Making the right choices in what, when and how you eat can mean the difference between feeling younger and energetic, or slow and sluggish. Here are some pointers that will boost your energy and youthfulness.
• Eat less, but more often—If you are concerned about your energy levels, choose smaller meals and snacks, and eat about every three hours. This approach will help you trick your brain, in a sense, giving it a steady supply of energy. But don’t overdo at each meal or snack. Your brain will be satisfied with a piece of fruit of a few nuts.
• Eat lighter lunches—Researchers have found that people who eat large lunches have a more pronounced afternoon slump. Although the exact reasons are unclear, it could be due to the peak-slump effect in energy levels that can occur after eating large amounts of food.
• Stay away from fad diets—If you need to lose weight, plan to do it “turtle style”, slow and steady. The poor nutrition and inadequate calories you get in fad or crash diets will leave you feeling tired…and older. Plan to lose a half pound a week by cutting 250 to 500 calories and exercising for 30 minutes four or five days a week. Don’t allow your intake to go below 1200 calories a day for women or 1500 a days for men, unless you are under medical supervision.
• Use caffeine strategically—We all know that caffeine can increase our alertness and energy level. But it can cost in terms when the effect drops off or with bouts of insomnia. Save your coffee or caffeinated beverage for those times you know will need the boost. And don’t overdo it.
• Limit alcohol—A drink at lunch or cocktail hour is almost guaranteed to cut your energy level, to the point of making your sleepy. Used moderately, a drink at dinner or in the evening can help you wind down after a hectic day. But don’t use it when you need to be energetic and alert for work, with your friends or family.
• Drink water—Water is critical to maintain adequate blood volume to carry nutrients to cells and carry waste out of our systems. One of the first signs of even mild dehydration is fatigue. Sports drinks can restore important vitamins, minerals and electrolytes to your body, but you still need adequate water in your body to maintain your energy levels. If you are exercising, drink an 8-ounce glass before you start, and another after you are done with your workout. If you are exercising for more than 30 minutes, drink smaller amounts every 15 to 30 minutes.
• Don’t substitute power bars for healthy snacks—Beware of power bars, those magic little bars that line the shelves of supermarkets, vitamin stores, and pharmacies. They taste so good, and they are good for you, right? Well, not exactly. While manufacturers claim their bars contain an ideal ratio of carbs, fat and protein, a study done at Ohio State University comparing the glycemic index of power bars with other forms of carbohydrates found that power bars were no better than plain candy bars. So stick with an apple for sustained energy.
• Eat less, but more often—If you are concerned about your energy levels, choose smaller meals and snacks, and eat about every three hours. This approach will help you trick your brain, in a sense, giving it a steady supply of energy. But don’t overdo at each meal or snack. Your brain will be satisfied with a piece of fruit of a few nuts.
• Eat lighter lunches—Researchers have found that people who eat large lunches have a more pronounced afternoon slump. Although the exact reasons are unclear, it could be due to the peak-slump effect in energy levels that can occur after eating large amounts of food.
• Stay away from fad diets—If you need to lose weight, plan to do it “turtle style”, slow and steady. The poor nutrition and inadequate calories you get in fad or crash diets will leave you feeling tired…and older. Plan to lose a half pound a week by cutting 250 to 500 calories and exercising for 30 minutes four or five days a week. Don’t allow your intake to go below 1200 calories a day for women or 1500 a days for men, unless you are under medical supervision.
• Use caffeine strategically—We all know that caffeine can increase our alertness and energy level. But it can cost in terms when the effect drops off or with bouts of insomnia. Save your coffee or caffeinated beverage for those times you know will need the boost. And don’t overdo it.
• Limit alcohol—A drink at lunch or cocktail hour is almost guaranteed to cut your energy level, to the point of making your sleepy. Used moderately, a drink at dinner or in the evening can help you wind down after a hectic day. But don’t use it when you need to be energetic and alert for work, with your friends or family.
• Drink water—Water is critical to maintain adequate blood volume to carry nutrients to cells and carry waste out of our systems. One of the first signs of even mild dehydration is fatigue. Sports drinks can restore important vitamins, minerals and electrolytes to your body, but you still need adequate water in your body to maintain your energy levels. If you are exercising, drink an 8-ounce glass before you start, and another after you are done with your workout. If you are exercising for more than 30 minutes, drink smaller amounts every 15 to 30 minutes.
• Don’t substitute power bars for healthy snacks—Beware of power bars, those magic little bars that line the shelves of supermarkets, vitamin stores, and pharmacies. They taste so good, and they are good for you, right? Well, not exactly. While manufacturers claim their bars contain an ideal ratio of carbs, fat and protein, a study done at Ohio State University comparing the glycemic index of power bars with other forms of carbohydrates found that power bars were no better than plain candy bars. So stick with an apple for sustained energy.
