If you're anything like me, you've probably been on a million and one diets throughout your life. Maybe you hit your goal weight, maybe you didn't - maybe you gained the weight back, or maybe you're trying now to maintain all of your hard work.
Cutting calories (safely) is a great way to lose weight.
But - the calories we DO consume can make or break our weight loss efforts AND our energy levels.
Eating a 150 calorie chocolate bar might not throw off your tracker for the day, but replacing it with some Greek yogurt and a banana can not only keep your tracker happy as well, but can also help you to feel great all day long and still keep your tracker happy.
There are SO many healthy foods that we already know we should be eating (and which ones we shouldn't!).
How in the world are we supposed to know exactly which foods can give us the energy we need?
To take some of the guesswork out for you, I've compiled a list of the best foods to keep you energized throughout the day. As busy moms, we need to keep our energy on high so we can get #allthethings done, so here are some foods that you can incorporate into every meal.
Breakfast:
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Watermelon
- Eggs
- Coffee and Green Tea
- Whole Grain Cereal
- Greek Yogurt
- Chia Seeds
Lunch and Dinner:
- Avocados
- Dark, leafy greens (Spinach, Kale, etc.)
- Quinoa
- Lentil
- Tuna Fish
- Beans
- Wild Salmon
- Lean Beef
Snacks:
- Dates
- Raw Almonds (no added oils or salt)
- Edamame
- Trail Mix
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Dark chocolate (70% cacao or more)
These are easy foods to spread throughout our day so that we can keep our energy on high.
Which of these are your favorites?
We all know we're supposed to drink more water. We read the articles that tell us our bodies are mostly made of water, and in order to function well, we have to make sure we stay hydrated.
Replenish fluids after exercise.
Drink more water on a hot day.
Drink more water on a hot day.
We know all of this, right?
But have you considered that the exhaustion, fatigue, irritability, and lack of concentration you experience could also be attributed to needing more water?
When we're tired, we tend to reach for that cup of coffee or candy bar for some quick energy. In last week's post, we talked about caffeine being a good source of quick energy. We also talked about how coffee's benefits are often short-lived. Sugar is the same way; it can pump you up for a minute until you come crashing down again.
Water gives every cell in our body energy to function the way it's designed to function. When that supply of water becomes depleted, our body has to work that much harder to keep itself going.
Dehydration can result in:
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Sleepiness
- Inability to focus
As moms, aren't these things that we all experience from time to time?
What if simply by drinking more water we could:
- Increase our energy
- Concentrate more fully
- Stay awake throughout the day
- Feel happier
- Check off more of our to-do list each day
Don't get me wrong; you can't just drink a glass of water and instantly feel rejuvenated for hours.
Typically for mild dehydration, it takes your body a full 24 hours to rehydrate.
For moderation dehydration, your body could take a couple of days to return to its functional state.
If you are severely dehydrated, it might require medical attention for your body to fully rehydrate.
The typical rule of thumb that we all know well is to drink 8 glasses of water per day.
If that seems like a lot, remember that some of your water intake can come from some fruits and vegetables too!
It can help to gradually increase your water intake day-by-day.
Next month, my team and I are going to challenge ourselves to drink water every day through the entire month of April, and by the end of the month, we'll all be drinking at least 8 glasses a day.
I'll have tips and recipes to help us throughout the challenge, and one of my team members is going to win a stainless steel water tumbler along with some other surprises to make drinking water more fun!
If you're already on my team, be on the look out for a sign-up coming soon.
If you're not yet on my team and would like info on how to join so you can be a part of our challenges and other fun, leave me a comment or send me a message!
And if you want some quick tips on how to boost your energy naturally, click here for my guide!
As a busy mom, waking up at 4 o'dark in the morning, sometimes it can be difficult to get up and moving.
Even if you wake up later around 7 or 8 a.m., just getting started is so challenging.
So what's easy and comforting? That beautiful, glorious, rich-smelling, warm, comforting first cup of coffee. It's kind of like magic, right? The best part of waking up may not necessarily be Folgers, but it's definitely coffee.
OR - maybe you don't drink coffee. Maybe you prefer a crisp soda first thing in the morning. To each her own.
As we look for ways to feel more energized throughout the day, one obvious question we have to ask is, "Does caffeine really help my energy levels?"
The quick and easy answer is YES. Caffeine can help you feel not only more energetic, but also more focused.
For the more than 85% of adults regularly consume the amount of caffeine equal to about 2 cups of coffee per day, this is great news, right?! Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world.
The problem with caffeine is that its affects can only be felt for approximately 4-6 hours. If you wake up at 6 a.m. and have your first cup when you get to work at 8 a.m., that's worn off by 2 p.m. and you're crashing again.
Don't you want to feel great ALL day and not just for a few hours?
Caffeine can also cause a rapid heartbeat and increase blood pressure, which on the one hand could be helpful for some people - but for others, that's a huge health hazard. It can also cause heartburn, nausea, and vomiting when taken in large quantities (ever have more than 4 cups of coffee in a day? I sure have!).
Another downfall that may surprise you - caffeine prevents calcium absorption, which is especially important information for women as we *ahem* get older.
Here's the bottom line:
- Caffeine can help you feel more alert
- Caffeine can help you be more focused
- Caffeine's effects are short-lived
- Caffeine is a drug, so it can create dependency, induce withdrawal symptoms, and cause negative side effects
It's not bad to drink a cup or two of coffee every day.
The problem is when caffeine is your main source of energy. There are so many other sources of nutrition that can help us to feel more energized throughout the entire day, without the side effects of "too much caffeine" or withdrawal symptoms. We're going to explore some of that this month!
Your turn: how much caffeine do you consume each day? Do you get it from coffee, soda, food, energy drinks?
You know that feeling when you're so exhausted, it physically hurts to be awake?
Your eyes hurt and it takes everything you have in you just to keep them open.
Trying to drive is terrifying in these moments.
You try to follow all the advice (drink more water! get more sleep! exercise regularly!), yet for some inexplicable reason, you're just worn out, run down, and over it.
That's where I was a few years ago.
I did ALL the things:
- Exercised daily
- Tried to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night
- Drank water all day
- Ate a fairly healthy diet (I'm not gonna lie, I was not and definitely am not perfect at this!)
But I just couldn't shake the exhaustion. Yes, I went to see the doctor, had my thyroid checked, hormones, vitamin levels, everything was NORMAL. Whatever that means.
Over the past several years, I've discovered a few things that have helped me to finally feel normal again. And actually, a lot of the time, I feel better than normal; I feel GREAT!
This blog is going to be used to share some of the things I've learned, in hopes that I can help other moms like me learn how to feel amazing.
If you want to take this journey with me and learn how you can get your energy back, make sure you follow along!
For a jumpstart, I've created a guide to 5 Easy Ways to Boost Your Energy. Click here to grab your copy!
Tell me, when do feel the most exhausted?
