Image by Keith Allison via FlickrHappy New Year Everyone!
So now it's after the holidays and we're feeling a little bloated, heavy, and slow. What we need is a plan for boosting our energy... so that we can get back on track with our health, weight and physical fitness goals.
My friend, Shawna Kaminski, author of Female Fat Loss Over 40 has some great ideas.
10 Tips for Boosting your Physical Energy
To help fight fatigue: (My additions are in red.)
1) Drink lots of water. A dehydrated body functions less efficiently. Replace sodas with plain water.
2) Reduce or limit caffeine. 1 or 2 caffeinated drinks per day like coffee, tea or cola can boost your energy and mental alertness, but more than 6 caffeinated drinks per day may make you anxious, irritable, and negatively affect your performance. Plus, your sleep may be disrupted.
3) Eat breakfast. Food boosts your metabolism and gives your body energy to burn. Make sure to include protein to help prevent that mid-morning low blood sugar drop. Symptoms of over-carbing and not enough protein (symptoms of low blood sugar) are drowsiness and the inability to concentrate. A carb eaten alone actually has a narcotic effect.
4) Don't skip meals. Going without food for too long allows blood sugar levels to dip. Try to eat regularly to maintain your energy levels throughout the day. You should never go longer than 6 hours between meals. To avoid low blood sugar symptoms your body needs an influx of nutrition at least every 4 hours. And don't eat more frequently than every 2.5 hours. This can also drag you down (got this advice from MMA Champ Jeremy Horn!).
5) Don't crash diet. Low calorie diets or diets that severely restrict carbohydrates don't contain enough energy for your body's needs. The typical crash diet also deprives the body of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
6) Don't overeat. Large meals can drain your energy. For a healthier diet, try eating 6 meals a day to maintain blood sugar levels and energy. Eating every 3 hours equals about 6 meals a day. Eating every 4 hours, about 5 meals a day.
7) Get enough sleep. Adults need about 8 hours per night.
8) Learn how to relax. A common cause of insomnia is fretting while lying in bed. Experiment with different relaxation techniques until you find one or two that work for you; for example, you could think of a restful scene, focus on your breathing, or silently repeat a mantra or phrase.
Sugar is something that people generally don't think of when it comes to insomnia. But, just like caffeine and aspartame, it can cause you to have that anxiety-provoking constant train of thought at bedtime.
9) Increase physical activity. Exercise!! Physical activity boosts energy levels, while a sedentary lifestyle is known to cause fatigue. It's a law of physics! A body at rest tends to stay at rest. A body in motion tends to stay in motion. Don't let yourself become a victim of "The Couch Potato Syndrome"!
10) Limit the time you sit down. Reduce sedentary behaviors such as watching television and using computers. Did you know that they now make laptop stands for your treadmill? I need one!
Read more about Shawna's weight loss program here:
When I first started back to taking more exercise classes than I was teaching, I found that my energy waxed and waned from class to class. My diet was pretty good. I was drinking plenty of water, eating enough protein, and getting enough rest. So what was missing?
But my diet WAS deficient! What was missing was that a few of my 5 to 6 meals a day were protein only. I never eat carbs alone as that is one of the worst things you can do to your body as far as your insulin balance is concerned. I was eating whole grains but I wasn't getting enough vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables. So I started adding a serving of fruit or vegetable with each protein portion.
If I was in a hurry the fruit or vegetable became a 6 oz. can of V8 vegetable juice or a serving of a liquid vitamin mineral supplement (I hate taking pills! Especially those horse-sized pills they call vitamins.) I found the best quality and price for my liquid vitamins at Costco.
Well, what d'ya know. My energy level skyrocketed. My legs no longer felt heavy in my kickboxing class and I didn't just want to plop down on the couch when I got home.
Now, the only time I have trouble with physical energy is around the holidays when I eat a few too many potatoes (one of those evil White Foods you should avoid). What is a White Food? White foods are those high glycemic carbs that boost your insulin level, can cause insulin resistance, and lower your blood sugar so that you can't lose weight and are more prone to illness.
Those White Foods to avoid are: White potatoes, white rice, white flour anything - pastries, cookies, cake, pasta, and corn products. I do allow myself whole corn on the cobb with our summer BBQ's.
One's diet should contain GOOD carbs, which are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and whole grains. Some of these, like beans and nuts, contain both carbohydrates and protein. Good carbs supply the fiber, vitamins, and minerals we need for energy and clarity of mind.
If you do eat holiday stuffing, try to make it with 100% whole grain bread (lower on the glycemic index - how quickly the sugar enters your bloodstream) and add nuts (we enjoy pecans or walnuts), plus we add some chopped up turkey sausage for a little extra protein. A good balance of protein with your carbs lowers how quickly the carbs enter your bloodstream, resulting in less hunger, easier weight maintenance, and better health.
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