Your perfect day: today is your day. Get more done, build more muscle and sleep better with this energy-boosting day planner

Muscle & Fitness, Dec, 2004 by Carey Rossi

Tired. Burned out. Can't concentrate. Delete these phrases from your mind, because M & F has your ideal "effortless" day, in which everything clicks and falls into place. We asked the experts on sleep, nutrition and sports psychology to construct your perfect working day from the moment you wake until the moment you retire. So what are you waiting for? Prepare for tomorrow ... because it's going to be a great day.

07 AM

RISE AND SHINE!

Stretch gently to allow blood to circulate through your body. "Nearly any type of muscular activity can immediately increase your level of alertness," says Robert K. Cooper, PhD, author of High Energy Living (Rodale, 2000). If you played the snooze game, consider going to bed earlier tonight. Here are a few other morning rituals you should adopt:

* Be aware of your surroundings: Note the feel of the covers against your skin, the smell of the air and the sights and sounds that greet you in the morning. "One thing people can do to help achieve [peak performance] is to live more in the present, thinking about what they're doing rather than what they need to do," remarks Karen Cogan, sports psychologist for the U.S. Ski Team's Freestyle Downhill Mogul team. Try to maintain this awareness all day.

* Eat a good breakfast within a half-hour of rising. This will be the first of eight small meals that you'll have today, each spaced 75-120 minutes apart. Make sure you eat complex carbohydrates, lean protein and small amounts of fat.

* Train in the morning. When you exercise, your nervous system releases catecholamines to raise energy and alertness. "Essentially, you're training your body to make more energy available," Cooper says.

09 AM

THE DAILY GRIND

First thing when you get to work, look around your office. Is your environment conducive to the way you work best? If not, take some time to arrange your desk so you can perform better. Think about what you want to accomplish today and plan accordingly.

Start thinking about your second small meal and get yourself a cup or bottle of water to sip from--the colder, the better. Icy water has been known to speed up your metabolism and keep you alert. Make sure you keep drinking all day; the slightest bit of dehydration can hamper your mind and muscle performance.

12 PM

LUNCH TIME

No working through lunch, no eating at your desk. You need an extended break to be at the top of your game. "If you ignore this chance to renew your vitality, researchers have shown that you lose out in some significant ways," warns Cooper. "Not only do you experience that slump at midday but you also have measurably less attentiveness and productivity throughout the afternoon."

Within a half-hour of eating, he suggests getting some aerobic activity. This could be a walk outside or an in-office activity, like pacing while opening your mail or talking on the phone.

03 PM

MIDAFTERNOON SLUMP

Your energy may start to wane around this time. Make sure you have a small meal, but avoid high-fat foods, which are difficult for your body to digest. This is another good time to walk outside and expose yourself to some natural light. To get the best of both worlds, grab a coworker and make a trip to your local coffee house.

06 PM

EVENING WIND-DOWN

Say goodbye to the hustle and stress of the workplace and concentrate on you. Have a light snack when you get home to stabilize your blood sugar until dinner. Unless you're locked into mass-gain mode, you'll want to limit your evening meal to 700 calories; steamed vegetables and low-fat protein are good choices.

After dinner, instead of zoning out in front of the television, do something active, whether it's going to the gym, playing with your kids, doing chores around the house or, ahem, having sex.

10 PM

BEDTIME

If you've followed the advice above, your mind should be calm and ready for sleep. Science says this is when your body's truly "in the zone." "Sleep often enhances the memory of information acquired the previous day," points out Karim Nader of the department of psychology at McGill University (Montreal). "Sleep helps some memories 'mature' and also prunes out unimportant ones."

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BREAK UP YOUR WORKDAY "It's hard to keep mental perfection all day long--it's draining," Cogan says. "You need to pick the points when you really need to be on and then give yourself micro-breaks." Do something different, listen to music or go talk to your friends. Choose an activity that helps you deal with anxiety or pressure.