Would You Like to Boost Your Energy?

From the title of this blog,  you know that we are talking about energy today. And I don’t mean the fake energy you get by drinking an energy drink, a cup of coffee, or eating sugar to boost your energy short-term. I am talking about sustainable energy that will naturally help you through the mid-day slump and having you going home with energy to spare!

So what did a day in my life used to look like?

I would hit the snooze button on my alarm clock 5-6 times before I could drag myself out of bed. I would have to have coffee to get me going before I could even think about getting ready for work. This was followed by some sickly sweet or carb-filled breakfast. I kept the coffee coming to get me through the morning, and then by lunch, I would generally have something that did not do much to give me energy. Then by 2 p.m. I was fighting to keep my eyes open while I was trying to work. My brain was foggy, and it was hard to perform as well as I would have liked. I would try to stave off sleep until it was time to leave – sometimes not very effectively – and then I would drag myself home and throw something together quickly for a not-so-healthy dinner – or even more often, I ran through the drive-through for a quick and easy meal that again, left me tired (and was none too healthy for my family either). I was too tired to do anything but watch a little TV and fall asleep, and then the cycle would begin all over again.

How my life has changed. And the good news is, yours can too.

Boosting your energy

“If the body is an engine, then food is its fuel. Food gives the body the energy it needs to function. If we don’t make sure the fuel we pump through our system is the right quality and quantity, we’re going to run ourselves right onto the scrap heap. The foods we eat affect our weight, mood, energy level, brain function, sex drive and sleeping patterns.”
– Kris Carr, Hungry for Change

Let’s talk about some things that can help you boost your energy.

When we lack energy, we lack motivation – the motivation to exercise and the motivation to focus on healthier habits. As you’ve probably experienced, everything seems more difficult when you feel tired and worn out. But good news!  It doesn’t have to be this way.

Consistency is key.

How do you start your day?

Do you roll out of bed and head to the kitchen first thing in the morning to start the coffee brewing? Many people have to start their day with a boost of caffeine to get going.

When you start with your morning coffee for that boost of energy, what happens later? You’re less likely to eat a quality breakfast that gives you long-term fuel and more likely to  feel tired by late morning or early afternoon. Then you need another quick energy boost and often choose it in the form of more caffeine or in the form of processed or sugar-filled foods. Sometimes with both – the coffee and the sugar-filled treat.

If this is you, let’s take a look at what coffee really does for you.

When you drink caffeine, you’re running on borrowed energy – energy you don’t ever get to pay back, meaning it isn’t stored energy you can draw on when you need it later.

Many of us are doing this every day. We’re always on the go, go, go and with pressure to get more done in a seemingly shorter amount of time. When we can’t seem to get enough done or start to fade later in the day, we have more caffeine.

Is your caffeine routine in the morning more out of habit or do you feel like you NEED the boost to get you going?

If you feel like you need the boost, we will take a look at what you may be able to do to improve your energy naturally and eventually not need to rely on the caffeine fix.

Some other morning beverage options include: transitioning to decaf coffee or diving into the world of teas.

There are so many incredible flavors of teas to choose from and many offer the added benefit of containing antioxidants.

If you aren’t sure where to start, you can try organic green tea and see what you think and experiment from there.

You can also opt for a delicious green smoothie to get a nice big dose of vitamins and minerals (plus fiber and phytonutrients too) that should give you a natural energy boost.

Let’s look at some other ideas to boost your energy in the meantime.

Stay hydrated

Did you know that the average human body is estimated to be about 60-70 percent water?

Adults may have a decrease to 57-60% as they age, whereas in babies the percentage may be as high as 75%.

Since we continuously lose water through urination, our skin through perspiration or sweat, even through the process of breathing, it’s critical we replace this important essential nutrient regularly each day.

Start your day first thing in the morning with a large glass of fresh water to rehydrate your body and brain. For an added boost, try adding lemon to your water first thing in the morning.

Continue to drink water regularly throughout the day.

Recommendations vary on the quantity of water we need, but drinking half of your body weight in water per day is ideal. If you haven’t been drinking much water, you can start gradually and aim for half that amount to start with and increase as you can.

More reasons to stay hydrated

“If you aren’t drinking enough water, you reduce brain function. You can also expect to see thinner skin and more fine lines and wrinkles.”   – Daniel G. Amen, M.D. author, Change Your Brain, Change Your Body 

Get moving!

Any exercise or physical activity that gets the heart rate up and the blood flowing and releases endorphins is going to raise your energy level.

Good cardiovascular exercises will strengthen your heart and give you more stamina.

Everydayhealth.com

Lastly in this blog….

Get adequate sleep for more energy

We know we need enough sleep, but did you know:

“Inadequate slumber over extended periods of time also may interfere with immune function, including the proper production of white cells and hormonal regulation, which is why insufficient sleep is linked with chronically elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This also leads to impaired immunity and elevated levels of hormones such as insulin, increasing the risk of gaining body fat (most often in the midsection) and of developing systemic inflammation and type 2 diabetes. It also leads to changes in the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which regulate hunger and satiety.”  – David Katz, M.D. from the book, “Disease-Proof.”

So let me ask you – how is your sleep?

Is this something you’d like to focus on this week?

If you’ve tried several things with no improvement, it would probably be worthwhile to have your hormone levels checked by someone that specializes in this field.

For many people, just by eating healthier, they find they start sleeping better. Add exercise to the mix and it can help even more. There are many things you can try to improve your sleep. One of the biggest things is to stop using electronics for 1 to 2 hours before you go to sleep. This over-stimulates the brain, and it is hard to turn it off when you roll over to try to sleep. So if that is you, give this a try for a week and see how it affects your sleep patterns.

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So great news. If you are frustrated with your midlife fatigue, shifting shape, the belly bulge, sugar cravings and brain fog, sign up for the FREE (online) 5-Day Energize & Reset in Midlife Challenge! 

Over the course of 5 days, I will help you…

??Understand why midlife brings so many changes
?Create goals in a way that could actually help you succeed.
?Learn what to eat to shrink your belly and give you energy.
?Learn how to manage your stress to avoid the belly bulge & fatigue.
?Learn how to eat for optimum digestion, reduced bloating and weight loss.
? Learn how to create your very own blueprint for SUCCESS– in any area of your life!

Join me. The challenge begins Monday, September 9th.

Click the picture below to sign up so you can get all of the information including the action guides to use to mazimize your success.