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My Morning Routine

When I wake up in the morning

And the ‘larm lets out a warning
I don’t think I’ll ever make it on time
By the time I get my books and I give myself a look
I’m at the corner just in time to see the bus slide by
It’s alright cause I’m saved by the bell

saved-by-the-bell

Reminisce with me: Who  else, growing up, loved loved loved Saved by the Bell? I know I can’t be the only one! But have you watched that show recently (super-early in the am, you can sometimes find SBTB reruns)?  It’s ridiculously dumb. I mean, in the episode I caught, Zach—who has no dance experience—stars in a ballet so that he can graduate from high school.

Still, I hold nothing but fond memories of my SBTB-watching days. How many of you, like me, wanted to be Kelly Kapowski? How many of you wished to go on a date with cute Zach Morris (or hunky A.C. Slater)? Or participate in a dance-off at the Max, make a video yearbook, star in the school production of Snow White and the Seven Dorks…

But there I go on a tangent again. The only thing today’s post has in common with Saved by the Bell is the title. After receiving a comment asking about my morning routine, I thought it might be a fun topic for a post.  Therefore…

My Morning Routine

Most likely, nobody (excluding the commenter and yours truly) cares about this. So hopefully I won’t bore you too much.

I usually wake up naturally, around six or seven. Alarm clocks and I do not get along; I think I was scarred for life by my sister’s old clock—an electric-guitar-playing chicken! I throw on my running clothes—laid out the night before—and head downstairs for “first breakfast.” Lately, first breakfast consists of some fruit (kiwi, peach, grapefruit half, watermelon, what-have-you), nuts, and maybe a cracker or two.  Yesterday’s brekkie was the following:

100_7847

I think cashews are my favorite nuts. And whenever I eat oranges, I’m reminded of playing soccer as a kid. Anyone else remember eating oranges at halftime? Do kids still do that?

Properly fueled, it’s time to get revved up for the day. Nothing beats a good, hard run first-thing in the morning to wake up one’s senses. I don’t wear any of those newfangled gadgets, but I do have a fancy-schmancy $10 watch, and I’m usually outside for a little over an hour.

Then, second breakfast.

According to sources such as Runner’s World Magazine, it’s important to refuel within 15-30 minutes of working out. So I usually do most of the breakfast prep-work the night before.

brekkie

I knew exactly what I wanted today: Peanut Butter Barley Fusion (with a few modifications, alongside a bursting-with-ripeness peach and sweet blueberries)

z 1476

And that, dear readers, concludes my Morning Routine.

Published on August 18, 2009

Meet Katie

Chocolate Covered Katie is one of the top 25 food websites in America, and Katie has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Fox, The Huffington Post, and ABC's 5 O'clock News. Her favorite food is chocolate, and she believes in eating dessert every single day.

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52 Comments

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  1. Gertrude says

    haha. omg. i had that same alarm clock once upon a time!!!!!!!!! and you turned it off by pressing on the chicken’s comb!!! wow. lol. thanks for the memory…

    i’ve never watched much TV. I think i didn’t have a TV in wherever i lived for most of my life.

    Dont have a morning routine either. Most things I do are pretty spontaneous. Though most mornings I’m up by 7am. =)

  2. Liz says

    Hiya Katie 🙂

    Just realised you left an oh-so-sweet comment on another one of my older posts, the sans-pictures one – thanks so much! You’re the best.

    I *loved* Saved By The Bell – but I only ever saw it on cable, since we never got it on free-to-air TV here in Australia.

    As for my morning routine…
    My Tinkerbell alarm clock (which I got from Disneyland and love to pieces) wakes me up at 5 am. I get changed into my also pre-laid-out exercise gear and do a few push ups/crunches/whatever. Then I have a cup of green tea and go for a run for 20 – 30 minutes (I do another 20 – 30 later in the day). Lately it’s been on my Wii Fit since it’s pretty cold and dark outside!
    Then, I shower, change into my uniform and make everyone breakfast. I grab my school bag, pack my lunch into it, eat my breakfast and walk to the train!

    Bet that was incredibly boring to read 🙂
    Liz

  3. jd says

    Wow, Katie! I totally admire you for your awesome/healthy breakfast routine! (But not for getting that damn SBTB theme song in my head – LOL!) The fact that you go running each day is so great – I’m just not quite there right now on the grand motivational scale, although I do adore my leisurely evening walks!

    As for me, I’m completely NOT a morning person, so my AM routine is pretty sparse. Some breakfast (usually cereal or oatmeal, fruit, and tea); some complaining (about the fact that I stayed up far too late the night before); and a good-bye kiss from my bf (how sweet!) is about it.

    However, when it comes to the weekend, my Sunday mornings were definitely created for smoothies, followed by a leisurely morning/afternoon at Starbucks with a soy latte, my guy, and the New York Times…

  4. ~Jessica~ says

    I loved hearing about your routine!

    Actually, mine is pretty similar (we run almost the same distance in the same time!) except for the fact that I can’t face food first thing, so I run on an empty stomach and then have one GINORMOUS breakfast when I come back. I kid you not, it’s enough to serve two people.

    When I’m on a ‘non-impact’ day I’ll get up at the same time and do an exercise DVD before brekkie, then go to a spin class (the greatest form of non-impact cardio ever). I wish I was as focused as you, though: I need my iPod to jam along to as I go!

  5. Katie says

    Haha! I still watch Saved By the Bell…of course if there is nothing else on. Which, there never is that early in the morning. =P

    Yummy oats. I will have to try that some time. I had Apple Pie Oats today. YUM!

  6. tabitha says

    what a great morning routine!
    makes me want to make that mine…if only i could haul three little kids out of bed and out on the run with me 🙂
    breakfasts look awesome!

    saved by the bell…ah, that was a favorite
    i couldn’t decide who i liked more….zach or slater
    they kind of had lots of love triangles going though…which was weird and they always still liked each other
    i loved kelly because she had a round face like me 🙂

  7. *Andrea* says

    ooo fun post!!! i love working out first thing too – sets a good tone on the day 🙂 and yes, i was ADDICTED to saved by the bell, or more specifically zack morris hehe. i would watch with my nextdoor neighbor/best friend danny and we would sit o n my couch with blankies in our mouths just watching the show haha. the college years weren’t my fav tho 😉

  8. Ashley says

    How much do I love your Saved By the Bell reference?!?!? Too cute! I really thought that’s what high school was going to be like!!

    You’re super organized in the morning! I really admire that you can get up and go for a run straight away. My weekday mornings usually see me getting out of bed between 6 and 7, getting dressed then making breakfast for Joey & I. We leave for work together which is really nice!

  9. Sal says

    I used to love Saved By the Bell. And California Dreams!! hahaha.

    That alarm clock sounds like hell, I hate my alarm and it only beeps!

  10. DJ says

    Oh yeah, me and my little bro used to watch ‘Saved by the Bell’, almost viewing it as a documentary account of high school life in America LOL! Though ‘SBTB: The New Class’ never inspired our loyalty the same way. Your breakfasts look so delicious and healthy – I love the idea of the peanut-butter banana barley cereal – yum! My morning routine revolves around getting my girl fed, watered and ready for school. It’s usually ten o’clock before I get a chance to have anything other than coffee myself!

  11. Kiersten says

    I used to LOVE SBTB! I’ve seen every episode like 100 times. You’re right, it’s so funny to watch it now that we are older and realize how lame it is.

    My morning routine is always the same old thing: wake up around 7-7:30, take the dog for a quick walk, feed the animals, and then make myself coffee/breakfast. I usually do the crossword puzzle while I eat my breakfast too. Call me a creature of habit.

  12. Cassie says

    I never really got into Saved by the Bell much…I was more into Rugrats, the Cosby Show, and Three’s Company. In fact, I still love Three’s Company. Nick @ Night (and in the morning) rocks!
    Anyways, my morning routine currently goes like this:
    -wake up naturally at around 6:30 or 7
    -hour of yoga or half hour of walking/running/biking (and then yoga later on in the day)
    -breakfast consisting of hot cereal, toast, fruit, pb, or whatever else I feel like having (sometimes a little dark chocolate too 😉 )
    -wash face and go on with the rest of the day
    This whole routine is about to be turned upside down though, when I move to college. woo hoo!

  13. Shannon The Healthy Beach Bum says

    I LOVEEE cashews too. Every time I step into a Walgreens I have to be careful bc I always see the 2/$5 cashew cans. They are the most addicting things ever 🙂 Never seen that powder before.. looks really interesting!

    What a fun routine ! Keep it up girly <3

  14. Liz says

    saved by the bell? I used to love that show- in hindsight, yes it is very corny. My sis and I used to watch it on those early wake up calls during vacation and it has become ritual. Now I look for it in the AM while getting ready in the hotel.

    I haven’t had a morning ritual in over a month! I just moved to a new town and have yet to start a job or school. I am the type who usually has most of my to-do’s done first thing in the morning. And I have totally been changed into a lazy daisy who doesn’t even think about a shower until noon!
    Thankfully my job starts tomorrow and school starts next week.

    I like your AM routine. I agree- runs first thing in the morning are great!

  15. jcd says

    Your blog has recently inspired me to take up jogging in the mornings – it is such a refreshing way to start the day.

    My (new) morning routine:

    Alarm wakes me up at 5:20 AM
    Roll out of bed
    Eat breakfast (usually homemade granola with soya milk and fruit)
    Make lunches for myself and my husband for the day
    Walk to the bus stop with my husband for
    30-minute jog (with my iPod most days, but sometimes I embrace the silence)
    Snack! (nuts, seeds, dried fruits)
    Stretch at home for 10-15 minutes
    Super quick warm shower and brush my teeth
    Drive or bike to work by 7:30 AM

    It is a very busy morning but I take the weekends off to relax a bit more, make hot breakfasts, and catch up on things around the house.

  16. ttfn300 says

    is it bad that i have watched saved by the bell in the last week? 🙂 i don’t really have a good routine, sometimes i fit in an early morning spin or workout, but othertimes I get up and read blogs until I make it in to work…

  17. Shelby says

    I wasn’t old enough to watch it but I used to catch the reruns in middle school and LOVED IT! I still see it and watch it from time to time =) I always wanted to be Kelly! And Zach was so cute, I’d pick him over Slater any day!

    Mmm, I NEED that PB&J cereal! Sounds so good!

  18. buffmuffy says

    actually i enjoyed hearing about your routine more than sbtb ;D lol!
    i never played soccer but my cousin did and the oranges def do remind me of that!
    the blueberries in breakfastdos look so velvety and delicious!
    my morning routine depends on the day. when school starts it will involve getting dressed, makeup and hair, making sure my books are packed, grabbing breakfast, and leaving to drive an hour on mon, tues, and thurs. on wed/fri ive stayed the night before and thus just have to do my routine sans all the driving. weekends, same thing but i go to work. blah!
    -muffy

  19. randomlymikey says

    awww… i remember SBTB. i just saw they were having a reunion. being a SAHM my morning routine is always impromptu. lol

  20. Michal Mymo says

    Hi Katie 🙂
    My morning routine is usually me waking up at seven, washing my face and brushing my teeth then I end up grabbing a green smoothie with whatever other fruits and things we have around the house. Then I usually get ready to go to work, or lately I have been going to they gym in the mornings (which I like much better!) However my routine is going to change soon since Im heading back to school next monday so Ill have to figure things out.

  21. Lori says

    My morning routine is going to be messed up when school starts again next week. 🙁 I have been enjoying running before it is blazing hot out, but next week I will have to wait till after getting my girls off to school. I always start my morning with a cup of coffee while I check emails and then head out for a run or to the gym. If I am running I have to eat after, my stomach just can’t handle running if I’ve eaten!
    I had to comment to tell you that you have done it again – the Kobacha Mousse was fabulous. I finally saw one and had to try it. I added spices to make mine like a pumpkin pie mousse. Like your tofu puddings, my kids are gobbling it down. They can not believe how good it is and that it is made with a squash! Thank you for sharing!!

  22. Bianca- Vegan Crunk says

    OMG! For Christmas last year, I got all three DVD sets of the five seasons of SBTB (two of the sets has two seasons on them). I’m working my way through them still…and yes, it seems incredibly cheesy now…but I don’t care. I will always love Zach Morris!

    I wish I could run in the mornings…actually, I wish I could run, period. Even though I work out at the gym 5 days a week (spinning, treadmill, boxing, yoga, pilates), but for some reason, I can’t run more than 2 minutes without going into some kind of asthmatic fit. Probably all those years of smoking cigarettes…boo! Don’t smoke anymore of course, but I smoked for 10 years (god, that makes me sound old).

  23. Alison says

    Love Saved by the Bell! I didn’t start watching it till I was 12 (in 1993) but I quickly fell in love. I’ve seen every episode multiple times.

  24. Emma says

    SBTB! And cashews! I love both. The oranges cut up like that remind me of being little and unable to peel an orange lol so my mum used to cut them up for me.

    My morning routine is get up at 6am, go swimming for half an hour, then straight to work! I start at 8am, I make sure I have my breakfast ready and eat it once Im at work, usually dry cereal! I love weekends and having leisurely mornings and breakfasts, my weekday mornings are usually pretty hectic!

  25. Nora says

    I had oranges at halftime all through high school! It’s one of those cute memories most ppl have, probly 🙂

    The barley looks yummers!

  26. Diana (Soap & Chocolate) says

    OMG Saved by the Bell! So many memories…it was almost intolerably cheesey, but then again so was Full House (my ultimate favorite from that era). Of course I didn’t know that at the time!

    Pre-prep is key for the morning routine, which begins at 6am for me, most days. The night before, I wash the stuff to make a juice, have a workout DVD ready in the player, workout clothes close at hand, and all my lunch & snack fixins ready to go to work with me. If I’ve really got my act together, I’ll even know what I’m going to wear! The days when I can’t decide are brutal, so I make a point of knowing what I’ll put on before my workout ends. I keep the fruit I eat for breakfast at the office, so no thought needed there! I think that pretty much covers it… 🙂

  27. Maria says

    I loved that show too, Katie! Hehe, it was one that I watched on a near daily basis as a kid and I totally wanted to be Kelly too 🙂

    LOL at your sister’s alarm–I can see why you were scarred for life!

    I actually found your morning routine pretty interesting! I have a similar one: wake up to the sun rising (6-7am), eat fruit+nuts, go to the gym, shower, eat breakfast. Since I’m not going to school (summer break). Actually, our routines are creepily (is that a word?) similar!

  28. Diann says

    Morning routine for the past 20 years: shower, load up on coffee, drive 45 minutes to downtown screaming at all the bad drivers. Healthy, huh?

  29. Christina says

    I love this post. That breakfast sounds delicious. I think it’s because you use the word fusion. It makes anything sound yummy and interesting!

    And I love Saved By the Bell! I started watching it again last year while I was getting ready before class in the mornings. It’s always on super early.

  30. jocelyneatsfresh says

    oh man..I wanted to be with zac morrrrissss SO BAD SO BAD..I even watched saved by the bell college days..even tho it was sooooooooooooooooo bad bahahaha.

    My morning routine is lame

    when working..

    wake up with alarm (evil) 6 am

    shower

    breakfast

    blog

    walk to work

    bam.

  31. broccolihut says

    I LOVED SBTB! I still occasionally catch the early morning re-runs…it makes for “good” workout entertainment on rainy days. I remember always rooting for AC Slater and Jessie–I just wanted them to get along and have a perfect romance. My favorite episodes were the ones during summer vacation when they all worked at that country club at the beach. Whoa, I’ve written far too much about SBTB.
    My morning routine: Wakeup, put on laid out running clothes, stretch, fill water bottle, eat bread with PB…run…return home for a big stinkin’ bowl of oat bran. Repeat.

  32. jrsimon56 says

    My morning routine? Get up as soon as the hubby leaves (6:30am), check the e-mail to get a gague on what I’ll be dealing with for the day, jump in the shower, eat my flax plus and a giant glass of water and head into the office for another day. I’d love to be a morning worker-outer, but I just can’t seem to pull it together. Maybe I’ll use you as inspiration 🙂

  33. Kristie says

    I cared about this! People’s morning routines intrigue me. Maybe because mine is pretty lame and unstructured right now. Aka I wake up whenever I wake up. I think about what I want to eat while hopping on the computer. I then mill around in the kitchen and throw together some food. Then I get back on the computer or go read or go do something else lazy until I have something actual that I need to do later in the day. Oh summer.

    However, Saved by the Bell was definitely a huge part of my morning routine back in the day. Every. Single. Morning. I saw every episode more times than I could count. Greatest show ever.

  34. Lauren says

    thanks for sharing your morning routine! i agree though, cashews are probably myyy favorite nut as well..they’re just so tasty, and even more delicious when they’re heated up in a frying pan!
    my morning routine is completely different right now due to not being in school, but once school starts back up i’ll be in the swing of things again!

  35. dreaminitvegan says

    Nice morning routine. Love that barely breakfast, will have to try!
    I wake up in between 7:30-8a.m. have some coffee and make smoothies for my husband and I. He drinks his on the way to work. Then I’ll do some kind of workout pilates, bike ride or video after my son wakes up. It’s summer you know, just hangin out!

  36. Natalie says

    Katie, I love all of your oatmeal recipes and I Cannot wait for winter (or at least fall) to get here so I can try them! Sorry, I just can’t get into hot cereal in the summer or cold oatmeal. Plus, berries are ripe for the eatin’ up in Pennsylvania, so I have been enjoying my fruity breakfasts.

    I wanted to let you know I love your dishes (the actual dishes you serve the food on) – they’re so pretty and vivid! Did you get them anywhere I might find in Pennsylvania?

    Also, I would love it if you would either email me how to make Kale chips or post it/link it so I can give it a whirl… I’m not a huge fan of kale, but I’m willing to try just about anything (if you visit my blog, you’ll see that!).

    Cheers!

  37. Marianne says

    Oh, Saved By The Bell. My sister was addicted to that show, so consquently, I ended up watching more than my fair share. We were actually talking about it last night when we saw someone with a total Zach Morris haircut! HA!

  38. chrissy says

    Um I just read this post and I HAD THE SAME ALARM CLOCK!!! I HATE THAT PIECE OF CRAP!! A family friend gave it to me when I was little and my parents made me use it all through High School even!! I tried to throw it away when I graduated high school but my mother dragged it out of the garbage and now she and my dad use it to get up in the morning! How horrible is that!? I want to run it over with my car everytime I go home to visit them! It really was the worst invention EVER!

  39. Michelle says

    hey! some interesting posts that you have. Having read about your running routine, I’m curious to know what your 5k race time is, assuming that you have ran one before?

  40. Jody at Because I'm Me says

    I had that clock. I still sing “Hey baby wake up. Come and dance with me.” to my kids in the morning (especially if we have to get up at the crack of dawn for some reason). Best clock ever.

    Just discovered your site and having a look around.

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