Control Your Energy, Don't Let it Control You

As a toddler, energy is ever-flowing. In fact, some kids' are "treated" for their abundance of energy. Yet as we age, our energy levels seem to drop and we only wish we had the energy we did as children. Unfortunately, stress, fatigue, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, working overtime, emotional barriers, and many other sources all lead to reduced energy levels. What we don't realize is that we control our own energy levels. Lack of energy is a self-inflicted illness (if you please). We need to get back to the basics of life, as we were when we were children, and revive our ever-flowing energetic fountain of youth.

Think back to when you were a child, you had not a care in the world, you enjoyed life, and you absorbed every bit of information you could. You experienced life moment by moment. You probably ate a better-balanced meal than you do now, you went to bed early, you ate breakfast, you smiled and laughed, and you had hopes and dreams, you were active, you got fresh air whenever you could, and you only ate sugary foods at birthday parties. Think back to all the things you loved, had a passion for, and experienced as a child...are most of them not things you could begin to integrate into your life today?

I will help you get on the right track. For one, eliminate all unnecessary sugars from your diet. Sugar is a drug in the body. Our bodies' were not designed to take in processed and refined foods that are preserved with sugars and carbohydrates. Remember what your mother always told you? Eat those green beans! In fact, eat as much natural, unprocessed, wholesome foods as you can. Foods that are grown in the ground or from a tree, foods that are derived from animals and animal fats are what the body is designed to be fueled by. When the body is fueled with nutrients it can break down, it runs more efficiently. Be observant to food labels because sugar can show up in anything (ketchup, salad dressing, crackers). Eliminating sugar will stimulate your system and as a result increase your energy levels, replenish undernourished cells, and balance the body's systems naturally. In fact, fat loss might even be an added benefit.

As a result of more energy from your nutritional changes, you will feel like being more active. Activity is a natural stimulant to the body...when done within certain parameters. Exercise for energy. Only exercise for 20-30 minutes a day including both strength training and cardio as part of your plan. Exercising for more than 45 minutes a day will cause a decrease in energy because the body will begin to derive energy from its protein stores (in other words, muscle!) Exercise causes the body to release endorphins (which are "feel-good" hormones) that leave you with a natural high post-exercise. Focus on improving natural body strength through body weight exercises. Completing various sets of push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and sit-ups can prove enough of a challenge to start-off with. No gym-membership is needed. Focus on improving the body's natural function before adopting more challenging exercise plans. As with any exercising regimen, take one day a week off completely from exercising to allow the body to be restored back to 100% energy levels.

Not only is quality of food a key factor in energy production, but so is timing of foods. Do you remember after a long day outside playing your mom would have supper ready to eat, or at least a wholesome snack? What she didn't' realize is she was contributing to your depleted energy levels from a full-day of activity, by re-nourishing your body immediately. Try to eat your biggest meal of the day post-activity or exercise. Eating within an hour post-workout is crucial for your body's recovery and the next day's energy levels. Muscles are broken down during an intense strength training session or cardio workout (hence the muscle soreness) and in order to help those muscles rebuild more effectively and stronger, food is needed as a fuel source for those cells to begin to repair. Not only does it help quicken the recovery process, it also helps prevent soreness during the following days.

Another key factor I mentioned in the introductory paragraph is sleep. The body is best-revitalized when it is running on a 7-8 hours of sleep (for most people). Getting to bed by 10 pm is the recommended time schedule because the body sleeps the most soundly during the times of 11 pm and 2 am. Therefore to make the best use your sleep schedule, hit the sack by 10 or 10:30 pm. Another reason to get good amounts of sleep is for the brain to replenish, as well as the body. When a person is tired, the body craves carbohydrates (in other words: sugar!) for energy, despite it being the last source of energy it needs which leads to insulin rushes and crashes which worsens the problem. So get to bed by 10 pm and everything else will run smoothly.

One last item for increased energy is to practice intermittent fasting. As adults we tend to fall into a pattern of thinking we need to eat at 8 am because that's what time breakfast is served, and whether we are hungry or not, we need to eat at noon because that's what time lunch is always served, and we need to eat again at 5 pm for the same habitual reason. That is fine and dandy, but most of us have a break in there where we consume coffee and a snack whether we are hungry or not. Some go so far as to have a night time snack right before bed--which is a big no-no because that interferes with our restful sleeping hours of 10 pm to 2 am. The body will be trying to break down the abundance of sugar we consumed before closing our eyes for the night which doesn't allow our system's to rest completely. Back to the fasting part, though, sometimes when we overeat or consume a high-glycemic load of a meal our bodies' need longer to digest the food. In addition, high sugar meals can cause other symptoms such as: bloating, gas, nausea, headaches, inflammation of the joints, etc. that will take more than 4-5 hours to return to normal. Therefore, fasting for a period of 12-18 hours one day a week (or whenever you over-consume food) is a good way to allow the body to naturally return to its normal state of functioning. This will create more energy by ridding the body of foods that will hamper its natural flow and clean out or detox the liver and bloodstream of nutrients it doesn't desire.

So if having more energy is a desire of yours, consider these recommendations as part of your daily regimen. Take one or two or all of the bits of advice and make them work for you. I think you will notice a difference in how you feel and how your body is working. We all need to get back to the basics of life and remember just what the drive was behind our youthful behavior! It might be the motivation you need to help yourself.

I am a straight-forward honest person who likes to help people achieve their goals in the most practical, effective, and efficient way possible. An improved quality of life is my desire for everyone I come in contact with, and that is because we can all improve the quality of our life in any physical, emotional, mental, and/or spiritual ways. I like to address the mental and physical aspect, because I feel they go hand-in-hand. So check out my website, stated above and learn about all the ways I offer you the opportunity to improve your quality of life! I help people get a grip on ways to improve their qualities of life everyday! You could be next.