6 Tips to a Healthier, Happier You!
If you repeatedly find yourself doing things like locking your keys in your car, using the wrong punchline to tell a joke, or accidentally addressing your daughter by your husband’s name, then your second cousin’s name, then dog’s name, until finally getting her name right, you might need a better wake-up schedule. Your wake-up schedule may include verbally attacking your alarm clock, missing your 5:30am workout class (you know who you are!), skipping breakfast because you’re going to be late, grabbing a coffee to try and compensate, and realizing that your shirt is on inside out when you get to work. If this sounds like you,listen up… Waking up in the morning is the most important part of your day. Truth be told, if your morning starts out poorly, the rest of your day will be poor. This is why it is extremely important to start your day off with a smile! Here is the ideal wake-up schedule for anybody trying to live a healthier life:
1. Make sure you’re getting eight hours of sleep.
2. If you use your phone as an alarm clock, don’t set it to full volume. It shouldn’t be too soft to hear, but also not so loud that it will give you a heart attack! Waking up to a loud alarm starts your day off with the one thing we try to ward off…stress.
3. WORKOUT! Check out a 5:30am Group Exercise class or schedule a session with a personal trainer (that way you KNOW you have to be there!)…can’t seem to get out of bed that early? Sleep in your workout clothes! It’ll make rushing to the studio a breeze!
4. If you only have a limited amount of time to get ready, plan a playlist that includes your favorite jams so that you know if you’re not brushing your teeth to “The Eye of the Tiger,” you’re probably running a little late instead of looking at the clock and realizing that you’re thirty minutes late. Plus songs like this pump you up for your day ahead!
5. Eat a healthy breakfast. Make yourself a super-awesome-on-the-go-protein-mega-smoothie for the road or something. Check out some of our other blog posts for awesome, healthy breakfast ideas.
6. Move. Take a short walk, go for a little jog. Don’t have time in the AM? Do it during lunch! You’ll feel brighter and fresher for the rest of the day.
7. Compliment yourself. Just do it. Look in the mirror and say to yourself, “dang gurl, you’re looking fiiiine today,” and maybe pop your hip out a little, give yourself a subtle wink, or give yourself a pat on the back. Motivating yourself and giving yourself confidence in the morning is sure to promote more productive time management and a more active and healthy lifestyle.
So many of us give 100% to our jobs, our families, our friends and leave nothing to give to yourselves. If you don’t have some type of personal maintenance plan, it’s never too late to plan one! Exercise always does good for the body, the mind and the soul! It doesn’t hurt that it can help you to look DARN good in those skinny jeans too!