A COMFORT EATERS DAYBREAK ROUTINE

I have been thinking recently about how important the start of the day is. It has an impact on our thoughts and actions during the following hours. For this reason it is important to start well. So, what do I mean by this?

It is all too easy to get out of bed when the alarm goes off and throw ourselves into the day. However, have you ever noticed that if your head is full of stressful thoughts and negativity, from the very start, your day does not usually pan out too well? In all the rush of breakfast time do you reach out for food that is comforting or quick and easy? This is what happens when we do not set our mind and body in the right mode for the day.

Without a self-loving routine we fail to switch our minds onto our bodies, we allow our minds to be ruminating with negative and self-critical thoughts and we have not tapped into an amazing energy source that will sustain us even on our busiest days.

The fact is that by rolling out of bed, straight into the daily activity, your stress levels are most likely to roll over from the day before. And what does this lead to? Comfort eating! So how can you make sure you day starts well and has an amazingly positive impact on the day? 

  

• Give yourself some ‘Me Time’. This is time to be alone, at the start of the day, and get your mind and body ready to meet whatever it brings.

• If you have no time to fit this in, first thing, then make the time by getting up half an hour or an hour earlier. You deserve this special time to start the day right.

• Switch your mind onto your body by mindfully doing exercise, breathing and stretching. (I do yoga because I love it). Whatever you do make it a routine that you concentrate on. When your mind wanders bring it back to feeling the movements of your body. Fifteen minutes is all you need.

• Following the exercise, sit somewhere comfortable and quiet. Sit upright with your back straight and unsupported (a chair is OK if you are not comfortable on the floor). Concentrate on your inward and outward breaths. When thoughts come into your mind just let them go without self-criticism and return your focus onto your breathing. Fifteen minutes is all you need.

• Finally count your blessings. List in your mind all the wonderful people and experiences in your life and give thanks for each one. Think of the day ahead and see it working out wonderfully and give thanks for all it is going to bring to you.

Now you are ready for the day, less stressed, more in touch with your body and its signals of what and how much to eat and filled with joy. What a self-loving way to start every day.