As a wife, mother and business owner I feel like most of you out there. There aren’t enough hours in the day for all life holds and of course my selfishness all I want to accomplish. I know I’m not alone when I say this, although we all have the same 24 hours in a day. I found myself feeling tired all the time. I would start out with my morning cup of coffee feel a jolt of energy and then somewhere between 11-2 I would feel tired again and want another cup of coffee to get me through the day. When fatigue really sets in no amount of coffee will get me through my day and then starts the food cravings sometimes I would feel like a ravaging lion,(like my daughter would say). This cycle of fatigue and hunger would cycle up and cycle down. I would squeeze a nap in whenever I could but let’s face it there is too much to do so during nap time(my daughter’s nap) I wanted to accomplish all my to do’s on my list. One day I had enough.
As a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, I knew what eating healthy looked like. I worked towards this every day for myself and my family. But as I started to look at my life and the changes that occurred to bring me to this place I had an aha ha moment. There was something different, contributing to this seemingly never ending cycle. A great revelation for me. Stress and lack of regular exercise were two huge factors contributing to my highs and lows, along with an almost four-year-old who is sneaking into bed with us every night……Here are my tips to increase energy.
Exhausted All The Time? I was! Here are my tips to increasing energy!
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- Look at your life and see if you see a major event or change. Something you might be overlooking that could be draining your energy. For me, we just made a major life move. Sold a business, our home and moved out of our community we had been apart of for a very long time. The only life my daughter had known, our support system and friends. A basic(major) start over. Being unsettled for all of us created stress and anxiety. My daughter had a fear she hadn’t experienced before, so for me not having a little one sleep all the way through the night was huge. She was always a good sleeper and now I was up all night with her.
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- Look at your sugar intake. Sugar can give you a quick boost of energy but it also gives you a drop in blood sugar. Sugars are hidden in foods you may not even realize how much sugar you’re taking in each day. Eliminating sugar altogether is best.
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- Don’t skip meals. Eating regular meals and snacks keeps your blood sugar balanced.
- Stay hydrated through out the day. I love to use my Hydro Flask I personally have the 40-ounce bottle which is large and helps me make sure I’m taking in enough water. A good calculation tool take your weight, divide it by two that’s how much water you should attempt to take in.
- Get a good nights sleep. 8-10 hours is optimal.
- Grab a nap, I love naps, do I get them very often? No! But even a 20 minute close your eyes and quiet your mind can help.
- Green leafy greens are packed full of natural energy. Yes, food fuels our energy level. Sneek them in where ever you can. I love putting some in a smoothie. Snacks like celery, cucumbers, cook rice or quinoa and add some kale. Or make eggs for breakfast adding some spinach. You can make almost any meal and add a side of some greens. Juicing is another great way to increase your greens in larger amounts.
- High-quality protein is critical. This one thing could be the reason you are fatigued. Protein provides your body with fuel to build and repair tissue. One of the beauties of protein is it takes longer to break down than carbohydrates, providing consistent energy. Nuts, seeds, leafy greens, salmon. I love to add a good protein powder into my morning smoothie. This is my favorite as its gluten and dairy free and made from grass fed beef protein. The Myers Way® Paleo Protein Chocolate – 30 Servings – 21g of Protein
- Omegas in supplement form or from wild fish. Omegas also help keep our mood steady which can contribute to fatigue.Garden of Life Ultra Pure EPA/DHA Omega 3 Fish is a great choice.
- Exercise one of the things I found that with my major move packing, and then unpacking getting our family settled I really wasn’t allowing myself the time to work out. Even simple, quick exercise. Exercise not only boosts your mood, helps with depression and anxiety but it gives you more energy.
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I love this from web-MD:
A walk may be better than a nap for boosting energy and fighting fatigue.
New research suggests regular exercise can increase energy levels even among people suffering from chronic medical conditions associated with fatigue, like cancer and heart disease.
It may seem counterintuitive, but researchers say expending energy by engaging in regular exercise may pay off with increased energy in the long run.
- Review your diet. And tune into your body. If you have a lingering illness, stomach issues, or inflammation in your gut these can all be conditions that your bodys immune system needs to fight harder to strenghen or heal. Robbing you of the energy your body needs to work.
- Journalling can be a great way to gain more energy. If you find you have stress and lets face it we all have some sort of stress. But prologned stress is harmful and can bring us down. Journally is a great way to work through stress and whats dragging you down in your mind.
So for me and my journey, I plan to implement all of these that are lacking. Do I still drink coffee? yes, I do however it’s I don’t use it to sustain me.
Live Well, Be Well
I’d love to hear from you!