From energy shots to caffeine drinks and sugary sodas we have managed to invent every way possible to provide a quick boost to our energy levels but none of these give you the real juice: lasting levels of vivacity that are there when you need it.
There is so much to be done in a day and let’s face it: you need energy that lasts so that you can get it all covered while being able to experience your life to the fullest. With clarity and passion, health and vitality.
While having endless amounts of this precious power is a direct result of doing everything “right” and getting into a state of optimal health, there are things you can do right now to boost your energy levels instantly, even while you are working to get your entire lifestyle and diet in the right place.
Here are my 6 tips to instantly increase your zest and zeal:
- After waking up from a good minimum 8 hours of sleep,
- enjoy a satisfying, nourishing breakfast that has protein, fiber, slow releasing carbohydrates and
- some of the rainbow colored fruits and vegetables you are planning to have today and then
- fill up two 1-liter BPA free water bottles that you will finish by the end of the day, after which you
- walk to work, take the stairs, do you groceries by foot or find another way to move your body regularly and finally
- look the other way when processed, sugary and inflammatory foods are staring you in the face and choose real, whole, fresh foods instead.
These are straightforward tips, I know, but they work! And although it takes a bit of commitment to be consistently applying these principles, it is well worth your while to make that commitment and get more out of your life.
Here is the breakdown of why you will feel an immediate rise in energy levels when you consistently follow these principles:
Have a good night’s sleep.
Somewhere around 8 hours a day and you will be able to get up feeling well-rested and energized. When we are trying to get everything done in a day, we often forget about his important rule and end up tucking in way past our bedtime even though the alarm will still go off in the early hours of the morning.. Making a 10 pm bedtime routine a priority is essential and worth it. Even if your work is not totally finished: you will have so much more energy to tackle things the next day after having had adequate rest.
Have a Better Breakfast
Start your day right, with the proper fuel that releases slowly over a longer period of time. Instead of a quick cup of coffee with a muffin on the go, or a quick bowl of sugary cereal make time to prepare yourself a nourishing breakfast that will last you till your next meal so that you can accomplish many of the tasks you set out to achieve.
A better breakfast contains protein, fiber and slow-releasing carbohydrates. Proteins because it forms the buildings blocks of our body, slow release (i.e. whole grain) carbohydrates because they provides long lasting energy and fiber because it slows down the absorption of food in your stomach making your “fuel” last longer.
Have at least 5 Today
Paint your plate with rainbow colors by including a variety of fruits and vegetables (more of the latter, minimum 5 a day) in different colors in your meals to make sure you get all the different vitamins and minerals and other nutrients that your body needs to thrive.
Drink 8 Glasses of Water
Fatigue is often due to dehydration so start by drinking enough water to stay hydrated. You can read all about the kind of water and how much you need to drink to stay optimally hydrated in this article.
Go for a Walk
Instead of reaching for a quick fix when energy levels slump, try moving around a bit to get your levels back up. Go for a walk, potter around the house, climb a few flights of stairs should do the trick. Deep abdominal breathing and thereby sending oxygen deep into your lungs and into the bloodstream often helps too.
Say NO to Sugar, Refined and Processed Foods
By eliminating inflammatory foods you will free up your energy, instantly!
Sugar converts quickly into ready-to-use fuel but just as quickly as that boost came on, it disappears leaving you with low blood sugar levels and down in a slump. You will find yourself in a vicious cycle of energy highs and lows. There are much better choices of foods that provide long lasting energy.
Similarly, replace refined vegetable oils, processed foods, refined foods and any other junk that adds to inflammation in your body for real, fresh, whole foods. The change you feel when you take this step is instant, seriously. Try it!
Having said all this, there might be situations where your body has been in a stage of on-going stress for a long time and needs some more nurturing, possibly supplementation and other protocols to get back into a state of optimal functioning. If you feel you are in that kind of situation, hop on over to this article that talks about your adrenals in more details or contact me if you want more support. I would love to be able to help you get your life back!
Meanwhile try the tips I mentioned above and let me know how you feel…
Monique
