Kick off the New Year by having a renewed sense of energy. Are you sick of waking up tired, feeling weak and exhausted through out the day or just like you are running on empty? Lets fight fatigue with these 9 easy to implement strategies to the rescue.
1. Stay Hydrated – Drink plenty of pure water, mineral rich water, and herbal teas as well water-rich foods like fruits and veggies. Did you know that dehydration can cause cravings for sugar and salt, headache, irritability and nausea? Our bodies are mostly made up of water and our cells needs lots of it, in order to maintain balance. It is recommended to drink half of your body weight per day. If you’re 150 pounds then you should have 75 ounces or 9 1/2 cups of water, tea and water-rich foods. Try one of my favorite drinks, VitaCoco Coconut Water. It’s packed with electrolytes and has no artificial sweeteners!
2. Limit Caffeine - You may be fooled by the quick fix of coffee or red bull, that claim to boost your energy and mental alertness but these are actually energy drainers in the long run. Caffeine is a stimulant and it energizes your body temporarily. Your body gets accustomed to this energy and then it actually needs it in order to function. It is highly addictive. Instead, try reaching for green tea, which has a very low amount of caffeine and numerous health benefits. Try Yogi Super Anti-Oxidant
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3. Eat Sea Vegetables - This is one of the healthiest group of vegetables out there. They have an abundance of vitamins and trace minerals required by our body. They are excellent sources iodine, calcium, and iron. The iodine in seaweed tones the thyroid gland to promote healthy metabolism and weight loss. Seaweeds also remove heavy metals from your body, and contribute to beautiful skin. Eating a lot of sea vegetables per day is not necessarily better but variety is key because they vary greatly in nutrients. Some varieties include Arame, wakame, hijiki, dulse, nori, kombu and kudzu. A very simple and delicious way to get your daily dose is miso soup with seaweed. Try this for a snack or as part of a meal. Another option is trying a green drink. My favorite is Green Vibrance. You can purchase them in single use packets so you always have one on the go. http://tinyurl.com/82qfwd
4. Cut back on Refined Sugar, Processed foods & Eliminate Sugar Substitutes – After lunch have you ever felt like you just wanted to take a long nap? Most likely your meal with the diet cola was filled with refined and artificial sugars and processed foods, which converts to sugar. The sugar enters your blood stream really quickly and what goes up must come down. That means you are left feeling exhausted, emotional highs and low, headache and foggy thinking. Next time you’re hungry try to consciously choose a healthy meal. An energized meal option would be a grilled chicken and avocado wrap. Take a palm sized grilled chicken, 1/4 avocado, lettuce, tomato, other vegetable fillings if you desire and a sprouted tortilla.
5. Try A Fun Gym Class with a Buddy like Urban Rebound. Urban Rebounding is such a fun workout that New York Magazine rated it #1 workout. You can find the class at most gyms around the country and you can even purchase an Urban Rebounder for only $120 and it doesn’t take up much space like a treadmill that usually ends up as an expensive rack for your clothes. This exercise helps fight fatigue, strengthens the heart, improves circulation, and increases your metabolism and so much more. Very skeptical, I tried it out for the first time earlier this year and was shocked at how easy and thrilling it was. For only 10-15 minutes a day you can achieve all the incredible health benefits. That’s definitely a good enough reason to check it out!
http://www.urbanrebounding.com/
6. Get a Better Night Sleep – Getting an adequate amount of quality sleep is vital to having energy through out the day. It’s so hard to wind down after a long, stressful day and therefore your sleep is compromised. Try to practice a routine of quieting the mind and body by stopping all work at least half hour before bedtime. It is also very calming and soothing to have some chamomile tea. Try to eat your last meal three to four hours before bed. You don’t want your body to concentrate on digesting at this time.
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7. Eat Breakfast – Your body is starving when you first wake up in the morning. Refuel, recharge by setting up your mind and body up to have a great day by having breakfast within an hour of waking up. We’re all super busy in the morning but having a breakfast can make or break your day. I guarantee that you will notice a difference. I dare you to experiment. Try these fast and easy breakfasts that you can even take with you on the run.
a. 2 hard-boiled eggs with a slice of whole wheat toast. Try Ezekiel whole grain sprouted bread
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b. Make your own yogurt parfait. 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1/4c all natural granola, handful of berries and slice almonds
c. Ezekiel Cinnamon raisin english muffins with almond butter and 1/2 banana
8. Eat Every 4 to 5 Hours to Prevent Dips in Blood Sugar – Eating small meals or a meal then a snack every few hours provides consistent and lasting energy through out the day. It will also maintain a balanced blood sugar level, which will create mental clarity and sharpness that can increase your productivity and creativity. You thought there was no such thing as a quick fix. I created some easy to make snacks that you can keep at your office or even grab at the local deli.
1. Lara Bars
www.larabar.com
2. Apple with 1 tbs of almond butter
3. Banana Almond butter sandwich – cut the banana length wise and smear almond butter on it
4. Miso soup
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5. Yogurt with berries
6. cup of trail mix
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