Let’s face it: The Hollywood version of gently stretching awake in a sunny room is a myth for most of us. We grunt into semi-consciousness, smack the snooze button and once again wrestle enough bedcovers away from the snoring spouse in order to get another seven minutes of desperate shuteye.

But it is possible to make some small tweaks to your morning routine that will return maximum benefits. Just think of the sense of achievement you’ll get from checking off so many of your health to-dos before other people have even started their day!

This mix-and-match challenge will give you the tools you need for starting your day in a positive, powerful way. We will give you some exercise routines to choose from — a mix of cardio, strength/toning and stretching/relaxation — as well as some delicious yet easy breakfasts to charge your batteries for the day, and some motivation to get you kick-started. Pick at least one workout of each type, for a minimum of three morning workouts per week, and schedule in a healthy breakfast every day. That’s all there is to it!

Before you begin, print out our weekly worksheet On it, you will be able to schedule your workouts and breakfasts, and get your daily dose of motivation. Put it where you’ll see it first thing — even tape it to your alarm clock so you’ll have to reach under it to turn the buzzer off! (Just no hitting the snooze button.) Also, head over to the Community to participate in this Challenge there; you'll be able to compare notes with other participants and up the ante when it comes to accountability!

This week, we’ll look at ways of starting your day the fruity way, with a host of delicious breakfast ideas. And it’s time to try something new for your exercise fix by going to a new gym class.

Enjoy a fruitful breakfast
Fruit is a great source of vitamins and fiber, and fiber plays a role in satiety which is a great reason for including fruit with breakfast.

WeightWatchers.com recipes editor Leslie Fink says, “My favorite way to eat fruit for breakfast is to slice whatever’s in season and use it instead of jelly with peanut butter on light toast: sliced pears, apples, bananas, plums, peaches or strawberries. I also love to put blueberries on my peanut butter and toast, too. I press them down and it’s like eating fresh blueberry jam. Yogurt topped with fruit and granola is also excellent. My favorite combo is mango, kiwi and blueberry.”

Keep in mind that tomatoes and peppers are technically fruit, so if you want to make an omelet with them, that counts, too. You can also try tomato slices on a bagel with cream cheese, or tomato slices on a light grilled cheese.

A fruity breakfast can be harder to make ahead, as many fruits oxidize, or turn mushy in a make-ahead salad. So try our recipe for a citrusy salad; citrus fruits don’t lose their integrity when they’re combined ahead of time.

And if you’re one of those people who shies away from fruit because it’s too tart first thing in the morning, bananas are a lifesaver. Creamy and mild, they’re unbeatable sliced into yogurt, oatmeal or cereal.



Our favorite fruity recipes:

• Raspberry-Peach Smoothie
• Whole-Grain Banana Pancakes with Blackberry Sauce
• Raspberry Hotcakes
• Strawberry-Velvet Sauce (to spoon over pancakes, waffles, etc)
• Apple Cranberry Crisp

Indulge in some group therapy
By now, you’ve hopefully gotten into the habit of exercising in the morning, which makes you feel strong — and smart — for the rest of the day. But by this fourth week of the Rise & Shine Challenge, maybe you’re finding it hard to stay motivated, or to push yourself enough to break a real sweat. If so, then group exercise classes may be the answer. Follow our checklist to get started:

• DO pick a class you'll like. Always been interested in self-defense? Take boxing. Stressed? Try relaxing yoga. Want a well-rounded aerobic workout? Take a step class. Love to dance? Zumba!
• DO bring a friend. Once you make a commitment to someone else to be there, it's harder to make excuses not to go.
• DO be prepared. Check out the class ahead of time, and determine whether you need to get there early. See if you'll want to bring a towel. See what people are wearing.
• DO wear something comfortable. If you have to splurge on a new outfit, do. It will make a big difference when you have one less thing to feel self-conscious about.
• DON’T compare yourself to others, thinking about how much slower or older you are than the others in the class, or how much thinner than you they all are. Everyone’s too busy concentrating on themselves to look at you, so just go into it with the attitude of having fun.
• DO consider location. Stand or sit either off to the side or a bit behind everyone (instead of front and center), so you can have some room for error while you learn the techniques.
• DO try variety and try again. If you've tried a class a few times and you're still just not getting into it, try something else.