When you start to feel like you never have energy, it can be directly linked to your diet. The main nutritional factors that affect energy include calories, fluids, protein, nutritional breakdown, and frequency of meals and snacks.
Looking first at the nutritional breakdown of the foods you eat, be sure that each meal or snack is balanced with adequate protein and complex carbohydrates. The right combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat eaten at regular intervals will help keep energy levels high. Your diet should include balanced meals designed to boost your energy throughout the day.
Snacks should include a balance of protein and carbohydrate to keep energy levels sustained and appetite under control. Eating healthy snacks will help keep your blood-sugar levels even so that you don't have energy “highs” and “lows.” The meal plan should include healthy foods every three to four hours to keep your energy level from falling. (Below are some examples of satisfying snacks.)
In order to meet the recommended amount of protein per day (70 grams for both men and women), it is best to include some protein with each meal and snack.
Make sure your daily intake meets your daily calorie needs, so that you are not depriving your body so much that you are in a starvation state. This will lead to a loss of energy. Make sure to space out meals and snacks every 4 to 5 hours to prevent any major dips in energy level.
Lastly, hydration is an important factor in maintaining energy. Dehydration leads to feelings of fatigue and mistakable hunger. Aim for 64 ounces of calorie-free beverages over the course of a day to stay hydrated. Not drinking enough liquids can cause you to feel fatigued due to dehydration.
• 1/2 cup dried fruit mixed with 1/4 cup nuts
• apple with peanut butter
• banana with peanut butter
• orange slices and one ounce of low-fat cheese
• 1 cup Fiber One cereal with skim milk
• 1/2 turkey or ham sandwich on whole-grain bread
• 1/2 cup chickpeas, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers with 2 tablespoons low-fat Italian dressing
• 1/2 whole-grain English muffin with 1 ounce melted cheese
• 1/2 whole-grain bagel with 2 tablespoons hummus
• 1 boiled egg with 1 slice whole wheat bread
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1/4 cup pineapple
• 1 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup low-fat granola
• 1/2 cup water-packed tuna with 6 crackers
Rebecca
