Do you wake up tired every day?
Do you tend to run out of steam as the day goes on?
Are your days so busy that you miss meals?
Do you feel that you’re eating healthy but just don’t have the energy you want, and the weight is still creeping on?
IN TODAY’S WORLD we are all so busy multi-tasking, with schedules jammed to the hilt! We are demanding more and more from ourselves, and yet letting the fundamental things slip that would fuel it all!
WHAT IF you could have more energy all day long – be more alert and attentive – be in better moods – feel great – awaken feeling refreshed – eliminate cravings – and maybe even lose those stubborn pounds that you’ve meaning to ‘get around to’ doing?
Sure, you want all this, who doesn’t? But there is never time to stop and address any of these concerns? And, if you did manage to stop long enough, where would you start? There is so much conflicting information out there.
So, in a world where women think about food and weight as much as men think about sex (yes it’s true!), let’s do something about it, so we can get on with and maximize the other areas of our lives!
What I am going to do is outline for you the basic needs of your body—what it needs, why, and how you can give it just that. Start this simple plan immediately and you WILL notice the difference: a difference that will ripple positively throughout your life, both personally and professionally.
First, it is important that you understand the facts behind the fuel!
We need five things: Energy (from calories), Nutrients, Hydration, Sleep, Movement/Exercise. These five pillars are the springboard for your life! Think about that for a moment. We need all of these in a certain: Quantity, Quality, Timing.
If you mess with any of these, it’ll have a domino effect with the others. The result? Cravings, tiredness, running out of steam, not sleeping well, waking up tired, weight gain. All those things that hold you back in life – eh? Those things you wish would just disappear! So let’s get that happening!
If you don’t get those five things outlined above in a certain quantity, quality and timing, it will mess with your blood sugar, metabolism, and hormone levels. Why is this important? Because these control your hunger, your energy, and therefore, performance every moment of your day! So, what’s the key? Keep these three things (blood sugar, metabolism, hormones) level and constant. Here’s how:
ENERGY - You MUST eat regularly. Do NOT miss meals or let long gaps go between them. Your body needs fueling every
3-4hrs. Otherwise, your blood sugar and metabolism will drop, causing irritability, being lethargic and cravings. Eat breakfast. It boosts your metabolism (and fat burning), and it brings your blood sugar back up after sleeping. If you don’t, your energy will be depleted, you’ll crave more bad foods as the day goes on, and your metabolism will stay really low.
NUTRIENTS – It’s all about fueling your body with what it needs. Think natural and fresh, as much as possible, fruits /veggies. Unfortunately, so often now (with the food BUSINESS!) these are empty/depleted of nutrients. So, try and get more organic foods/local/in season or frozen. In addition, the fiber and water in these will keep you full longer and aid digestion.
HYDRATION – Make sure you get consistent intake during the day from foods and water. A 5% drop in your body’s water levels leads to a 25-30% loss of energy. And, even with mild dehydration, your metabolism slows down by 3%. Again, it’ll help fill you up, and you may be mistaking thirst for hunger, so sip away!
SLEEP – I know, I know! It’s one of the first things to let slide in our hectic lives. But, I cannot stress how IMPERATIVE it is to maintain as EVERYTHING stems from sleep. Cells renew; body burns fat; memory sorts itself; you produce hormones for controlling your appetite/registering when you’re full; and your ‘happy’ hormone for your moods. If you continually lack in this area, you will eat more, and more bad ‘empty’ high-calorie foods (as your body will be screaming for quick energy), you will run out of steam, you will suffer bad moods, be irritable, put on weight … and basically end up being no good for anyone or anything. And, you will eventually get ill/ailments. Solution? Time your sleep in 90 min. increments. If you can’t get 7.5hrs, then aim to wake up at 6 hrs. Why? Because your sleep goes through 4 stages of deepness taking 90 mins., and it’s in the 4th where all the ‘good’ takes place. So, max the number of repetitions of that stage, and wake up when you go back into the light stage (stage 1) and you’ll feel more refreshed. Try it!
MOVEMENT/EXERCISE – Do I hear another groan as this slips down your ‘to do’ list? I’m sure you know the benefits: boosts your metabolism so you burn more fat, improves the quality of your sleep, your moods, etc. Yes, it all fits together like a jigsaw puzzle! So wherever you are or go, just move! Take the stairs, stand up whilst on the phone, walk around – hey, even jumping jacks!
LASTLY, know that your body burns food/fuel at different rates: carbs first, then fats, then proteins. So, if you want to stay full and satiated longer, eat protein at every meal.
Know that ‘simple’ carbs are the quickest source of energy for your body – white sugars, white breads, etc. (more processed foods). These are pure calories and completely devoid of nutrients. It’s best to avoid them altogether. Choose ‘complex’ carbs – fruits, vegetables (basically your more natural foods). They contain fiber and nutrients, help keep your insulin/blood sugar stable, and therefore your energy levels. Also, because of the fiber and water content, they’ll fill you up, keeping you satiated longer, and provide volume to boost your metabolism. Yes, eat fats! But, go for the ‘good’ ones with omega 3’s, i.e., olive oil, avocados, fish, nuts, chia seeds. And, without fail, eat protein at every meal, and even snack, if you can – fish, meat, chicken, beans, dairy, and soy.
Ok – that’s the science – and hopefully more than enough reason and motivation! What about in real life?
#1 - Plan to eat – the healthy way! You plan everything else in your life – why not your health?! A little bit of planning goes a long way. Stock up your fridge and freezer at home as well as at work. Ask yourself “What can I eat to get maximum volume, minimum calories, and the most nutrients?!”
#2 - Eat regularly. Missing meals WILL work against you.
#3 - Eat protein at every meal/snack.
#4 - Eliminate white foods from your diet such as sugar, bread, rice, pasta. These are poison to your body! There are plenty of healthier alternatives.
#5 - Eat more natural foods – lots of color (less processed).
#6 – Think nutrients.
#7 – Take your supplements.
#8 - Make time to get more sleep.
#9 – Carry healthy snacks everywhere to avoid temptations.
#10- Hydrate consistently throughout the day.
#11 -Move every day.
I implore you to take control now with every mouthful you, your family and loved ones take. Live your best life, be the best in business you can. Fuel yourself for peak performance everyday!
Dawn Peters
Naked Health
www.NakedHealthgrp.com
Why do businesses fail to achieve breakthrough performance? Because they make things too complex. From the top down, everyone’s day is cluttered with tasks that don’t impact the organization’s strategy and goals.
