MICROWAVE bacon slice per package directions.
2. HEAT oil in small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add egg substitute and heat until edges begin to set, about 1 minute. Lift edges to allow any liquid egg to flow underneath, about 1 minute longer. When almost set, gently fold omelet in half and in half again. Transfer to bottom half of muffin and top with bacon.
3. RETURN pan to heat, add spinach, and cook, stirring until wilted, about 1 minute. Place spinach on top of bacon, season with freshly ground black pepper, add cheese, and top with other muffin half.
Nutritional Info Per Sandwich
279 cal, 23 g pro, 27 g carb, 9 g fiber, 12.5 g fat, 5 g sat fat, 26 mg chol, 428 mg sodium
Taken from http://www.active.com/
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.