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How to increase your energy levels

by | Oct 18, 2022 | Blogs

‘How to increase your energy levels, without grabbing a chocolate’ 

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

  1. We need good consistent energy
  2. A mistaken behaviour and what it leads to
  3. Case study
  4. 5 top strategies you can implement to achieving better energy

We need good consistent energy

When you are tired all the time or have times in the day when you feel fatigued, it can reduce your productivity. Your focus and alertness are lower, and you start feeling irritable. Little things you usually deal with well can easily feel quite overwhelming.

Have you ever felt like this?

Perhaps you have a high-pressured job, run the household, and take care of the family. Or perhaps you are at home full-time, running apart-time business and you’re trying to keep all the balls in the air.

You need to be on top of your game, but then it feels like you hit a brick wall and have no more energy!

Good consistent energy levels enable you to flourish and enable you to give your best and invest in others!

The mistake

A big mistake busy women make when their energy is low, is grabbing a chocolate bar or a few biscuits!

It seems like the right thing to do, but it is a mistake, because when you do that, it leads toa sudden energy drop (1), feelings of irritability (2) and/or sleep disturbances

Instead of eating another piece of cake, take a deep breath and follow one of the strategies I will share with you.

If you do this, you may noticemore consistent energy levels throughout the day, being more focused and efficient and experiencing more enjoyment in your day-to-day tasks.

So, the next time you have an afternoon slump, don’t grab another packet of biscuits, but instead implement one or all the strategies I will share with you.

CASE STUDY

“I just got more done in the last 6 hours than I got done in the last 1 week, I feel so much more energised!”

It didn’t take long for Yvonne to feel the positive changes in her body and regain her energy.

When I met Yvonne, she was suffering with low energy levels. She constantly felt exhausted and so unproductive. She didn’t have the energy to do exercise or have fun with her friends. No matter how well she slept at night she still had that dreaded afternoon slump and exhaustion in the evenings. She really felt frustrated because of it all!

Then, I was recommended to her, and we started working on the Prosperous Health programme, and the first thing I implemented was a customised food and lifestyle plan.

This plan helped her…

  1. Identify the foods which enhance performance.
  2. Break the postprandial-hyperglycaemic-cycle.
  3. Focus on building customised lifestyle strategies to enhance energy.

As a result, Yvonne saw great improvements in a matter of weeks.

Her body responded well to the changes and her energy became a lot more stable throughout the day. She now feels she works more efficient, and she can be more active, having fun with her friends again!

Five strategies that help increase your energy levels

It is important to get the basics right and then build on from there. Here are strategies you can implement straight away. 

  1. Stay hydrated

Water plays a key role in our bodies and the average adult needs around 2 liters of water per day to ensure they are well hydrated. It is also needed for optimal electrolyte balance and energy production. The brain is made up of 75% water and dehydration may cause lowered concentration and memory (4).

 

  1. Reduce your refined sugar intake

Refined foods have been processed and lack nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fibre (5). These foods spike blood sugar levels which are followed by a sudden drop.Examples of refined foods are white bread, white pasta, biscuits, cakes, chips, fries, chocolate etc.

  1. Eat a healthy breakfast

Following on from point 2, eating a nutrient-rich, fibre-rich breakfast is a great way to start your day. Instead of opting for a bowl of refined cereal, you can try overnight oats with fresh berries and almond butter or an herb omelette with wilted spinach.

  1. Have enough protein with every meal

In contrast to refined sugars, protein can help us feel more alert. When we consume protein, it releases glucose slowly into the bloodstream giving us more consistent energy (6)(7). A good source of protein is needed at every meal and even with every snack you have (8)(9).

  1. Take a break from what you are doing and move more

It is important to take regular breaks during the day, especially when sitting at a desk (10). Get up and move around, do some stretches, or go for a walk outside. Fresh air and sunlight are a great way to get energised and studies show that it leads to an increase in productivity and helps relieve stress (11). 

 

References:

  1. Di Nicolantonio JJ, Berger A. Added sugars drive nutrient and energy deficit in obesity: a new paradigm. Open Heart 2016;3:e000469. doi:10.1136/openhrt-2016-000469.
  2. Jacques A, Chaaya N, Beecher K, Ali SA, Belmer A, Bartlett S. The impact of sugar consumption on stress driven, emotional and addictive behaviors. NeurosciBiobehav Rev. 2019 Aug;103:178-199. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.021. Epub 2019 May 21. PMID: 31125634.
  3. Zhao M, Tuo H, Wang S, Zhao L. The Effects of Dietary Nutrition on Sleep and Sleep Disorders. Mediators Inflamm. 2020 Jun 25;2020:3142874. doi: 10.1155/2020/3142874. PMID: 32684833; PMCID: PMC7334763.
  4. Popkin BM, D’Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010 Aug;68(8):439-58. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x. PMID: 20646222; PMCID: PMC2908954.
  5. White JR Jr. Sugar. Clin Diabetes. 2018 Jan;36(1):74-76. doi: 10.2337/cd17-0084. PMID: 29382983; PMCID: PMC5775006.
  6. Li Y, Li S, Wang W, Zhang D. Association between Dietary Protein Intake and Cognitive Function in Adults Aged 60 Years and Older. J Nutr Health Aging. 2020;24(2):223-229. doi: 10.1007/s12603-020-1317-4. PMID: 32003415.
  7. Glenn JM, Madero EN, Bott NT. Dietary Protein and Amino Acid Intake: Links to the Maintenance of Cognitive Health. Nutrients. 2019 Jun 12;11(6):1315. doi: 10.3390/nu11061315. PMID: 31212755; PMCID: PMC6627761.
  8. Drummen M, Tischmann L, Gatta-Cherifi B, Adam T, Westerterp-Plantenga M. Dietary Protein and Energy Balance in Relation to Obesity and Co-morbidities. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2018 Aug 6;9:443. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00443. PMID: 30127768; PMCID: PMC6087750.
  9. Paterson M, Bell KJ, O’Connell SM, Smart CE, Shafat A, King B. The Role of Dietary Protein and Fat in Glycaemic Control in Type 1 Diabetes: Implications for Intensive Diabetes Management. Curr Diab Rep. 2015 Sep;15(9):61. doi: 10.1007/s11892-015-0630-5. PMID: 26202844; PMCID: PMC4512569.
  10. Bird SR, Hawley JA. Update on the effects of physical activity on insulin sensitivity in humans. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2017 Mar 1;2(1):e000143. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2016-000143. PMID: 28879026; PMCID: PMC5569266.
  11. Koo, Kyo-Man, and Chun-Jong Kim. “The effect of the type of physical activity on the perceived stress level in people with activity limitations.” Journal of exercise rehabilitation 14,3 361-366. 30 Jun. 2018, doi:10.12965/jer.1836164.082