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
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