Advisory Council for FitOrbit
There is an energy crisis in America—and I am not talking about natural resources. We all want to feel alert, well-rested, and energetic, but for many of us this is more of a dream than reality. As busy and productive people with over-scheduled, stressful lifestyles (sometimes combined with little quality sleep and poor eating habits), it is no wonder so many of us feel drained.
Fatigue breaks us down physically and emotionally and wreaks havoc on the immune system, making us more susceptible to illness, depression, and even chronic conditions like heart disease. But we have the power to change our habits, boost our energy, and feel terrific.
We all know that regular exercise, stress management, and getting at least eight hours of sleep are critical for combating fatigue. It also turns out that our eating habits directly affect our energy levels, and there are ways we can use nutrition to feel more energy throughout the day.
1. Eat predominantly nutrient-dense foods
Optimal energy metabolism (the process that converts food to energy) requires an abundance of vitamins and minerals. Every cell in our body can unlock its energy potential with the proper fuel from food. If we don’t get enough nutrients from foods, we suffer from sub-optimal cellular energy metabolism, making us feel tired and sluggish.
The best way to combat this is to choose foods that have a lot of nutrition per calorie. These include vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, whole grains, and lean animal proteins. Refined breads, fried and fatty foods, sweets and desserts, and processed snack foods give us lots of calories with little nutrition, which is why you’ll feel so much better if you base your diet on minimally processed, whole foods.
2. Seek out foods high in antioxidants
Antioxidants are the body’s scavengers of those damaging chemicals that tax our system and cause fatigue and lead to illness. Being that there are thousands of natural, protective antioxidants in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods, a pill or processed food will never come close to what you’ll get from the whole food.
Furthermore, too much of certain nutrients can be risky – this risk is alleviated when the nutrients come packaged in a whole food, which is naturally balanced with complementary nutrients and thousands of health-supporting compounds. Seek out colorful, juicy fruits like berries and melons, and dark green leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli, collard greens, and spinach.
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Comments (8)
My favorite quick breakfast is oatmeal, topped with fresh berries and vanilla flavored soy. I eat 5 mini meals a day and it has helped me increase my metabolism and lose weight. It is totally working. Check out http://www.5minimeals.com. They e-mail you a nutritionist approved menu with easy recipes and a shopping list every week. Now I don’t have to think about what to cook anymore.
Can anyone recommend a healthy breakfast, that I can literally knock up in a matter of a couple of minutes and no more……I never seem to have time, and want to incorporate all my minerals and vitamins in it xx
I love Kashi Crunch and break up my 10 walnuts and add about a half cup of blue berries. I use skim milk but you can use yogurt if you prefer. Together it has all the protein, fiber and antioxidants you could ask for in a meal and it keeps me satisfied for several hours.
I have lost nineteen pounds by following two simple rules. I work out each morning on an empty stomach and take a natural product called Acai eez. Acai eez suppresses my appetite, increases my metabolism, and gives me a natural energy boost that lasts all day. ACAI eez NEVER auto bills or auto ships so I can order without having to worry. I always order their buy 3 get 1 free special at http://www.acaieez.com so I can save money and lose weight . The energy boost of Acai eez gives me the energy throughout the day and doesn’t cause me to crash. Acai eez has worked for me in my weight loss and it will you too.
Since you don’t have time in the morning. Consider assembling your breakfast at night and then eating it in the a.m. Other options, if you like home made waffles but don’t have the time. The next time you whip up a batch, make some extra and throw individual serving sizes into plastic zipper bags. When you want some good, wholesom, home made waffles, pull them out and pop them in the toaster. Top with your favorite topping (honey, peanut butter, fruit, cinnamon, etc.). You can easily eat that in the car on the way to work.
I make an omelet with lots of vegetables very finely chopped (in a mini-food processor), broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, peppers, onions, mushrooms, whole kernel corn. (finely chopped, you don’t taste them.)Add cooked meat if you want it. I cook it up the night before, microwave it for a few seconds in the morning, and top it with salsa or picante sauce, for a very fast and nutritious breakfast.
Thanks. Thats right eating green vegetables feels better and will maintain good weight. Having broccoli is one of the best for good health. Take nutritious diet is very important. Take care and have good health.
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