3 SUCCESS HABITS TO START YOUR MORNING

“The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine”
-Mike Murdock-

To be successful means to accomplish an aim or purpose. What is your aim? What is your purpose? Your answers will dictate the blueprint to your journey. Figure out your why then try to replicate the successful people before you.

SUCCESS LEAVES CLUES
In my research, I have concluded that there is one common theme among successful people and that is, The Morning Routine. All successful people before us have crafted a specific morning routine that maximizes their energy, productivity and creativity all day long. The morning is the time to set the tone for the day. These are first three simple strategies I always give to my clients, wake up early, nourish the adrenals and eat a breakfast high in protein and healthy fats. Every single one of my clients who have incorporated them into their morning routine have consistently said how much more energy and less brain fog they have throughout the day. Sounds to me that starting your day with more energy and focus will lead to better decision making in business, increased physical performance and better grades in school.

WAKE UP EARLY
ET is up at 3! This pretty much sums up what Eric Thomas, who is the author of Greatness Is Upon You and a high energy motivational speaker, dubs the one habit that you can do to be successful. Who is up at 3am? That’s right nobody and honestly that is the point. Eric Thomas came to this conclusion after exhaustively studying what top millionaires of the world were routinely doing each day that separated them from the rest of the population. Most successful people are up early and already having a 2-3-hour head start on the world. Now my point is not for everyone to wake up at 3am and inherit a militant lifestyle, but try to wake up earlier than usual to get a head start on your new journey. When waking up early there are two important rules to ensure you gain an advantage for your day:

Rule 1: Turn off the Internet
We are all guilty internet addiction first thing in the morning whether you are reaching for business emails or checking status updates on social media. A recent study published in PLoS One, compared the brain matter of individuals that were overexposed to the internet and individuals with no addiction to internet. There was evidence of disrupted pathways related to emotions, decision making and self control, which seems non-conducive to a successful day.

Rule 2: Do Not Hit the Snooze Button
According to Dr. Yizhak Kupfer, Assistant Director of Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine, creating shortened sleep cycles early in the morning can wreak havoc on our hormones. The snooze button can produce an adrenaline and cortisol release that instantly triggers the stress response, which can cause a person to have an immediate alert feeling. This can result in disorientation, grogginess and irritability which can mimic the effects of sleep deprivation.

START YOUR DAY WITH LIME AND SEA SALT
Start your day off with a glass of water with 1 Fresh Squeezed lime and ¼ teaspoon of colored salt. This trick I learned from Wolfgang Unsold, owner and founder of Your Personal Strength Institute in Stuttgart, Germany. Why start your day with this simple trick? It will reset your Bio-Rhythm. Salt has many vital functions in the body. An important example is nourishing the adrenals. The adrenals are responsible for a majority of hormones that are involved in energy levels and stress management. Lime Juice has a great effect on the bodies pH levels. Lime juice has an alkaline effect on your metabolism. At night our pH levels drop so first thing in the morning it is important to get alkaline to optimize energy levels and digestion

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS
The most important meal of the day is breakfast. “The first thing you put in your mouth in the morning, provided it is food, dictates all neurotransmitters for the whole day.” This I learned from Charles Poliquin, world leading strength coach. The typical breakfast nowadays in our society has been dominated by boxed cereal, muffins, pancakes and fruit juices. There is too much sugar in our breakfast which can lead to poor management in blood sugar levels and can inhibit neurotransmitters important for energy and focus.

Neurotransmitters are largely responsible for behavior, attitude and energy. If our neurotransmitters are imbalanced we may feel sluggish, tired, unfocused, temporarily depressed or overly stimulated at the wrong time. For optimal health we need to strive to prevent inflammation and provide balance between neurotransmitters. It’s as easy as it sounds. You simply have meat and nuts for breakfast each and every morning. By starting your day with meat, you’re setting yourself up for a slow and steady rise in blood sugar throughout the morning while the the nuts provide a great source of healthy smart fats that allow blood sugar to remain stable for an extended period of time.

• Start with a Protein source such as Steak, Beef, Bison, Eggs, Chicken, Burgers, etc. This will influence your metabolism for the day without driving blood sugar up.

• Next is to include a Healthy Fat. This can include a Handful of any assortment of nuts and Avocados. DO NOT use Peanuts and Pistachios due to their dirty nature (Highly Sprayed in cultivation)

• Also include some Berries or LOW Glycemic Fruits! The thinner the skin, the more antioxidants. Throw a handful of Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Apple, Grapefruit, etc.

Aside from understanding these three practical starts to your day the next important practice is consistency of these habits. You have to give the body time to adapt and respond to these morning rituals to see the most benefits. Don’t just add lime and sea salt in water for a week and expect your blood work to match that of the Liver King’s (newly exposed) results.

Wellness itself is the accumulation of habits that positively influence you physiology.

Steven Nickel provides a Tailor-Made Fitness Experience for the individual who wants to acquire high quality results. Providing Exclusive Personal Training, Made to Measure Coaching and Ready to Train Collections. To learn more Inquire Here or write to steven@stevennickel.com