11. Make A Plan For The Day
Planning is one really important key when it comes to mornings.
You should plan your daily activities, you should plan your meals and workouts too.
How else are you supposed to have time for everything if you don’t make it, right?
So make sure you plan what you’re going to do – just think about it while you drink your coffee. It doesn’t always have to be written down, even though writing it down helps a lot.
Here’s a planner that can help a lot – I use it every morning :)
Also, here’s a story of how planning helped me get fit, and how important it actually is when it comes to maintaining a healthy and balanced life.
12. Get A Cold Shower
Brrr…right?
I bet it freckles your skin just by thinking about it, but believe it or not – it helps you a lot in building healthy morning habits.
Wondering how?
First, while warm water causes your blood vessels to dilate and relax, a cold shower wakes them up, so when exposed to a cold temperature, the arteries begin to rapidly pump hot blood by increasing the circulation and shaking up the body.
Next, it prepares your body for the upcoming daily activities, since the cold shower is considered as a great body warm up for the day, by helping you to “rise and shine”.
So, if, like me, you’re not a morning person, this will help you wake up and feel fresh in a few seconds.
In the end, hot showers were invented as a luxury to human kind – they don’t provide any health benefits.
It doesn’t have to be ice cold, you just have to make sure it’s cooler than what you’re used to.
Step by step, day by day, the colder it gets – the better.
13. Choose A Smarter Commute
The way we choose to travel has a big effect on our health and life overall.
And it’s not only us – the way we transport from one place to another, affects our environment too, impacts climate as well as air, water, and soil quality.
Rather than trying to change your lifestyle overnight, you can just start with some tiny simple changes.
- Walk to the train station instead of driving;
- Try biking at least once a week to see if that fits into your lifestyle;
- Park your car a bit further;
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator;
The goal isn’t to work up a sweat, but to raise your metabolic rate and burn more fat, while getting some extra sunlight and fresh air through your lungs and to give your body an extra edge.
These little changes can make a really big difference in your usual grueling morning routine, to your health and your lifestyle.
14. Stretch Your Feet
Our feet do such a big work for us – they carry us around and keep us standing during the whole day, and yet, we never seem to give them credit for the amazing work they really do for us every day.
Feet are not just blocks to clomp around on – we need to take good care of them so that they take good care of us.
That’s why it’s really important to take a few minutes in the morning and prepare them for the upcoming daily activities they’re going to fight through.
Here’re a few stretches you want to consider doing:
15. Eat Your Breakfast With Your Non-Dominant Hand
Yep, you heard me!
I have been trying eating my breakfast with my left hand for over a year now.
Actually, when we challenge our brains, we force our neurons to make new connections, and that helps us improve the brain’s capacity for attention and memory.
This simple trick also helps you eat more mindfully, since making things more difficult is a great way to force yourself to pay attention to what you’re doing.
So try to feed yourself with your non-dominant hand for breakfast, and your body and mind will like the changes for sure.
Now It’s Your Turn!
Every morning you have two choices- continue to sleep with dreams or wake up and chase your dreams. The choice is yours!” – Unknown
So what are you waiting for?!
By including just a few of these healthy habits in your morning routine, you’ll start changing your life.
You’ll feel better, look better, sleep better and make the best out of your life.
Download the Fit Girls Healthy Habits Checker to include these morning rituals more easily into your everyday life.
Go get it, girl!
Lets try All this plus breakfast and lunch for the family before 6:30 am
Oh, It’s really hard when you don’t have the time, but some of these habits won’t take much of your time.
For example, wake up just 5 minutes earlier, and do the yoga poses – they’ll take no more than 5 minutes.
Then,have your glass of hot water while you’re preparing your breakfast. You can also take a few cocoa seeds on the way.
Shower takes 2 minutes tops, since it’s cold you won’t be able to take it longer than that.
Not using a screen will save you time in my opinion, and eating your breakfast with your non dominant hand will be harder but not longer.
And just make sure to take a few minutes to take make your own breakfast – just mix a cup of greek yogurt and a handful of almonds.
Running to the bus station can also take you faster to it, and will boost up your metabolic rate for sure.
You don’t have to do them all, just a few of them will be great :)
I like these ideas. I’m not much of a morning person. I’m usually up by 7:20, but it’s out of force to get my son ready for school. I’m trying to revamp my schedule, partly because I’d like to start hiking more, and it’s best to get an early start on that. I use my phone for my alarm though, but I’ll have to replace my morning screen time with the yoga. I’m trying to set my alarm a little earlier every week. :)
Great tips! I needed this today, trying to spark the flame of motivation while juggling two kids and school routine. Having a plan for a healthy start is just what I was looking for. Also trying to drop sugar from our lives, bleh. I had never heard of eating cocoa seeds! Thanks for the post!
I’m so glad you like it!
Also, have you checked out my Team-Up Technique?
It’s a giving up sugar strategy, that helped me quit it once and for all.
Here it is if you want to check it out :)
https://fitgirlsdiary.com/2015/09/15/giving-up-sugar-the-team-up-technique/
In #2, you state “…you don’t clean a dirty pan with ice cold water, right?” But in #12, you recommend washing your body (which in #7 has worked up a SWEAT) in ice cold water. I laud your efforts at change, but the problem most people have is NOT thinking up HOW to improve themselves and their routines. It is developing the discipline to do it consistently.
Yes I recommend warm water on the inside, and cold on the outside.
I believe these habits are really effective and healthy :)
The discipline is needed, I agree, but I think that you can make a habit by constantly doing certain things, such as brushing your teeth.
You are absolutely right about drinking warm water and taking a bath with cold water. My grandfather and father have these habits for their entire life . And i can see the benefits as my grandfather also insiats of doinf the same .
Right?
I know, my granny used to drink hot water each morning, I always wondered why, but now I do the same thing :)
Sometimes, a lot of times for me, the lack of discipline (which requires motivation), is just that the problems I face seem overwhelming and I give up. Little simple things (5-10 of the 15 here or so) make the overwhelming things easier to grasp. They seem closer and achievable. And I personally, over-think my problems and fail to come up with little things by myself. I’m glad Moni did the hard part for me ;) Love the name, btw!
Thanks! Again!
Lisa,
Thanks a lot, I’m so glad I could help :)
Actually it’s Monica, but my friends call me Moni.
I like it better that way too, it’s warmer and shorter so it works great :)
Thanks again for the great comment!
Definitely going to try these tips!
Thanks for sharing!
This was hands down one of the best suggestions of routines I have seen! Thank you thank you thank you for sharing this :) I’m always looking for ways to better my mind and health and these tricks sound worthy! <3
I’m so glad you like it, and so glad I helped you build some morning healthy habits!
Love and all the best!
I am a creature of habit and I love my routines. You have shown me better ways of doing my mornings! The first thing I grab in the morning in my kindle lol. I’m going to change that :) I printed the chart(I LOVE to check off charts :) ) and will implement your ideas. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Renee,
I’m so glad I inspired you to change your mornings into healthier ones.
I’m also really happy to help you start living healthier and change the way you look at mornings!
Love, and best regards :)
These tips are really useful..and they don’t even take much time..thank you, you made my day :D <3
I’m so glad I helped!
Love, and all the best :)
I do most of these already :)
Where can I order Cocoa seeds?
Thanks
Nichole,
that’s great, well done girl!
About the cocoa seeds, you can buy them in any healthy food or organic food store.
Have a great day! :)
I just read this post and it is so true. I live in Honduras Central America and fortunately we have a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. I inherited a cigar store where I sell cigars, coffee, and cocoa beans. People are not aware of all the benefits of the cocoa beans. Honduran cocoa is found to be one of the best in the world. So look for it!
I really like these ideas they are definitely not cookie cutter and very refreshing. I look forward to implementing some of these tips to my lifestyle. Thank you for sharing. :)
Hi Lauren,
I’m so happy to hear that you like my morning rituals :)
It was my pleasure!
Where can I get those pants?!
Hey Melissa,
I ordered them from eBay :)
Guess I’m not a fit girl by your standards then
No, I didn’t mean to say that… I just say that these habits will help you get fit and improve your health and quality of life.
Try using some of them, and feel the difference :)
Yes yes yes! For those who don’t have much time just picking one thing to do each morning will get you in the mode of thinking and starting your day differently. Love your bed covering. Can I ask where you got it or what brand it is?
Hi Susan,
So glad you like my morning habits for a better start :)
And about the bedding, I got it from Ikea.
Love this post! Really great tips. I ordered some cocoa seeds after reading this, but then I read some articles saying that cocoa is like a poison for your body and the positives don’t outweigh the negatives. :/ What are your thoughts on this? I had never heard of eating them before reading this, so I don’t really know anything about them.
I also read some articles saying its great and your should eat it every day! So many polar opposite opinions. Just wanted to know your take on it since you eat them every day.
Robin,
So glad that you like my morning rituals :)
Well, cocoa seeds can be harmful if you eat a lot of them, for example 15-20 seeds at once, since they’re really high in iron and magnesium, so we should have a limit on how much we intake.
But 2-3 seeds per day are nothing but a nutrition bomb to your body, so don’t worry about that.
They are same as cocoa, just raw and unprocessed.
My doctor recommends them even up to 7 per day for people that are anemic.
So, don’t worry, they’re good for your body and health :)
Love and all the best to you.
Okay great! That’s good to know!! I definitely don’t think I could eat 15 a day, it’s hard enough for me to get 3 down! :/ But since they’re so nutritious, I’ll fight through it! Thanks for the quick and helpful response! :)
Yes they’re really bitter :/
But believe me they get better in time!
Also, if you really can’t stand their flavor, you can mix them in a green smoothie :)
In your morning rituals #14,stretches for your feet,,my computer did not show these stretches,,any chance I could view them elsewhere…thank you,,,great post!!!
Hmm… let’s try this link:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/429460514448442138/
Can you see them now?
Or if you like it better, I can send the image on your e-mail :)
Really great article!! I will definitely be trying yoga in bed. I always plan to work it into my morning routine but by the time I’ve dragged myself out of bed it’s too late so this is perfect :)
Glad you like it :)
Motivation (discipline) comes from within. No amount of external force can make you ‘motivated’. Want to know what motivates you? Check your budget. See where your money goes, and that will tell you what, right now, you value the most. Cash flows in the order of your priorities. Time does the same (and your ‘time’ earns you the money, yeah?)
I like your suggestions. I like that you don’t act like they’re the end all be all of healthy morning habits but just things that are so general in nature that they could benefit the vast majority of people. I like that they are simple and don’t need a bunch of diagrams I have to remember or print out (because I will do neither).
Most of all, I like your attitude towards the bizarre individuals who even bothered putting hand to keyboard to type sarcastic and fruitless comments. The irony is that in the 5 min it took them to do all that, they could have just practiced the yoga poses or prepped their coffee maker to go off at a certain time the next morning.
I will start immediately several (not all) of these, especially waking up the same time every morning.
Thanks, very very much, for posting your healthy habits. And thanks for being awesome. Have a lovely day :)
Wonderful blog post and great blog! I enjoyed this article immensely and I’m looking forward to using these charts <3 Thank you and keep up the great work!
Do you have a recommendation for a kind of raw cocoa seed to buy?
Not in particular.
I buy them from the closest organic food store :)
Love your leggings! Where did you get them from?
Hi Alicia,
Thanks, I ordered them on eBay :)
Just type “muscle leggings” in the search bar.
Great Post !!
I am just now getting really into the habit of working out and eating healthy.
I am always on the hunt for new blogs to follow. This is great.
Shelby
Glad you like it :)
I loved this article – much better than others I have read with similar titles, ie: “do these 7 things and be wildly successful!” Not because they don’t give good advice, but because they aren’t meeting me where I am at. When I read the first few sentences of yours, they really resonated with me. I definitely get down on myself in the mornings and it is hard to pick it up later in the day. And then I get down on myself about getting down on myself, because I KNOW better! Haha. But that’s why I loved this, because everything is super simple and is totally meeting me where I am at.
I also love how you respond to people’s negative comments, by the way. Super classy.
Hi Blair,
Thank you so much for this great comment!
I really appreciate when people give their honest opinions, especially if they’re positive :)
I’m glad that you like my post, and fins it like one that steps out from the crowd – to hear that, it means a lot to me!
You know better, and in time you’ll start doing better, just never give up!
All the best to you!
All great ideas..the only i WILL NOT do is get up at the same time everyday…lol I have to be to work at 5 AM so on my day off I try to sleep in if my dogs let me.lol
I understand that 100%, since my day for sleeping is Saturday :)
Monday to Friday I’m working early, and Sunday I hike, so Saturday is my sleeping day (even though I always wake up 9-10 o’clock)
Oh, I love the idea of stretching in bed! I sometimes do but I always thought it was probably bad to do stretches like that with no real support underneath, you know? The rest of your tips are wonderful. I do have one question though, if I take the majority of my shower in warm water and spend just a couple of minutes under cooler water, do you think I could get the same effect?
Hi Echoe,
I’m so happy you like my morning tips.
I have to say that these particular poses are even better when they’re done in bed, because it’s early in the morning, and the muscles are just waking up, so the comfy of the bed smooths down the movements.
Also, about the shower, I think cold shower is a better option, but you can try the version you like, and see how that works for you.
If you can’t stand the cold shower, just try to make it at least a bit colder than the one you’re used to.
I already do some of these and I LOVE that you encourage COFFEE! It’s moderation that’s key, like you said- one mug a day. Thank you for your great advice but most of all, for your positivity! I will be at least trying the yoga poses.
Karen,
I’m so happy you like my tips, and yes, I will agree with you 100% about the moderation – you couldn’t have said it better :)
Make sure to try the poses, because they are a real delight, and take only a few minutes.
I love several of these ideas and I think that the overall message is very positive and inspiring. A word of caution though about making sweeping statements that hot showers don’t provide any health benefits. For allergy sufferers, the steam from a hot shower helps soothe the sinuses and eliminate blockages. Also, many sufferers of joint or muscle pain, like me, find cold showers to be excruciating. Hot showers, on the other hand, help loosen the joints without shocking the system.
I might have said that a bit hard, but I truly believe that hot showers were invented as a luxury and don’t provide many health benefits.
I’ll agree that hot showers may provide some benefits when it comes to certain conditions, but cold showers are better for the health overall :)
…and better for your skin and hair. Those daily hot showers sure can strip your skin of natural, protective oils. My naturally curly hair (think Shirley Temple on steroids) can’t do daily hot washes, either – a nice cool rinse is the best rule of thumb to prevent over-drying of both skin and curly hair. I like your idea of drinking hot water in the morning, too – it is a good one. I used to drink a cup of hot water and fresh lemon juice every morning, and then I thought “Why not add a tea bag for flavor?”. ????☕️ I just printed your daily schedule. Thanks for putting that on line! It is motivating, and motivation is just what I need!
I’m so glad that you liked my schedule and I’ve inspired you to start living healthier!
Keep it up :)
Love this post so much! Very well written and so many great tips and points. Even if you don’t have time for all of them, just a few little changes that you recommended help immensely. I’m the worst morning person EVER but I’ve been trying these and I actually see improvement in my mood…haha, …and it seems like I’m more ready for the day. Thank you for this! Keep up the great work! Really enjoying reading your posts. Thanks for sharing
Ray,
I’m so happy to hear that you’ve improved your mornings with the help of my morning rituals – that means a lot to me!
Thank you for the compliments, I’ll keep posting ^^
I love this! I love the weekly planner charts too, your awesome! Thanks for the tips
Thanks Katie! :)
Glad you like it!
I really loved this article! I’ve been looking for a new routine to try to get my mornings started as I am definitely not a morning person. I think this is a great routine that would be easy to implement a little at a time. Thanks for posting!!
Glad you like it, and happy to help! :)
Thank you Robin! I needed to read this. I have fallen off the wagon for 2 weeks now and it shows in my overall demeanor.
Sometimes just hearing or reading your tips is all it takes to get me back on my feet.
Becca,
I’m so happy to hear that!
Glad I could help :)
Hi! When you say warm water, should I boil it? Thank you! ????
Hi Jess,
Well, yes, boil it as you’re going to make some tea :)
Fantastic! Also…. can we have that cracker recipe?
Karen,
Of course :)
You just have to mix:
100 grams flax seed
50 grams sesame
50 grams sunflower seed
50 grams pumpkin seed
175 ml water
1 teaspoon salt
spices by choice.
Mix these ingredients and let them rest for 1 hour.
Then, pour them in a pan, covered with a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes on 180 C, on a pre-heated oven.
Hope you like it :)
These are great tips! I’ve been trying to include some of them in my daily routine but I do need more discipline. I’m not a morning person at all, but I’ve been trying to add healthier habits to my lifestyle this year and doing more exercise. Thanks for sharing!
Thasnk you a lot for sharing this with all people
you realloy know what youu are speaking about!
Bookmarked. Kindly additionally discuss with my website =).
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Where can I buy cocoa seeds? Are they easily accessible? I’ve searched online a little bit and I find beans or nibs. I haven’t tried my local health food store yet.
Hey Laurin,
Beans are the same, some refer to them as beans, some as seeds.
Also, you can find them in some healthy food stores, or the bigger markets :)
Are cocoa seeds the same as cocoa beans?
Yes, some call them beans, some seeds, but it refers to the same thing :)
L.O.V.E. this list! Where can I buy Cocoa seeds?
Aly,
I’m so glad you like it!
You can find cocoa seeds/cocoa beans (it’s the same) in almost every bigger grocery store, or any healthy food market.
Thank you for the refresher list. I recently fell off my healthy horse and needed some guidance on how to get back on. I am hoping that this list will do just the trick. Fingers crossed, wish me luck!
I wish you the best of luck and the GREAT results! :)
Quick question,
You mention to drink warm water in the morning and then you also say to drink coffee/tea.
Well I can’t do lots of caffeine so I drink low caffeine hot tea, would you consider that 2 birds with one stone?
Or should I be drinking a glass of warm water and a glass of hot tea?
You definitely need a glass of water in the morning, since caffeine is dehydrates the body.
When you drink coffee or tea, you need to intake a lot of water too, in order to stay hydrated through the day :)
Thank you SO much for these. I have NEVER been a morning person and if you ask anyone that knows me they would say there is no way I could become one HA! I have tried several diff things I have read on how to become one. Several of these things (especially the Cacao beans) have helped me so incredibly! I have a 2 and 4 yr old and I am a teacher in an early education program that they also attend and I have been able to implement a lot of these things and they have changed my life in a great way already. Thank you!
I’m so happy I could help :)
Thank you for the kind words, you’re comment is a big inspiration to me!
I believe you may have meant something different when you stated “Cocoa seeds are also considered to be nature’s anti-depressant, since they contain dopamine, phenylethylamine and serotonin, all of which are used to promote positive mental health and better moods.” These neurotransmitters are not actually in the cocoa seed/bean but rather studies have shown that dark chocolate may be beneficial in reducing depression because the dark chocolate may cause an increase in these neurotransmitters. Again, the studies are of dark chocolate not the seed/bean itself.
Otherwise, I like the chart and many of the other suggestions.
Advise for others, you know what is beneficial to you (allergy or joint stiffness suffers) so only do what you can.
While I was writing this post, I read many studies, all of them confirmed that dark chocolate reduces depression, but that’s because of the cocoa beans in it :)
These advices are really helpful I really gotta try this so that way I can be a morning person and have my body feel healthier. So thanks for these advice.
I’m so glad you like my morning healthy habits :)
Happy to help!
I love these ideas! I plan to try a few tomorrow! Thank you for sharing :)
http://Www.Memyselfimaruralmommy.com
Hi there! Like others who have commented already, I KNOW what I’m supposed to do but I am not doing it consistently. Thank you for this terrific game plan. I have a quick question: you suggest exercising for 20-30 minutes on an empty stomach. Do you eat the cocoa beans before you exercise? I wondered if “on an empty stomach” is on an entirely empty stomach? Thanks so much! :)
Abbe,
I’m so happy to hear that you find my article inspiring – it means a lot to me, no matter how many times I’ve heard it :)
About the empty stomach cardio, you can take the cocoa beans, it doesn’t have to be on entirely empty, just make sure to do it before your breakfast.
And please note, that this refers only for cardio workout – other exercises should be done later in the day.
Something I love to do in the morning is apply makeup and get dressed. If I stay in my pjs for long, even if I’m getting things done, I don’t feel like I’ve “started” my day fully. Giving myself a fresh face and a change of clothes helps me feel positive and ready for the day!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t most green teas actually naturally decaf?
Yes, nowadays there are many decaf green teas, but in order to get decaf people add caffeine extract in it.
Green tea that’s decaf still has caffeine in it, just in smaller amounts.
Also, you have many pure, unprocessed teas, in their main form, so use them instead :)
I have a particular objection against working out on an empty stomach. It’s not good to do that, though it is widely thought that it is. Your body needs energy to be able to work out properly, and an empty stomach will just cause the body to use something else for its energy (forgot what it is, but I think it has something to do with muscles). Otherwise, I like some parts of this post. Especially yoga. I do stretches every morning. ????
Yes I agree, but what if you have extra fat in your body?
If you insert energy through food, how are you supposed to ever challenge the energy that you already have in your body to disappear?
That’s why a morning cardio wont hurt you :)
I would love to get up at the same time every day, however, with my crazy work schedule it is not possible. I wait tables, which means I sometimes have to be to work for 8am or I work till 12am. I am also a bartender so sometimes I don’t have to be to work until 10:30pm, not getting home till 2-3 in the morning.
Makes it rough
I can only imagine how hard it is to keep it healthy with a very busy schedule.
What I can suggest is to try and keep it as healthier as you can.
Love,
Monica
Hi moni! These are great and plan to implement them in my morning… I’m not sure if you realize this… But you have several ‘sponsored’ links to porn sites in your page. I feel it takes away from the integrity of your page! I thought you might want to know!!! Thanks again for a solid article! Lauren
Lauren,
I honestly have no idea about this issue.
I have some adds on my blog, but they’re chosen by the ad network, not me.
However, now I’ve change the adds to pg 13, so I hope it’s all good now.
Thank you for commenting, and helping me improve my blog, I really appreciate it!
Thanks! <3
Thanks a lot for the tips, love them!
As I’m oh so set on the tiniest details, there is one that I’d love to figure out. What order dothese come in?
I won’t have hot water ready when waking up, so I’d first do the yoga, then go to the kitchen and boil the water? When would the cold shower be best? While waiting for the water to boil? Or do I take the breath of fresh air feom the kitchen window first?
I admit, I’m too lazy to think. How exactly do you do it?
Thanks again!:)
Hi,
Well I always open my window first (if it’s not too cold outside) and do yoga in bed with fresh air.
Then, I have the hot water.
Usually, I include the morning feet stretches at the end of the yoga routine.
Since it’s not that good to eat your breakfast close to water load up, I take a shower and right after I finish I get the cocoa seeds and start preparing my breakfast.
The coffee is in progress while I eat my breakfast, I have it right after it, while making a plan for the day.
Then I head on to work with my bike, or sometimes I run to work, or if it’s a weekend I go for a hike or exercise – usually an hour or two after breakfast (for exercising it’s always two hours).
And that’s it :)
Hope I helped
Hi Monica,
That is a lo of good ideas. But I have to ask you : where do you live ? Because, see, I live in Montreal. For now, the weather is way better, sunny, warm and everything. But most of the time (from november til late march at least), temperatures are freezing. So I am not sure about the benefit of a cold shower, when it’s -20 degrees outside.
So yeah, If I was living in California or anything like it, maybe… but I’m really not sure that this is a good thing for everyone on the planet, regarding the temperatures of our environment.
Any thoughs on that ?
Thanks !
Stephanie,
Well here’s the thing: cold shower is beneficial no matter if done in Sahara or the North Pole :)
People in the past were always getting baths in cold water no matter where they live.
So especially when performed in colder environments, cold showers will increase the circulation and will healthy increase the body temperature throughout the whole day.
I live in Europe, and believe me we have so many cold days out here and I can’t manage to get that cold shower, but here’s a tip:
If the bathroom is warm enough, you’ll have no problem doing it.
Also, it feels a lot better when done right after a workout.
I will try to follow these tips from next morning
I’m so glad you like it!
Hugs,
Monica
is there a pdf version of this i could print out to keep me visually inspired ??!
Hey,
Unfortunately, no :(
But let me know if I can help out in any way.
Hugs!