If Only I Had the
Energy!
If only
I had more energy! How many times have you said that? Perhaps you're a college student who needs
more energy to make your grades; a working person juggling tight career
demands; a parent who's on-duty with children 24 hours a day:, or an older adult
feeling less energy as you age.
We are all looking to have more
energy—a higher energy level helps us maintain a good quality life.
So what
can you do when your energy runs low?
You go
back to the basics of good health. You look at what you eat, and how you move.
Energy level is affected by both.
Energy
is regulated by the food you eat and when you eat it. You want your diet to be
adding to, not detracting from, your energy level. Exercise plays a role in energy too. Exercise
builds muscle, strengthens your frame, and helps your brain function better,
all adding to a healthier more energetic body.
Are you
up for increasing your energy level? Okay,
let's revisit your daily diet and exercise routine to see if we can help you increase
your energy in just a few easy steps.
5
Steps to More Energy in Your Life
1. Eat Your
Breakfast
Kick
start your day with breakfast. Eating a nutritional breakfast will provide you
with a good foundation for high energy levels throughout the day.
Try
beginning the day with cottage cheese, oatmeal, a small smoothie, yogurt with
fruit, or even a piece of cheese.
Sprinkle
a teaspoon of chia, bran, or even ground flax seeds over your breakfast food
for an easy way to make your morning meal even more nutritious.
2. Control Your
Blood Sugar by Eating Small Meals throughout the Day
Keep
your energy coming and your metabolism up by eating healthy snacks between
meals.
Your
brain's only source of energy is blood sugar and too little or too much can both
create low concentration levels, lack of motivation and poor learning.
Manage
your energy by keeping your blood sugar level.
This is done by choosing healthy
snacks and eating these small snacks throughout the day.
Fresh
fruits make great healthy snacks. Berries, apples, oranges and bananas are good
snack choices. Other
good options are oat or nut based energy bars, a small amount of dark
chocolate, or a handful of nuts.
Looking
for something more creative to snack on? How about real cocoa in almond milk, a
veggie roll-up, or even hummus on crackers or dark bread.
3. Don't Eat a
Large Lunch or Mid-day Meal
There
are other reasons besides high calorie content to avoid a big lunch. Let's look
at a couple.
First,
when you eat a large lunch, your body requires a lot of energy just to digest
the meal. That leaves you with less energy and feeling tired.
Secondly,
if your lunch contains a lot of carbohydrates, your insulin levels spike right
after eating and comes crashing down a few hours later.
To have
more energy, you'll want to choose a well-balanced meal of slow digesting carbs
like lentils, beans, basmati rice and whole grained breads. Add to that your
lean proteins like fish, chicken, turkey or eggs. Throw in some greens and
veggies and you'll have the energy to go the distance.
4. Exercise
Regularly
Adding
30 to 45 minutes of exercise into your daily life is one of the healthiest
moves you can make.
Regular exercise helps you keep your weight in check, keeps
your body flexible, and fights both disease and depression.
Exercise gives you
more energy.
Think
you don't have time to exercise? Take small breaks during work hours. Get up
and move around for 5 to 10 minutes. You'll return to work with more energy to
complete your tasks, and a refreshed, stimulated, and more energetic mind to
help you deal with the rest of your day.
5. Drink Plenty of
Water
Our
metabolism constantly uses up water. Our brains have a high level of water
content, and we need to keep them hydrated.
Even a small level of dehydration
in our body can interfere with its chemical balance. This leads to low energy.
The
most efficient way to counteract dehydration in your body is by drinking small
amounts of tea or water throughout the day.
More Energy =
Better Quality of Life
There
you have it! Simple tools to manage your
diet, manage your hydration and manage your exercise.
Now
here’s the hard part--getting started.
Go
ahead and take the bait. Give these
steps a try. See if you don't feel more filled vitality and ready for all life
has to offer.
I’m behind
you 100% of the way!
Thought
For Today
Your Future is Determined
by What You Do Today, Not Tomorrow
