Tips for boosting your physical energy …

Is it me, or does it seem like so many people today complain about lacking energy?

Famed coach, Vince Lombardi, is credited with saying, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” When we feel like we don’t have the energy we need, it’s hard to take on your days with enthusiasm and gusto.

Let’s be honest, most people who feel lethargic or “low energy” do so because they don’t take good care of themselves. And, if truth be told, most won’t do what it takes to purge “energy robbers” from their lives! But let’s not let that stop us from looking at some ways you can boost your energy level:

Develop a healthy sleep pattern – This may sound like a “duh” statement, but not consistently getting enough good sleep from a habitual healthy sleep pattern can be a daily zapper of energy. If you want to maximize your energy but do it without getting adequate sleep, you’re fooling yourself. Your body needs time to regenerate; provide it with that and your energy levels will rise, but rob it of that and you’ll always start your day feeling physically lacking or depleted.

Eat healthy and for energy – What you eat and how you eat will either fuel your body with energy or cause you to feel wiped out. Here’s some tips:

• • Don’t skip any meals, and especially make sure to eat a healthy breakfast. Eating sparks your metabolism and generates energy, which is most needed in the morning after a night of your metabolism being at it’s lowest ebb.
  • Eat for energy by eating smaller meals and snacks every few hours rather than having three large meals. Your brain needs a steady supply of nutrients which is provided by “grazing” – for example, eat a hearty and healthy breakfast, mid-morning snack, moderate lunch, mid-afternoon snack, moderate dinner (protein and vegetables), and perhaps a light snack between dinner and bedtime (not less than two hours before going to bed).
  • Eat more whole grains and less sugar. The key here is to keep blood sugar balanced to keep energy constant. “When you’re eating a sweet food, you get a spike in blood sugar, which gives you an initial burst of energy,” says New York University nutritionist, Samantha Heller. “But that’s followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar, which in turn can leave you feeling very wiped out.” Do that enough times a day, she says, and by evening you’re feeling exhausted. “But, if you eat a lot of whole grains, which provide a slow and steady release of fuel, your energy will be consistent and balanced, so by day’s end you’ll feel less tired,” says Heller. Indeed, a study published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating more whole grains helped increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin, allowing for that slow and steady release.

Consider vitamin and mineral supplements. Even the “best” diets of healthy, organic foods can still lack the full intake recommendation of daily vitamins and minerals. Talk to your physician about possibly taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement to boost your intake to daily recommendations. One example – a lack of magnesium can rob you of energy. “This mineral is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including breaking down glucose into energy,” Heller said. “So when levels are even a little low, energy can drop.” In a study done at the Department of Agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, N.D., women with magnesium deficiencies had higher heart rates and required more oxygen to do physical tasks than they did after their magnesium levels were restored. In essence, their bodies were working harder which, over time, says Heller, can leave you feeling depleted.

Get and stay fit – This is another of those “duh” statements, but being unfit and overweight are key ingredients for low energy. Any exercise or physical activity that gets the heart rate up and the blood flowing and releases endorphins is going to raise your energy level. Good cardiovascular exercises will strengthen your heart and give you more stamina. Always consult your physician before starting any new personal exercise program.

Move throughout your day. We develop a sedentary lifestyle by sitting for long periods of time throughout our days. Break that up by at least standing, and preferably moving (walking, strolling, stretching, etc.) at a target of at least every 20 minutes. Take a walk on your lunch break, use stairs instead of an elevator, stand up and walk around your house between commercials when watching TV. The key is to purposely increase your movement and standing throughout the day.

Reduce and manage stress. One of the biggest energy zappers is stress, says psychologist Paul Baard, PhD. “Stress is the result of anxiety, and anxiety uses up a whole lot of our energy,” says Baard, a sports psychologist at Fordham University in the Bronx, N.Y. Like worry or fear, Baard says, stress can leave you mentally and physically exhausted, even if you’ve spent the day in bed. More commonly, he says, low but chronic levels of stress erode energy levels, so over time you find yourself doing less and feeling it more. The good news, says Baard, is that we can counter these energy killers by programming more relaxation activities into our day. While for many people, increasing exercise burns off the chemical effects of stress, others find relief in quiet pursuits: listening to music, reading a novel, or even just talking on the phone. “Whatever is relaxing for you will reduce tension and that will help increase energy,” says Baard.

Hydrate adequately. What’s the only nutrient that has been shown to enhance performance for all but the most demanding endurance activities? It’s not some pricey sports drink. It’s water. If your body is short of fluids, one of the first signs is a feeling of fatigue. The remedy? A cool glass of water. How much water do you need each day? “It depends on your size and weight, and also on your activity level and where you live,” says Trent Nessler, managing director of Baptist Sports Medicine in Nashville, TN. “In general, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.” For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. If you’re living in a hot climate and exercising a lot, you’d be on the higher end of that range; if you’re in a cooler climate and mostly sedentary, you’d need less.

Use caffeine wisely. A common practice of many people today is to not take good care of themselves, then try to counter the resulting lack of energy by an addiction to coffee and “energy” drinks. While there are many studies that establish drinking coffee can be good for you, Harvard Medical School states: “Caffeine does help increase alertness, so having a cup of coffee can help sharpen your mind. But to get the energizing effects of caffeine, you have to use it judiciously. It can cause insomnia, especially when consumed in large amounts or after 2 p.m.”

Avoid smoking. Harvard Medical School resports: “You know smoking threatens your health. But you may not know that smoking actually siphons off your energy by causing insomnia. The nicotine in tobacco is a stimulant, so it speeds the heart rate, raises blood pressure, and stimulates brain-wave activity associated with wakefulness, making it harder to fall asleep. And once you do fall asleep, its addictive power can kick in and awaken you with cravings.”

Limit alcohol. Harvard Medical School advises: “One of the best hedges against the mid-afternoon slump is to avoid drinking alcohol at lunch. The sedative effect of alcohol is especially strong at midday. Similarly, avoid a five o’clock cocktail if you want to have energy in the evening. If you’re going to drink, do so in moderation at a time when you don’t mind having your energy wind down.” And Heller says if you find yourself frequently fatigued even after a good night’s sleep, try cutting down on alcohol during the evening hours. “While alcohol initially helps you fall asleep, it also interferes with deep sleep, so you’re not getting the rest you think you are — even if you sleep a full eight hours,” she claims. By cutting down on alcohol before bedtime, you’ll get a better night’s rest, which is bound to result in more energy the next day.

Many people build habits into their lives that are natural energy robbers, but don’t really like the idea of making the changes suggested here to boost their energy. Let me suggest you just try some or all of these suggestions and see what affect it has on boosting your energy levels. You might discover you love the feeling of having a more robust energy level for living life.

Scotty