How To Boost Your Energy – Post by Richard Maddocks, author of The Energy Book.
We all need fuel to be able to do our daily activities. What is the pattern of your fuel intake throughout the day? Is your energy supply in line with the demand on your energy?
Do you begin the day with a healthy breakfast? Or do you rush out of the door having downed a quick coffee/tea and maybe grabbed a sandwich/cereal bar to eat on the way to work? Do you think that breakfast is for wimps?
Breakfast And Snacking
The word ‘breakfast’ originates from the fact that we all need to ‘break from fast’ after a night’s sleep, during which your fuel intake has been reduced to zero. It’s often considered to be the most important meal of the day, because of this fact: your engine can’t run on empty!
When do you next eat? Lunchtime? Or maybe a snack mid-morning? The concept of eating like a baby doesn’t mean sucking on a mother’s breast. It’s related to eating appropriate amounts on a regular basis throughout the day, ideally eating something (healthy) every 2-3 hours.
For a balanced intake, it is highly recommended to eat a strategic snack in between breakfast and lunch, and again between lunch and dinner. A healthy snack consists of a combination of protein (for example cheese or nuts) and a fresh fruits, dried fruit, or fruit yoghurt. Or maybe, for convenience, a (health) energy bar.
Lunch And Dinner
A couple of important tips to boost your energy regarding lunch and dinner too:
- Have a balanced plate, with 25% protein, 25% grains/carbohydrates and 50% vegetables/fruit
- Use smaller plates to make sure you don’t over-eat
- Never have a second helping – often a bad habit at dinner time!
‘Need’ And ‘Want’ Foods
You don’t have to try to be a saint and only consume healthy stuff (so-called ‘need’ foods).
If you have the desire to allow yourself to eat some of the less healthy things such as sweets, cakes, desserts, crisps, alcohol, sweetened drinks… the so-called ‘want’ foods.
The key is to maintain a good balance between ‘need’ and ‘want’ foods. A recommended ratio is 70-80% ‘need’ versus 30-20% ‘want’.
I guarantee if you follow these eating principles, you will have more physical energy and your energy levels will be much better balanced throughout the day. Don’t delay, start today!
Drink Like A Fish
The expression ‘drink like a fish’ normally means to consume excessive amounts of alcohol. Well that’s not what I’m referring to here! What I’m meaning is the necessity to drink water throughout the day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
You may know that 6-% of your body consists of water, and your blood is 90% water. Water is literally the liquid of life.
Our bodies are constantly losing water through breathing, sweating and digestion. Thus, to maintain a healthy body, it’s essential to keep re-hydrating your system. Even when mildly dehydrated, bodily functions work less efficiently, fatigue starts to happen, alertness and concentration are decreased.
Am I Dehydrated?
You know you’re dehydrated when you feel thirsty. Another simple test is to check the colour of your urine when you pee. When the body is properly hydrated, the colour should be pale lemon or colourless. If it’s a stronger colour of yellow, your system is definitely in need of more water.
Here are a few of the health benefits of an appropriate daily intake of water. It…
- Flushes out toxins, gets rid of waste
- Boosts your metabolism, helps digestion
- Helps maintain a healthy blood pressure
- Prevents kidney damage
- Promotes healthy skin, increases skin-elasticity (reduces signs of aging)
- Contributes to a stable body weight
There are many more health benefits, but equally important is that drinking water energizes you, reduces muscle fatigue, increases concentration and improves your mood. You literally feel better.
The commonly recommended daily water intake is between 1.5 and 2.5 litres, depending on your body weight. This translates to between six to eight medium size glasses per day. By the way, cups of coffee or tea don’t count towards your quota, they don’t hydrate the body!
Tips
Here are a few tips to get you going, boost your energy and stay hydrated:
- Always have a refillable bottle with you – at work, home, and play – and sip water throughout the day
- Thirty minutes before every meal, drink one full glass of water
- If you drink alcohol with dinner, have a glass water 30 minutes after the meal
- Every time you go to the bathroom, drink a glass of water afterwards
- When you pass a water-cooler, refill your bottle or grab a cup of water and drink it
- If you do ‘accidentally’ drink like a fish with alcohol, make sure you consume at least two glasses of water before bed… as a hangover prevention action!
When you follow these tips, you will not only benefit from the many health aspects, you will be noticeably more energized.
For more ways to boost your energy, read Richard’s book, The Energy Book.
Why not also check out our post on how to energise your fitness regime.
