Want to know the key to an overall healthier, more productive day? Making sure your mornings get off to a great start.

How you spend the first several hours of your day can determine how you'll spend the rest. Therefore, if you're interested in improving your health, focus on making healthier choices in the A.M. with these morning fitness tips.

1. Stretch

One of the best ways to get your morning off to a good, healthy start would be to schedule in a workout. However, if you have trouble squeezing in enough time for a full-blown sweat session, then stretching is an incredible alternative.

Stretching only takes a few extra minutes of your time and brings many advantages, like eliminating aches and pains, delivering a punch of energy, and improving posture. Gently stretch and warm up your body to loosen the muscles for greater functioning and performance in your daily activities.

2. Eat Breakfast

No matter how rushed your mornings are, there's always time to include a healthy breakfast. Eating breakfast is a proven way to boost your metabolism for the day ahead. Be sure the calories you consume for breakfast are all nutritious and driven towards providing your body with the essential vitamins it needs.

Filling up on protein and plenty of fiber is a great idea for breakfast as the two combined are ideal for keeping you full longer and stabilizing blood sugar better than refined carbs alone. Pass on the pastries and cereals and choose hearty options like a vegetable omelet or oatmeal with cinnamon and mixed nuts. Time your breakfast within an hour of waking for optimal impact and greater likelihood of making better choices. The longer you go until eating the more likely you are to eat something less than nutritious.

3. Be Mindful

Slowing down your morning routine and focusing on the here and now can produce a boatload of benefits for your day. Data from the American Psychological Association shows that mindfulness meditation can reduce stress, enhance the brain's working memory abilities, increase focus, and strengthen relationship satisfaction.

Instead of using your entire morning worrying about getting this or that done, take a few minutes to focus on what you're doing at the moment. For example, think about how the toothpaste tastes in your mouth, the way the bristles of the brush feel and sound as you brush, the sound of the water running in the sink, and the smooth, clean feeling of your teeth once you're done.