We all know that if we get more sleep, take good care of ourselves, and exercise, in turn, our energy levels will begin to rise. But having increased energy levels has a lot to do with what you consume and how you do it. Nourish your body in the right way and it will deliver. So what are diet changes to give you more energy? Here are some to try on your fitness journey.

What you eat makes a difference

When it comes to meals, we are usually programmed to enjoy three balanced meals a day. Breakfast, lunch, and an evening meal. However, large meals can often leave you feeling full and sluggish, and in truth, your brain doesn’t need too much food to sustain it’s own energy reserves. It does, however, need nutrients more often. So eating meals and snacks that are smaller in size every few hours, can give your body, and your brain exactly what it needs to replenish your energy levels without that feeling of being full or sluggish.

The afternoon slump is often the thing that people struggle with the most when it comes to their energy levels, and a reason for this can be a big lunch. We all know that familiar feeling of being tired, full, and satisfied after a big meal that we have enjoyed. If you regularly eat your biggest meal at lunchtime then this familiar feeling will be known come the afternoon, whether you want it or not. Chances are you will still be at work or need some energy to get things done. Instead, choose a smaller portion for your lunchtime meal and choose to have a snack a few hours later to keep your energy levels sustained. Also, if you have an afternoon lull in energy, watch how many carbs you’re eating.

Balancing carbs with protein helps your body stay even in blood sugar which helps you retain your energy for the day.

Alcohol can be a huge zap on your energy levels, so it might be a good idea to rethink when you have a drink. Lunchtime alcoholic beverages can seem like a great idea at the time, but when you hit the afternoon you will notice your energy levels start to deplete. The same can be said for a five o’clock tipple when you want to have energy in the evening for a hobby or to get things done in your home. If you do enjoy an alcoholic drink then make sure you are happy to have low energy levels after it. A drink with your evening meal is a wise choice. Also, when drinking alcohol try and keep to the recommended levels.

Drink more water

If you are dehydrated, one of the major signs is fatigue and low energy levels. This is because water is a huge component when it comes to carrying nutrients around your body and getting rid of any waste. If you are dehydrated, your body won’t function as well as it could, and you will notice this in how tired you feel.

It is recommended to drink around two liters of water a day. If you struggle to drink water, then keeping a bottle close by as a reminder can be a great way to help increase your water intake. The more water you drink, the more you will notice an increase in your energy levels. It is a fantastic natural way to boost your energy which will give you so many other benefits. This fun water tracker can help you keep track. And if you love checking off lists, that’s an extra bonus. You can laminate it and use a dry-erase marker or grease pencil to use it over and over again.

Foods that give you energy

If you want to increase your energy levels then the foods that you consume can play a vital part. There are plenty energy inducing foods that you can add to your diet easily. Here are some of the major ones to try:

• Bananas
• Sweet potato
• Greek yogurt
• Whole grains
• Mint
• Oranges
• Spinach
• Salmon
• Eggs
• Quinoa
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Coconut water

You can make the switch with some of these ingredients easily such as exchanging white potatoes for sweet potato, adding spinach to sauces and fillings, and eating fish twice a week. Eggs are a great source of energy and you can have these as a breakfast item a few times a week. Snacks are usually the one thing people struggle with but nuts, oranges, seeds, and bananas will be great alternatives to biscuits and chocolate.

Best breakfast for energy and weight loss

And speaking of breakfast, here are some great healthy breakfasts to try:

• Healthy Breakfasts to Lose Weight
• Healthy Lemon Breakfast Ideas
• Homemade Ancient Grains Cereal
• Apple Cacao Oatmeal Balls
• Granola Cups with Yogurt and Fruit
• Healthy Smoothies for Weight Loss
• 15 Beautiful Smoothie Bowl Recipes

Caffeine replacement for energy

We are usually told to avoid caffeine as it is a stimulant, but when caffeine is used in the right way it can be a great way to boost your energy levels. While caffeine over time can deplete your energy levels with continuous consumption, if you were to have one cup of coffee when you wanted to increase productivity and alertness then this can be a positive step to make. You don’t want to exceed more than two cups a day, but reserving those cups for the right times could make the world of difference. Also, remember to balance it out with water, for every cup of coffee or tea you drink, have two to three glasses of water before the next one.

Energy drinks can be dangerous, and there are much healthier alternatives to them. Check them out.

Finally, crash diets are not something that can be sustainable and often deplete your energy levels over time as you usually forgo certain parts of your diet. If losing weight is a priority as well as increasing energy levels, choose a balanced approach and increase the right sort of foods mentioned earlier into your diet. Portion control can be a great way to lose weight and eat more frequently. It helps your body to be sustained with nutrients and keeps your energy levels consistent while enabling you to focus on weight loss.

Hopefully, these tips and suggestions will help you make the right diet changes to give you more energy.

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What’s the Problem with Energy Drinks?

Companies sell these drinks by pushing them on students who are stressed out from the demands of school. However, younger and younger individuals are drinking these products after seeing their older siblings or friends consume them. This creates a dangerous usage of stimulant-filled drinks by a group of individuals who aren’t old enough to make educated decisions about what they are putting in their bodies. And the rest of us can depend on them or be tempted by them too. Our bodies need pure water.

Energy drinks usually include a high caffeine content (through the chemical found in guarana plants) and chemicals like methylxanthines, ginseng, maltodextrin, and creatine. The average 8-ounce can contain around 80 mg of caffeine (the equivalent of one cup of coffee.)

People use energy drinks for the desired effects of increased energy and mental alertness. However, some negative side effects include nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, increased urination, abnormal heart rhythms, decreased bone levels, and stomach upset.

Red Bull, Jolt Cola, and many other energy drinks can temporarily relieve tiredness, but there are healthier and less expensive ways to boost energy levels. Most energy drinks are just expensive, sugar-laden vehicles for large doses of caffeine. For those needing a quick pick-me-up, there are better ways to increase energy levels, including other caffeinated beverages, herbs, vitamins, and even some foods. And think of the calories you will save in a meal.

Alternatives to Caffeine for Energy

Those who are looking for caffeine would be better off with coffee or tea. Coffee has a much higher caffeine content but is less healthy than tea. Green and white teas would be the healthiest choices. Tea also contains another related stimulant called theophylline. Herbal teas do not contain caffeine except for maté (yerba maté), which has more caffeine than tea but less than coffee.

Another benefit of tea compared to coffee is that tea also contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which has relaxing and soothing (but not sedating) effects. L-theanine can offset the edginess of caffeine and based on some studies may even give a boost to cognitive function. And it can even reduce anxiety.

Cocoa and dark chocolate contain small amounts of caffeine, but larger amounts of theobromine, another xanthine related to caffeine and theophylline. Theobromine is a weak stimulant, but unlike caffeine which is a vasoconstrictor, it is a vasodilator and can thus improve circulation.

It should be kept in mind that more important than the amount of caffeine is the user’s tolerance level to caffeine. Most coffee drinkers drink many cups throughout the day. Someone who only drinks one cup of tea or cocoa a day can thus obtain a stronger effect from it, even though it is a weaker stimulant as such.

Healthy Alternatives to Energy Drinks

Ginseng (also known as Korean ginseng or Panax ginseng) is a herb with well-known and scientifically substantiated stimulant properties. Some energy drinks contain ginseng, but often too little to have any real effects. In Asian grocery stores, one can find stronger ginseng teas or even pure dried ginseng root. Ginseng is considered safe, but very large doses can cause insomnia and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Rhodiola Rosea, also known as Arctic root, golden root, and roseroot, is an adaptogenic (tonic) herb, which could also be classified as a mild herbal stimulant. Studies it has also shown cognition-boosting effects. Again many popular products may contain dosages too low to have noticeable effects.

Some people report that ginger alleviates their fatigue. This has not been researched, except for one study where cancer patients taking both ginger and an anti-nausea drug had significantly less fatigue than those taking just the anti-nausea drug.

Guarana is often advertised as an herbal stimulant, but it is just another natural source of caffeine, with small amounts of theobromine and theophylline.

In large doses, usually 1 mg (1,000 mcg), vitamin B12 can have a profound effect on relieving sleepiness and fatigue. This is much more than the RDA of 3 mcg and it is impossible to obtain such amounts from food, but vitamin B12 is extremely safe even in massive doses. Some energy drinks contain vitamin B12, but a cheaper option would be to take them as pills.

The amino acid supplements tyrosine and DL-phenylalanine can reduce fatigue and tiredness, as they are precursors to the neurotransmitter dopamine. The amino acid carnitine can also increase stamina and energy levels.

In some preliminary studies, apples and apple juice have been associated with reduced fatigue. A tasty and healthy homemade “energy drink” can be made by mixing apple juice and fresh ginger root.

There is usually a reason for drowsiness and fatigue, such as sleep deprivation, overworking, and poor lifestyle choices. These symptoms are the body’s way of reminding the person to slow down. For more diet changes that help you have more energy, check these out.

If chronic fatigue is a problem, instead of trying to solve it with energy drinks, herbs, or supplements one should see a doctor, because there could be an underlying medical problem causing it. Most illnesses causing fatigue are well-treatable. Sometimes stimulant medication is needed, but often the solution is to fix the problem, such as a vitamin or hormonal deficiency. Remember that small healthy changes are the most effective to change a lifestyle.

For more healthy drink ideas if you want refreshment besides water but want to avoid sugary energy drinks are healthy drinks like coconut water, fruit juices, green juices, fermented tea, and herbal teas like peppermint tea that give you clean energy without the adverse effects on your nervous system. This will protect your heart health, and avoid artificial ingredients that reduce your overall health such as artificial sweeteners or the added sugar in sugary drinks. 

Check out even more ideas for healthy drinks here.

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