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Shadowing practice: HEALTHY MORNING HABITS » + printable checklist

Listen to the line, then say it out loud
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Full transcript

  1. Welcome back to Pick Up Limes, or if you're new, hi, I'm Sadia.0:00
  2. Mornings can be a source of stress for a lot of people, rushing to get ready so that you can head out the door or thinking about all the things0:05
  3. that need to be done in that day.0:12
  4. For me personally, mornings are my favorite part of the day, and by adopting these 10 healthy morning habits, I think it might become yours too, if it isn't already.0:14
  5. In the description box just down below, you're going to find a downloadable checklist of all the items that I mentioned in this video, so you can use this as0:23
  6. a tool to help you kickstart your healthy morning habits.0:30
  7. Now do you need to follow every single thing I mention on this list?0:34
  8. No, of course not.0:37
  9. Just pick the ones that you think are going to bring you the most pleasure in the morning or the most benefit.0:38
  10. Let's get started.0:43
  11. I'm adamantly against rushing in the morning.0:48
  12. I think how our day begins offers a glimpse into how the rest of our day will be.0:51
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  1. Start at stressed and you'll tend to stay emotionally charged.0:55
  2. Start at relaxed and your mind will be more at ease throughout the day.0:58
  3. Wake up a little bit earlier if you have to so that you don't have to rush.1:02
  4. Some incentive?1:06
  5. Play calming and gentle music to help you wake, and don't press the snooze button when you hear it.1:07
  6. Get in the habit of getting right up.1:12
  7. Let in the natural light to boost your mood and get your circadian rhythm in sync with the daylight.1:15
  8. Meditation.1:24
  9. As lovely as it sounds, many of us hear it and still don't do it.1:25
  10. And I'm not about to preach to you to start.1:28
  11. The idea of sitting on the floor in absolute silence for someone who's never meditated before can be an uncomfortable thought.1:31
  12. So if meditation isn't your thing, as amazing as I think it is, try this instead.1:37
  13. Take a deep breath and then do the five four three two one exercise.1:42
  14. Say aloud to yourself five things that you can see.1:47
  15. Carpet, lilacs, candles, pot, books, four things that you can feel.1:51
  16. Cushion behind back, elbow on armrest, hair on neck, warmth of mug in hand.1:57
  17. Three things that you can hear.2:05
  18. Bird and tree, refrigerator running, kettle boiling water.2:07
  19. Two things that you can smell.2:12
  20. Essential oils, scent of tea.2:14
  21. One thing that you can taste.2:17
  22. Even if you're not eating or drinking something, there is a taste in your mouth.2:18
  23. Become aware of it.2:22
  24. This exercise is a more interactive way of becoming mindful in the present moment.2:24
  25. I'm also avidly against having the TV on in the morning because I think that it strips us from our ability to be mindful in the present moment.2:31
  26. And I think it can also add to stress, especially if you're watching something like the morning news.2:39
  27. Have you gotten into the habit of watching TV?2:43
  28. Then try substituting it for some calming music instead.2:46
  29. If you need to check your phone for messages, do it after breakfast.2:49
  30. The morning deserves your attention.2:53
  31. Drinking water helps to rehydrate after a long night's sleep.2:58
  32. It helps to jumpstart the metabolism, helps the body flush out toxins, and helps to maintain regular bowel movements.3:02
  33. I've gotten into the habit of having a tall glass as soon as I wake up before having breakfast.3:09
  34. Don't drink water each morning?3:14
  35. Here's a way to make it more enticing.3:15
  36. Add cucumbers, berries, lemons, limes, or orange slices to flavor it.3:17
  37. If this feels too burdensome, add a splash of your favorite 100 % fruit juice to give it some flavor.3:22
  38. I also continue to hydrate throughout the morning with plenty of tea.3:28
  39. As a dietitian and nutritionist, this is one area I place a lot of importance on.3:36
  40. Having a nutritious breakfast helps to boost our energy and kickstart our mental focus for the day.3:41
  41. Include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, plant -based milk, and yogurts.3:46
  42. Breakfasts high in fiber will keep you full for the remainder of the morning so you can focus on things other than your grumbling stomach.3:53
  43. I've also gotten into the habit of taking my vitamin B12 and vitamin D supplements at breakfast too.4:00
  44. Here's an important suggestion.4:05
  45. Enjoy your breakfast with someone if you can.4:08
  46. Family, partner, roommate, or friends.4:10
  47. Socializing and talking about your thoughts and plans for the day is a wonderful way to get the day started.4:13
  48. Enjoying breakfast on your own?4:18
  49. Ditch the TV or computer screen and instead practice the mindfulness technique I mentioned before.4:20
  50. Actually see your food.4:25
  51. Feel the texture of it in your mouth.4:27
  52. Hear the sound it makes when you pick it up with a spoon or bite into it.4:30
  53. Actually smell the food and taste, truly taste the food instead of just eating it mechanically.4:33
  54. Don't you think it deserves your attention?4:40
  55. Some people choose to write down a list of gratitudes or intentions each morning.4:45
  56. Personally I prefer to talk them out as opposed to writing them down.4:49
  57. So if I'm sharing my breakfast with somebody which is most mornings then these are questions that I ask of the other person and they can ask me too.4:53
  58. I think it helps to build a closer bond with that person.5:00
  59. It also keeps you accountable to the intentions that you set and the insights that they share with you you might actually find helpful to get your day started.5:03
  60. But if you're somebody who's enjoying breakfast on your own?5:11
  61. No problem.5:13
  62. You can fill out the questions found on the downloadable pdf.5:14
  63. The questions to answer what am I thinking?5:17
  64. How am I feeling emotionally and why?5:20
  65. How am I feeling physically?5:23
  66. What are my two intentions for the day?5:25
  67. What are two things I'm grateful for?5:28
  68. And what is one thing that could increase my happiness today?5:30
  69. By checking in daily with what's going on inside of you you'll have more control and understanding on what's going on around you.5:34
  70. Some people recommend drawing up a plan or a to -do list for your day in the morning but personally I prefer to do that the night before that way5:45
  71. I can hit the ground running.5:53
  72. Instead I spend a couple of minutes in the morning reviewing this list and actually visualizing what I'm going to get done for the day.5:55
  73. Visualization is an extremely powerful tool so if you can dedicate even a minute or two to actually playing out a movie in your mind's eye of the things that6:01
  74. are important for you to get done in the day they're more likely to happen.6:10
  75. Prepping your snacks for the day in the morning means that you'll be less likely to graze throughout the day or reach for unhealthy convenient foods when hunger strikes.6:19
  76. Cut up some fruit so it's ready to eat, portion out some nut butter and crackers or set aside some dried fruit like figs or dates so they're on hand6:28
  77. when you need something to keep your energy up.6:37
  78. I mentioned this in a previous video and a habit that I certainly live by so try getting into the habit of clearing the surfaces in your home before you6:42
  79. leave for the day.6:50
  80. Clear the kitchen counter, dining table, coffee table of any clutter and do the dishes too.6:51
  81. By doing this even if you've had a really long and stressful day you know that you can come home to a clean space.6:57
  82. You might have heard about this important thing called exercise.7:07
  83. Don't worry I'm not about to preach to you to start.7:11
  84. When you know it's useful to do and if it's something you haven't already started then maybe we just need to try a new approach.7:14
  85. Remember that the scariest part is always just before you begin.7:20
  86. Try starting by just getting some fresh air.7:23
  87. Step out onto the balcony or have your tea in the yard in the morning.7:25
  88. If that gets too easy then get off the bus once stop early and walk the extra bit or try biking to work or school if possible.7:29
  89. If the weather's stopping you try doing some light stretching inside.7:37
  90. Little changes made in increments are going to get you closer to an active morning and no time and if you're somebody who prefers to exercise in the evening it's7:41
  91. still important to get a little bit of fresh air or sunlight stretching in the morning if you can.7:49
  92. And there you have it.7:54
  93. 10 healthy morning habits.7:55
  94. I hope that you found them helpful.7:56
  95. Don't forget to download the pdf in the description box just down below and start to check off the items that you choose to follow.7:58
  96. You can also use this as a tool to add your own customized healthy morning habits.8:04
  97. Things like remember to floss my teeth or remember to pack my lunch for the day.8:09
  98. One more recommendation I have for you is to add or change only one new habit at a time.8:14
  99. The last thing you want to do is overwhelm yourself and then not stick with it after just a few days.8:19
  100. They say it takes 21 days for a new habit to form so once you've stuck with it for a full three weeks then consider adding a new habit if8:24
  101. you'd like.8:32
  102. Alright that's it from Pickup Limes today.8:33
  103. You know the drill.8:35
  104. Like, subscribe.8:36
  105. I'll see you in the next video.8:37

B1 english speaking practice with a fast American morning routine video

This clip is Sadia from Pick Up Limes walking through her healthy morning habits, and it moves at 225 words per minute, faster than 82% of the catalogue. That speed is exactly why it is useful for english speaking practice: the sentences are B1 level, so the vocabulary is not the obstacle, the pace is. You are training your mouth to keep up with a natural American speaking rhythm, not decoding new grammar.

The recording is a single host talking straight to camera about her routine: waking up without rushing, letting in natural light, and a grounding exercise she does instead of meditation. Nothing is scripted to sound slow or careful, which makes it a fair test of whether you can actually speak English fluently at conversational speed, not just at classroom speed.

The lines worth studying for american accent training

A few lines in the opening carry real rhythm you can copy. Look at these three:

  • "I'm adamantly against rushing in the morning." The stress falls hard on adamantly, and the line only works if you hit that word before letting the rest fall away quickly.
  • "Start at stressed and you'll tend to stay emotionally charged." Two matching clauses back to back, both starting on "Start at", which is a good pattern for practising even, repeated stress placement across a sentence.
  • "Carpet, lilacs, candles, pot, books, four things that you can feel." A flat list said quickly, with almost no pause between items, then a small lift into the next instruction. That drop and lift is a genuinely American speaking pattern worth copying, not something you would notice from reading the words on a page.

How to shadow this morning routine clip from Pick Up Limes

Work through it in this order rather than starting at line one and hoping.

  • Start with line 4, the sentence about "10 healthy morning habits", and repeat it until the list of numbers and the word habits land without slowing down.
  • Move to line 11 through 14, the four short lines about starting stressed versus starting relaxed. Say them as one connected unit, since that is how she delivers them.
  • Isolate line 17, "Play calming and gentle music to help you wake, and don't press the snooze button when you hear it," and shadow it on its own a few times before rejoining the surrounding lines. It is the longest sentence in this stretch and the easiest place to fall behind.
  • Finish with the five four three two one exercise, lines 25 to 30. Read it as a listener first, then say your own five things you can see and four things you can feel out loud in the same clipped rhythm she uses, before matching her exact words.
  • Once those sections feel steady, run the full opening straight through at full speed. This clip rewards daily practice more than a single long session, since the value here is training your mouth for a fast, natural pace rather than memorising new words.
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