[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG8vBTjzaNc]In the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair,  Rene Russo’s character, Catherine Banning — a high-class bounty hunter for stolen art– is shown in a few scenes drinking a special green juice.  It’s unclear what exactly was in the mysterious, gloppy concoction (her character swears by its curative properties for jet lag). But with her dark Jackie O sunglasses or, as in the scene here, perfectly mussed bed head, the gorgeous Russo makes downing the liquid greens– as one Go-Getter Girl friend of mine has observed– look impossibly glamorous!

Have your own morning boost, and channel your inner Catherine Banning (minus the whole art-thief-on-the-lam ending of course!), by mixing up a glass of green veggie juice. There are a few different brands on the market, but I like Amazing Grass Green SuperFood, available at Whole Foods, which has a slightly sweet, nutty taste and smooth texture. Take a one of the individual packages, and pour about half of the powder into a large glass, then fill with water and stir. Packed with ingredients like organic wheat grass, spirulina, spinach, alfalfa, and broccoli, it gives you concentrated dose of nutrients and vitamins. Particularly energizing before a workout or an early morning flight.

I know, it doesn’t look quite as glam as Russo’s drink– but you can use your imagination!

In Costa Rica, the sun rises early– and it makes you want to get up and go. At the hotel near San Jose, people were trotting away on the treadmill before 5:30 a.m, and the gorgeous natural surroundings on our weekend trip to the coast (shown left) inspired sunrise walks and jogs on the sand, beachside yoga, and morning swims.  Ah, pura vida, as the saying goes in Costa Rica.

Back stateside, working out in the a.m. can be more of a challenge.  Sometimes it’s just so hard to get out of bed! But, if morning workouts are your thing, it’s a great way to jump start your day– and metabolism.  Go-Getter Girl Bonnie Fuller, the former editorial director of American Media and also a mother of four, shared for the book that she currently works out five to six days a week– always in the morning, to “get it out of the way” lest a work crisis mess up her plans later in the day.

Thinking of taking your workouts morningside? Try these tips shared by GGGs*:

1. Make it a routine. There’s a theory that it takes 21 days to form a new habit– so make a commitment to working out in the a.m. for at least three weeks straight.
2. Try a morning boot camp. Whether it’s an “army-style” or yoga/pilates boot camp, having an appointment each morning will help motivate you– and also assist with making a.m. workouts a routine.
3. Make sure to eat something. Not a huge breakfast– just a carb/protien-rich mini-breakfast for some energy. Think wheat toast with natural peanut-butter, a small nutrition bar, etc.

*Of course, I’m not a physician, so check with your doctor before starting any new fitness program.

You already know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day: It gives you energy, curbs cravings, and almost any nutritionist or diet book will tell you eating breakfast helps you reach or maintain a healthy weight.  

Now that the weather is heating up, you may want to switch your morning instant-Irish-oatmeal routine for something more refreshing.  With its rich and creamy texture and tangy-sweet taste, Greek- or Turkish-style yogurt is a yummy, protein-packed choice. Make it interesting by adding some cut fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey, shown right; a few tablespoons of granola; or a dash of cinnamon.

On the go?  Throw the yogurt and fruit into a blender for a quickie smoothie, or grab a perfectly-portioned cup of Fage 2% yogurt at your local Whole Foods.

Part of the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is figuring out what fitness routine works for you– which we all know can take years of trial and error. Well, if you’ve got 5 minutes today, here’s your GGG cheat-sheet:  Go online at The 8 Colors of Fitness website and take author Suzanne Brue’s “fitness personality” quiz.

Born out of 6 years of research and interviews by Brue– a former college administrator– the quiz is basically a shortened version of the Myers Briggs personality test (which, you may know, is often used to assess a person’s work style/best career paths).  By answering just a dozen or so questions, you’ll learn which one of 8 distinct “colors” fit your exercise preferences.  For example the “Whites” like repetitive motion in clean, orderly environments (think Pilates or cardio machines in swanky gyms); the “Greens” love the outdoors and getting their exercise through daily life (walking the dog in the park; gardening); the “Reds” love spontaneity and adventure (think a spur-of-the-moment mountain bike ride with friends). So, if you’re say, a Green, you can abandon all guilt for failing to hit the gym– so long as you get off your bum and hit the trails!

For more detailed info on The 8 Colors method, you can order Brue’s book.  It’s a great GGG read.

Who hasn’t battled a few extra pounds after a whirlwind business trip or vacation? Below, some of my favorite secrets GGGs have shared for how to NOT gain weight when traveling. Of course, I’m no nutritionist, so take these with an, um, grain of salt (or some other pun), but I’m just passing along the GGG gospel!

1. Don’t eat on the plane. In French Women Don’t Get Fat, author and former Veuve Clicquot CEO Mireille Guiliano, who globe-trots regularly, writes that she always packs her own little sandwich and bottled water and never eats a bite of airplane food.  While it is sometimes nice to  eat the meals onboard (it gives you something to do; the food can sometimes be pretty tasty; etc.), Guiliano’s point is well-taken: particularly if you’re going trans-continental, it’s pretty easy to rack up the calories when you’re going through different time zones, eating multiple, off-scheule meals, and why mess up your healthy eating plan before the trip has really begun? FWDGF, btw, is a good book to put on your GGG reading list. Maybe  read that on the plane instead of snacking! 
2. Snack less (or not at all). Unless you packed ziplock baggies of, say, raw nuts, it’s typically harder to “graze” healthy snacks when away from home.  Especially if you’re going to a locale with great cuisine, save up your calories for those yummy restaurant meals (which we all know contain bigger portions!)
3. Workout for 20 minutes a day. Even if the hotel doesn’t have a gym, GGG Lesley Hatfield (a personal trainer turned sleepwear designer) says you can stay in shape on-the-go by doing a few sets of lunges, pushes, crunches, and arm curls in the comfort of your hotel room. Darn, forgot the free weights? Use one of those stretchy resistance bands… or make some light, makeshift weights with the little water bottles in your suite.
4. On that note, bring along your exercise gear. Several GGGs I know bring their running shoes and even yoga mats on every business trip!  Fond of exercise videos? Try Tracy Anderson’s Mat workout; it’s super effective, and you can leave it in your laptop DVD and take it with you on every trip!
5. Walk everywhere.
6. Limit alcohol consumption. Much more effective strategy for business trips than vacay… what would a vacation be without a few tasty cocktails?!