Rise and shine...

Today I have 2 choices....

1. I can stay in my jammies, blog stalk for hours, eat yummy food, curl up in a blank and read a good book and pretend that I have ZERO worries in the world. OR...

2. I can get my workout clothes on, tidy up my house, make dinner and be productive until my kids get home from school. Hmmm.... what to do?

As I was going thru the grocery store check out line last night I stumbled upon the January SHAPE magazine. I'm not a huge magazine lover because I never have time to read cover to cover and they're too expensive to read a few pages and toss aside. BUT... as I was quickly thumbing thru the pages I came across a short article entitled... RISE AND SHINE. I absolutely had to buy the darn magazine because of this article.

Basically this lady from Hollywood shares a few of her morning regimens to help her wake up on the right side of the bed and start the day right. It's definitely not brain science, but it was just what I needed to motivate me today. And let's face it... we can all benefit from a few morning tips right? Here they are:

1. CLEANSE WITH A TWIST

"The first thing I drink is a cup of hot water with lemon. I feel like the citrus purifies my system and cleans out whatever toxins are left over from the night. Plus, the ritual is really nice and calming."

2. GET OUT OF THE GYM

"There are tennis courts all over L.A., and most weekend mornings I'm out on one with either my boyfriend or my dad. I run around like crazy, which gets my cardio in, and I work almost every muscle from my shoulders to my core."

3. MAKE OVER YOUR BREAKFAST

"I cook these delicious pancakes at least four times a week. My friend Gina, a nutritionist, came up with the recipe. They're packed with protein and low in fat, and they make you feel like you're having dessert for breakfast."

So there you have it. That's all I needed to hear to get me going. It's amazing how a few simple secrets can really get you motivated. I'm sipping the hot water with lemon as we speak and then I'm going to walk on the treadmill for a 1/2 hour and do a Jillianne Micheals 30 day shred video for another 1/2 hour. After that... I'm going to make these protein pancakes.

So come on girls... get up and get goin'!

PROTEIN PANCAKES (makes 6)

In a bowl combine

1/2 C. rolled oats

1/2 C. fat-free cottage cheese

1/2 C. egg whites

1 t. vanilla extract

pinch of cinnamon

Heat cooking spray in a nonstick skillet and pour 1/4 cup batter in at a time to make 1 pancake. Cook 2 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Serve with a drizzle of agave nectar and fresh berries.

Also, for a little extra motivation, go to Brooke Burkes blog/website to see what motivates her to stay fit, healthy and have energy for 4 kids.

One more quick thought...

I've been using this night cream my hairstylist recommended and guess what?

I'm absolutely LOVING IT! It seems to be reducing those fine lines and wrinkles. It's inexpensive and you can find it pretty much anywhere. Try it for 30 days and see what you think. Read more about it HERE.