Start your day off right with a powerful morning routine. Dr. Adrienne Youdim, a triple board-certified internist, shares her top 10 tips for staying aligned with your goals. From getting a restful sleep to avoiding screens and prioritizing self-care, these steps will set you up for success.
Discover the profound link between physical and emotional well-being and learn how to incorporate diet, sleep, movement, and contemplative practices into your daily routine.
Join Dr. Adrienne Youdim's transformational event, "Ditch the New Year New You Shenanigans," to redefine nutrition and achieve sustainable weight and wellness.
Head over below to the show notes to sign up for this life-changing event and take the first step towards a healthier, more intentional life.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode
"...when you start your day with a gratitude practice, you're much more likely to engage in your day in an intentional and joyful way." - Adrienne Youdim
Connect with Dr. Adrienne Youdim
3 Ways to Get More From Adrienne
1. Subscribe to our Newsletter. Subscribe Now and get the 5 Bites to Fasttrack your Health and Wellbeing https://dradrienneyoudim.com/newsletter/
2. Buy the Book. The current weightloss strategies have failed you. Its time to address your true hunger. Purchase 'Hungry for More' https://www.amazon.com/Hungry-More-Stories-Science-Inspire/dp/0578875632
3. Leave us a Rating and Review via Apple Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-bite/id1504295718
Start your day off right with a powerful morning routine. Dr. Adrienne Youdim, a triple board-certified internist, shares her top 10 tips for staying aligned with your goals. From getting a restful sleep to avoiding screens and prioritizing self-care, these steps will set you up for success.
Discover the profound link between physical and emotional well-being and learn how to incorporate diet, sleep, movement, and contemplative practices into your daily routine.
Join Dr. Adrienne Youdim's transformational event, "Ditch the New Year New You Shenanigans," to redefine nutrition and achieve sustainable weight and wellness.
Head over below to the show notes to sign up for this life-changing event and take the first step towards a healthier, more intentional life.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode
"...when you start your day with a gratitude practice, you're much more likely to engage in your day in an intentional and joyful way." - Adrienne Youdim
Connect with Dr. Adrienne Youdim
3 Ways to Get More From Adrienne
1. Subscribe to our Newsletter. Subscribe Now and get the 5 Bites to Fasttrack your Health and Wellbeing https://dradrienneyoudim.com/newsletter/
2. Buy the Book. The current weightloss strategies have failed you. Its time to address your true hunger. Purchase 'Hungry for More' https://www.amazon.com/Hungry-More-Stories-Science-Inspire/dp/0578875632
3. Leave us a Rating and Review via Apple Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/health-bite/id1504295718
It's the new year, and whether we're talking about health and weight loss goals, professional goals, or merely the goal of being more present and intentional in our lives, which, let's face it, sounds poetic, but is easier said than done. How you start your day is absolutely critical. So on today's podcast, I'm going to share the top 10 things that I do and advise my patients to do to stay in alignment with themselves and with their goals. And it all starts with your morning routine. Welcome back to Health Bite. I'm your host, Dr. Adrienne Youdim. I'm a triple board certified internist, obesity medicine, and physician nutrition specialist. And I help people redefine nutrition to not only include the food that we eat, but all the ways in which we can nourish ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally. And before we get started, I want to share some really exciting news. Our link is live for my first ever personal event, a transformational event, Ditch the New Year New You Shenanigans, a new approach to sustainable weight and wellness in the new year. In this course, I will help you redefine nutrition beyond what's on your plate to receive actionable guidance on how to incorporate diet, sleep, movement, and contemplative practices into your daily routine. We will discover together the profound link between physical and emotional hunger, help you break through your barriers, and give you a chance to meet with me and ask all your questions. So head over to the show notes where you can find the link to sign up today. Okay, now let's dive into today's episode. On today's podcast, as I said, I am sharing my top 10 morning posts that I hit to help me stay aligned with myself and with my goals. And it all starts with how you start your day. But first, How do you sleep? Because a good night's sleep is essential to a good morning routine. So my first tip is ensure a soundful sleep. That means being really intentional about your bedtime, about your bedtime routine. making sure that you're creating an environment for sleep. That means no screens, and that means engaging in a soothing practice, whether it is a bath or a shower, a journaling routine, a 10-minute breathing or meditation break, something, anything to keep you aligned with the process of good sleep. So start there. Start with a good night's sleep, free of screens and any other interferences. That includes caffeine late in the day and even alcohol. Once you get a good night's sleep, then tip number two is don't snooze. Don't snooze on your day. I'll tell you a secret. My husband loves to set his timer 15 or 30 minutes before he actually wants to wake up in anticipation of snoozing and snoozing and snoozing. Well, I'll tell you what, snoozing on your alarm is the first way to snooze on your day. It gives your mind this subliminal, subconscious procrastination. It also means that you may not hit your other routine goalposts. So pick a time that is reasonable and responsible, set your alarm, and then wake up in a timely manner without hitting snooze. My third tip, which is the absolute hardest one for me, is to stay away from your phone. This is so hard because I set my alarm on my phone, I have my news and morning reads on my phone, and so invariably the alarm goes off, I pick it up, and I'm embarrassed to say, before I even open my eyes, I'm already in my phone, in my inbox, in my social media, and in my newsfeed. I tell you, this is the absolute number one way to hijack your day. Not only is it a major time sink, but you're in essence handing over your power to the person or thing that is in your phone. You are essentially removing yourself from the front seat or driver of your day and handing it over to someone else. I'll tell you something that happened to me this weekend. My phone rang way early in the morning on a Saturday. It wasn't my alarm, but it was a spam call. 630 in the morning on a Saturday, the telephone rings. And so I pick it up in a crazed haste. I basically was frightened out of my sleep with the sound of the phone. I pick up the phone and of course it's spam at 630 in the morning. And then instead of flipping the phone over and going back to sleep, now I have the phone in my hand. And before I know it, literally before I have even opened my eyes, I'm in my Instagram. And what do I find? The very first post was a video of something horrific and graphic happening across the globe. Now I'm all for information. I'm all for knowing what's going on in the world, but did I need to be awakened and alarmed by this graphic image before I even woke up? Needless to say, my heart was beating, my blood pressure was thumping, and I was in this fight and flight panic state. I reminded myself of tip number three, which is leave the phone in the other room. And I actually have set up the means to do this. And if you haven't done so, this is what I recommend. Get on to Amazon or head over to a store, even a drugstore, find yourself a $10 alarm. something that you can set outside of your phone. Next, grab a charger and make it a habit to charge your phone in your bathroom, in your closet, in another room, so that you can be awakened by a regular alarm and so that you have your phone somewhere away from you and you're not triggered to respond to your inbox or to your newsfeed. So tip number three is hide your screens and especially your phone. Now that you've done all of that, you've got a restful night of sleep, you didn't snooze and procrastinate your time away, nor did you waste your time in your social media or your news stream. grab your favorite beverage. I love coffee and I know that there's a lot of bad press on coffee. I've actually done some podcasts on the benefits of coffee you can scroll back and review. But whatever your drink of choice is, I like something warm, either coffee or a warm tea Think even to bring it back into your bed. Whatever you need to really savor that moment. I used to set my alarm for five o'clock. I would jump out of bed and head to my local neighborhood workout by 5.30 and I would pour my coffee somewhere in between gulping it down while I was parking my car. Bad move. Because that morning coffee really is something enjoyable so tip number four is to really savor that drink spend that time sans phone or any other interference close your eyes enjoy those warm sips going down and take some time to just be present with yourself savor that moment After I sip my coffee, I put my mug down and close my eyes for a few deep breaths. Whether you have time or the intention for a full meditation or just a few breaths, taking time for a few moments to yourself in meditation or a breathing practice really helps set the tone for the day. What I like to do is close my eyes, Take three deep breaths in through the nose, out through the mouth. I also have some podcasts that will guide you in this. And as I've mentioned, those three deep breaths really can regulate your physiology. It's enough to bring down your heart rate, bring down your blood pressure, and inform your brain of a sense of peace and ease. When I have a little bit more time, I download a 10-minute soundbath on YouTube. There is a 10-minute soundbath that I love, that I use, I have watched and listened to multiple times over the years. It's just 10 minutes. I put in my AirPods so that I can keep the distraction of the outside world away, shut my eyes, and dive right in. So whether you have a full 10 minutes, which is not a whole lot, let's face it, or just a few, take a few moments in deep breathing or meditation to regulate your nervous system and set your intentions for a peaceful and calm day. Next, once I've got all of that under my belt and really By now, I'm maybe anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes into my morning. So it sounds like a lot, but it's not a whole heck of a lot. Because remember, we didn't snooze, and we didn't waste time on our phone. Now we are 15-20 minutes into our day. And the next thing I do is get up, put out I put on my workout gear and start to move my body. I do this in three ways. My number one is to head outside for a quick run. And trust me, especially these days where it's cold, it's not the thing that I necessarily am dying to do, but I never, ever regret it, particularly when I push myself to do a more vigorous run. I have shared with you before that that vigorous activity, the ones that make you huff and puff and pants, the kind of activity that makes your heart race and breathe hard so that you can't carry a normal conversation, that type of quote physiologic stress, because let's face it, it is pushing your body a little bit, makes you better able to tolerate emotional and psychological stress. And I have to say that whenever I engage in one of these runs, I am much more likely to come back with a clear mind, a stable mood, and better able to tackle my day. So I either go for a quick run, Or I hop on my Peloton for a quick spin. If I have more time, I go for a full 45 minutes. If I have less time, I limit it to 20. Or sometimes I just need a stretch. Whatever it is that you choose to do, make sure that you start your day with some type of movement. Now, I'll have some patients say, well, I don't actually have time in the morning to exercise. I'd rather do it in the afternoon. And if that's really the case, if that's the only way that you can get it in, then more power to you. Do it however you can. But I will say this. When you incorporate movement into your morning routine, it really has a psychological and physiologic benefit. of getting you primed for your day. And if you don't have a lot of time, it's okay. Meet yourself where you're at and do whatever it is you can do. Maybe that means a 10 minute stretch or a 15 minute jog, even a jog in place in your own house. And then you save the bigger exercise for later in your day. That way, at least you have gotten in some kind of movement And again, by doing so, you have primed your mind and your body. There is so much data on this. And again, I have talked about it multiple times on this podcast that moving your body does so much in terms of focus, memory, cognition, and productivity. So if you are using your work as an excuse for not moving your body, I have one thing to tell you. Work smarter, not harder. Because when you start your body or when you start your morning, with a movement practice, you are much more likely to take better and to make better use of your time. So work smarter, not harder, by starting your day with a little bit of movement. Next, my next tip is getting out into nature. Now, if it is a weekend, particularly a Sunday, I love to get out and go for a hike. That time in nature is really delicious and I savor that time. Time in nature is really grounding and there's science to support this because when we are out in nature, the smell of the trees and the flowers, the sound of a trickle of water, and actually even visualizing nature scenes like green spaces, meaning trees and mountains, or blue spaces like oceans if you live near a body of water, literally stimulate the parasympathetic or rest or relax nervous system. Nature, sound, smells, and sights will trigger the vagus nerve, that nerve that is so important in emotional regulation and mediating the parasympathetic nervous system. So if you can, do your movement out in nature, whether you have enough time on a weekend perhaps to get out there by a stream of water, out in a park, or out on a hike, or if it means just running 10-15 minutes and combining your movement routine with your nature routine, try and do it out in nature because the benefits to your mind and body really are immense. And like I said, this is not just my personal experience telling you, but there's science to back it up. My next tip is a writing practice. Now, maybe you combine this writing practice with your meditation routine while you're still in bed. Maybe you stack this writing practice with your first few to-dos when you start work. And habit stacking, by the way, is a great way to get some of these routine posts embedded into your morning routine. Habit stacking is essentially when we take one thing that we're already doing well and stack it with another habit. So if you have your coffee routine, your savoring practice down, then maybe you want to stack your savoring practice with your writing practice. And by the way, don't feel like you have to get all of these in right away. These are my top 10, but get into it gradually because we know that when we try and take too many bites at once, we set ourselves up for failure. So again, these are my top 10, but if you're not doing them, Be mindful of how you incorporate them one by one, step by step into your morning routine. But I love a good writing practice. As I've mentioned before, I am a huge journaler. And actually, I love to take that journal out first thing in the morning and before bed. Before bed, I use it as a way to clear my head and to help me get a good night's sleep, which was tip number one. But in the morning, I use it very briefly to just set out my intentions, set out my to-do list, and set out my gratitude. Again, there is an abundance of data that shows that when you start your day with a gratitude practice, you're much more likely to engage in your day in an intentional and joyful way. Now, I don't want to be kitschy and I don't want to be toxic in terms of positivity. So this doesn't mean writing things like, oh, my life is great and wonderful, if that's not how you feel. Write what's really in your heart. What are you really grateful for? Sometimes it may just be that time for morning coffee. Maybe it's the fact that you have the time and resources to Spend more time in your morning routine. That is a privilege and it deserves gratitude. Maybe it's the fact that your child snuggled with you or gave you an extra hug or kiss before they ran off to school. Maybe it's the fact that you have a job that is joyful or just a job that pays the bills. Whatever the case may be, take some time to write just three things that you are grateful for in this moment. My next tip is to get a healthy breakfast. Now you probably know that there have been so many contradictory studies in terms of to eat or not to eat a breakfast. And usually these studies are published in terms of weight loss. Is breakfast good to help you lose weight? Is breakfast essential for weight loss? Or should you be fasting? I don't want to get into that today, but suffice it to say that one size does not fit all. So if you've ever read one of these studies and are taking it as the Bible, think again. But in terms of productivity, in terms of mood regulation, and setting your intentions for a good day, eating something really is essential because hangry is a thing. Now, a lot of people will say, I'm just not hungry for breakfast. And I will not recommend stuffing your face or shoving food down your throat when you're not hungry. But I will say this. Hunger in the morning is very much linked to what you eat at night. If you're in the habit of having really large portions for dinner, perhaps skipping out on breakfast and maybe even skipping out on lunch and then being famished, therefore binging at nighttime, then of course you're not going to be hungry for breakfast. I recommend going heavy in the morning and lighter at night. If you're eating a light dinner, which is better for your sleep and for your digestion, then you will wake up hungry for breakfast. And it doesn't have to be huge. Having one or two eggs, a spoonful of peanut butter on an apple, something to help jumpstart your body and nourish you so that you are not hangry when you start out your day. A healthy breakfast really is compatible with a productive day. And last but not least, prioritize. Again, for those of you who are doing what I was doing a few years ago, setting your alarm super early, snoozing, snoozing, snoozing until that last moment, and then jumping out of bed in a haste, going through these 10 steps may seem like a pipe dream. So don't try and do it all at once. Take a look at this list. Getting a good night's sleep. Don't snooze. Don't go into your screen or your phone. Savor your coffee. Deep breaths or meditation. Move your body. Spend time in nature. Take time for journaling or a gratitude practice and engage in a healthy breakfast. Which one of these, as I read it to you, stands out most? Which one sounds to you like, oh, that would be so great to implement into my day? Do you know which one it is? Great. Start there. Prioritize your morning with the thing that sounds best. Once you have implemented that first best step into your day, then tackle the next one. And let me say this, even if you have implemented all these 10 steps or nine steps, prioritizing is still going to be important because you will come across that morning in which the alarm doesn't get you out of your bed, or you have to drop off an extra child, or maybe a unexpected errand makes it into your morning. In those moments, you do have to prioritize what is best. So again, take a look at your list of nine, pick the top one, two or three that you think will set you up for your best start. But I will say this, it's very easy to negotiate these things away. And I don't want to give you the permission even to do so. Like I said, if you're not snoozing and if you're putting away your phone, you will be shocked at how much time you liberate in your morning routine. So set your intentions for really setting the time aside to do those things. Time is always of the essence, and we never have the time. Because as I say in my book, Hungry for More, time does not just exist. Time is created for the things that we value and for the things that we prioritize. And if you start prioritizing yourself first, putting yourself on top of your to-do list, I promise you that you can get these nine steps in in a timely and reasonable way. And as a result, you will buy back time later in the day because you are set up, you are aligned, you are intentional about the way that you go about your business all throughout the day, if and when you set an intentional morning routine. So I encourage you to start here, review the list of nine, see which one really stands out, and prioritize. Once you've got that down, I want you to knock off this list one by one by engaging in one more small step to get your morning routine set and your day set off in the right way. I'm so glad you joined me for this podcast episode, and I would love for you to join me for my first ever event. Don't forget to head over to the show notes where you can get more information and see the signup link. It's going to be a great event, and I will be there to ask and to answer all of your questions. I look forward to seeing you then. Meanwhile, meet me here next week on Health Bite.