3 before-breakfast habits for a better body

1. Take a drink of water and have a cup of green tea. Start off with a tall glass of cold water to keep the metabolism high. At least 16 ounces of H2O can kick your metabolism up to 30 percent for the next hour. Another powerful way to prepare your body for the day is to drink a cup of green tea. It's been shown to reduce body weight, increase fat metabolism, reduce cholesterol and release powerful age-defying antioxidants.

If you’re dreading a coffee withdrawal, never fear. Green tea has just the right amount of caffeine to keep you alert at work. It’s the perfect beverage for enhancing your health and improving your physique.
 

2. Do yoga for 30 minutes. Yoga is a simple and powerfully effective workout for toning your body and getting your muscles going. By raising your metabolic rate first thing in the morning, you’ve won half the battle towards improving your physique. A few simple yoga routines will jumpstart your body’s calorie-burning machine and keep it burning faster all day long.

(MORE: How Yoga Helped Me Succeed in My New Career)

Yoga has a triple benefit on your body. First, it gives your metabolism a swift kick, keeping you slimmer. Second, yoga tones muscle, giving you a leaner look. Finally, yoga helps you fight stress and anxiety, both of which have been tied to excess weight. Yoga is a great addition to your strength-training repertoire, especially as a morning wake up. And it prepares both your mind and body for the day ahead.
 

3. Plan your menu, and eat breakfast. Good eating begins with good planning, and that planning happens at the start of the day. Planning will help you stick to your goals, staving off those pesky extra ounces that come from indulging. Before breakfast is the perfect time to pack your lunch, select a dinner recipe and slip a snack or two into your purse.
 

Breakfast sets the tone for the entire day, and you don’t want to skip your morning meal. Here’s a delectable shake recipe that has tons of healthy goodness (and even some chocolate). If you’re in the mood for something warm and comforting, try my protein-packed Santa Monica Omelet.

(MORE: Fiftysomething Diet: 5 Ways to Make a More Healthful Breakfast)
 

The before-breakfast solution to a better body is simple. Drink some water and green tea, do some yoga and prepare healthy food. You only have one opportunity each day to put these practices into motion. Before breakfast is the golden opportunity to create a haven of health and repose before the day begins. With each morning, you’ll be taking action toward a more vibrant body.