If your snooze button is getting more of a workout than you are then these 5 tips could help you revamp your energy ready for a new year.
1. Eat a clean diet
Clean living is all about eliminating processed foods and sugar and focusing on eating foods that are as close to nature as possible. Eliminating white bread and pasta as well as foods containing sugar such as cakes, biscuits, sweets, desserts, soft drink and processed chocolate is a great start. If you really want to bring about change then eliminating alcohol and coffee can take your energy to a whole new level. A great maxim to live by is something green with every meal. It helps to shift your focus to be in alignment with clean living. Breakfast is the meal most people get confronted with but eggs with a little rocket or a green smoothie easily pass the “green test”. Try this for an energising green smoothie in the morning: kale, baby spinach leaves, cucumber, pineapple, coconut water, chia seeds and a cheek of mango. Yum!
2. Protein at every meal
Protein (chicken, fish, red meat, legumes, tofu, nuts) when consumed at breakfast, lunch and dinner does wonders for your energy due to it’s ability to help stabilise blood sugar. You should aim for the size and thickness of your palm (no fingers) at each meal. Once again breakfast is usually the most challenging but some suggestions could include vegetable frittata, omelette, boiled, scrambled or poached eggs and greens; protein shake, salmon patties or for the more daring chicken, mushrooms, greens and tomato. Remember, breakfast is just another meal so having your dinner for breakfast is perfect!
3. Eat regularly
Stable blood sugar equals stable energy levels so it’s important to eat every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar stable. When we are busy it can seem like we are saving time by skipping a meal but when you do the math, you may have gone for 5+ hours without eating! The first to suffer will be your brain, so you will be tired and lack focus if you are in a habit of skipping meals. If you want to be a high performer then you must eat every few hours even if it is only just a handful of nuts.
4. Move your body
Knowing that exercise and fresh air are great for energy and doing something about it are two different things! Take on the mantra, “No zero days”. Each and every day do something to move your body, even if it’s only for 10 minutes. Try focusing your attention on doing something every day whether it is walking, swimming, cross fit, weights or stretching for 30 days and feel the difference.
5. Sleep like a baby
Sleep, like exercise is something we know we need but don’t always do something about. Late nights, broken sleep and waking too early limit the amount of sleep we get that can affect our energy and mood. If you are having trouble with your sleep then ensuring your room is pitch black (think eye mask or thick curtains) will often eliminate early waking. Ditching the iPad, emails and computer at least 1-2 hours before bed can help calm the mind and allow you to get to sleep. Herbs such as valerian or taking some magnesium and calcium before bed can also help to reduce the time it takes to get to sleep.
