Beware the Quick Fix
Mission Nutrition Blog - 19th July 2011
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A few weeks ago I was speaking at a conference in Taupo about work/life balance and what you need to do to make sure that you wake up every morning feeling alert, refreshed and ready to give your day your best. Rather than unwillingly crawling out of bed, dreading the day ahead! When it came to talking about energy levels, I talked about the increasing use of coffee, energy drinks, sugary foods and stimulants that people use these days as crutches to help them get through the day. The irony really is that these products actually feed the cycle of tiredness and fatigue.
With the pressures of work, relationships, finances and more, it is easy for us to reach for the quick fix – and boy there are many!!! First there was energy drinks, now there are energy shots and even chewing gum!! People (especially children!!) STEP AWAY…
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I know these energy boosting solutions and enjoying endless cups of coffee may seem to help inititally, but in the long term, they can become part of a vicious cycle. Your body can absolutely cope with some caffeine - a few coffees or teas a day will do you no harm at all. However, when you come to rely on them to function, the story changes.
Let's talk about solutions. No, they aren’t glamorous, they don’t come in a nice green shiny bottle and they won't cost you anything. But this doesn't make them any less effective! With everyone I have worked with, these things DO make a difference to their energy levels on a continued basis - not just a quick fix.
Boost your energy levels naturally:
- Don’t ignore genuine hunger!
Isn’t it funny that you can feel super hungry sometimes, but if you are really busy and ignore it, the feeling goes away?! This is your body being forced to take over when you didn’t feed it when it needed fuel. For so many people I see, this can make them feel tired and also means that you aren't eating regularly enough. Also, when you do eat, you might end up over doing it which is also not helpful. If you constantly miss lunch because you get busy or have lunchtime meeting, have a snack or eat half your lunch at 11.30 and the rest after your meeting - rather than missing it altogether.
- Get outside for at least 20 or 30 minutes each day!
Your eyes need to be exposed to sunlight to help you produce the happy hormone ‘serotonin’ – if you don’t do this, it is no wonder you are needing to reach for that extra coffee or sugar hit at 3pm! NO sunglasses on for this one, so in summer, make sure it’s earlier in the morning or late afternoon so you don’t don’t get all the glare or hurt your eyes.
- Drink enough to make sure you are peeing plenty of 'pale' pee.
Dark pee means you are dehydrated and dehydration is unhelfpul for energy levels. At this time of year, get into the herbal and green teas, as well as hydrating you they also provide healthy antioxidants and warmth!
- Do your sleep a favour
Even if you can drink a coffee before bed and still sleep through the night, it doesn’t mean the QUALITY of your sleep will be good. You are also likely to wake up and not feel rested. Stick to caffiene earlier in the day and the less, the better. Same goes for alcohol – it might appear to help you get to sleep, but may mean poor quality sleep, not to mention extra bad calories.
So team, DON’T opt for the band-aid solution when it comes to managing your energy levels – in the long run, it will only make you feel worse. Help yourself, from the inside out!
Need help to boost your energy levels? We can help!
Come and talk to the fabulous team at Mission Nutrition and get the help and support you need to overcome the challenges of eating well in this busy world. We offer individualised nutrition advice to help you be your best. Call us today on (09) 948 7999 or email info@missionnutrition.co.nz.
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