Even in our less labor intensive society, we all could use a little more energy. Sluggish mornings set you up for unproductive days. Feeling like a sloth in the middle of the afternoon can make you move like one the rest of the evening. If you wake up tired and groggy or experience a major slump in the afternoon, you’re probably wondering why.
The Promise of Lasting Energy
Do you want to wake up refreshed and tap into that energetic feeling that lasts all afternoon and promises you’ll still have energy to enjoy the evening activities? You don’t want to rely on caffeine and energy drinks that keep you up half the night. Nor do you want to be tempted by sugary drinks and treats that promise a pick me up then set you up to crash a half hour later.
Where does Physical Energy Come From?
Physical energy comes from the sources of energy we consume as well as the rest we give our bodies to renew itself. This week I want to focus on things you can do to boost the energy you need to get up out of bed in the morning or get up off the couch to play with the kids after a full day at work.
Five Primary Sources of Physical Energy:
- The Food You Eat
- The Water You Drink
- The Amount You Move Throughout the Day
- The Sleep You Get At Night
- The Connections You Have With Others (Interesting, huh?)
The Food You Eat
What you consume is probably the most important contributor to your energy so let’s start there today. Are you sick of hearing about another magic diet? Should you eliminate carbs and eat more fat, should you eat more plants or eliminate meat? How many different popular diets have you tried this year? This month?
You Are What You Eat
I am going to make this simple for you. Your body converts what you eat into energy or stored energy and into the renewing of your body’s cells such as muscle and hormones. In addition, it stores what you don’t use as fat. I’ll repeat that in case you weren’t listening, your body stores what you don’t use.
Eat Your Energy
The best diet is not about weight loss but about energy production.
- Only eat what you use (portion control) or will use
- Use what you eat (burn with carbs, build with protein)
- Write down what you eat and how you felt after you ate it and between meals
Fad Dieting Fails
After trying Keto, a rather high fat, low carb, diet, my cholesterol went up over 200 so I modified it with a low carb, low fat, whole plant based diet. I’ve tried Paleo, Whole 30, Atkins, and everything you can shake a lettuce leaf at. I am sure I managed to mess those up, too.
When I added cardio to my daily workout routine, I followed Joe Wick’s advice from his book, Lean in 15, and happily added back in carbs after a workout. Joe calls it Carb Refuel which gives you permission to restore your energy with good carbs after a workout.
As with any good diet, I messed it up. Having given myself permission to eat carbs after a bike ride, I started slipping in carbs for lunch and then breakfast, even when I didn’t work out. My energy plummeted and my afternoon energy dissipated. I began waking up groggy and reaching for carbs to refuel. I dozed off in the afternoons which set me up for sluggish and unproductive evenings.
Is Carb Refueling Good?
Carb refuel is great if you worked out and I have incorporated it into my current lifestyle plan. However, if you’ve just slept for 8 eight hours, it’s an energy dump. My plan is to fuel my body for optimum energy.
Good Fuel for Physical Energy
To boost your physical energy starting now, begin giving your body good fuel and eliminating energy zappers.
- Eliminate simple carbs such as high fructose corn syrup, white sugar, and white flour. (see my blog post on the cut in half method to avoid sugar withdrawals).
- Give yourself permission to eat complex carbs such as whole grains, rice, and quinoa, within two hours after a workout or an aerobic activity to quickly restore your energy.
- Control your portions so you don’t store up extra energy you won’t be able to use.
- One plate made up of half whole, plant based foods, and a quarter plate of protein, adding quarter plate of complex carbs only after a workout.
- You don’t need seconds, you will get to eat again.
- Same rules apply at home or at a restaurant. Make good choices and ask for a to go box when you order your food. Divide your portions before you start eating.
- Check out choosemyplate.gov for more healthy plate tips.
- Try to eat all your food before 6pm or at least 4 hours before you go to bed. If you feel hungry after 6pm, drink a glass of water or no caffeine warm tea such as chamomile.
Get Connected
For other ways to boost your energy, subscribe to my blog. This week I’ll share more about increasing and maintaining your physical energy. Next month we will focus on energy boosts for your mental, spiritual, and environmental health.
I’d love to hear what you do to boost your physical energy throughout the day. What drains your energy? Scroll down to comment below or click on the link to my facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/brixeyks