A morning routine is one of the secrets to success, but you may wonder where to start? Today I'm sharing my top five tips that have helped me become a "morning person" and start my day off right!

1. Wake up Early! Let's face it, many of us don't love the idea or sound of waking up early; But if we are honest, we all know that if we put things off until later in the day the chances of getting around to the "important things" decreases as the day goes on. How early is early you say!? I have found that it is incredibly helpful to wake up at least 1.5-2 hours before my daughter; But I recommend at least 1 hour before the rest of your house does to take time to invest in you!

2. Establish (and stick to) a Morning Routine. Consistency is key when it comes to health, and nothing is better than starting your day out right! When you start your day on the right foot it helps you feel good and want to keep it going the rest of the day! When you have a morning routine established, it makes living a healthy lifestyle a no-brainer and consistency seems to follow in every other area of life!

3. Read, Pray, and Move. Part of my morning routine must-haves are spending time in the word and prayer, and moving my body. I like to wake up, make coffee and pour a tall glass of ice water, then get cozy and spend time in fellowship with my Heavenly Father! I then head out (or in my basement) to workout for at least 30-45 minutes, then shower, eat breakfast, and get ready for the day. This takes about 2 hours, but it is the best and most important part of my day when it comes to feeling good (and motivated) the rest of the day!

4. Establish To-Do's. Another part of my morning routine (typically while i'm eating breakfast) is taking about 5 minutes to write out my weekly and daily to-do's. I start by looking at my week as a whole, then determine what the priorities are for the day, followed by the things I "hope" to get done. That way when I check off the "must" do's, I can move onto the "hopeful" things for the day, and if I don't get to them, I can move them on to the next day!

5. Fuel Your Day. I eat the same thing for breakfast, (or some close variation) every single day! Having a consistent breakfast (that I look forward to and is healthy) keeps my mornings easy and flowing freely without a lot of prep. I like to have a DD muffin, no bake ball, bar, or whatever baked good I have in my fridge/freezer for the week, along with coffee before my workout. Afterwards I have a DD protein shake and a decaf coffee... then get on with my day!