7 Healthy Ways To Refuel Your Energy Reserves On The Go
How to stay healthy while maintaining your busy life. (Photo: CNP Montrose)
Whether you’re reluctantly rolling out of bed for an early meeting, forcing yourself to go for a run in the afternoon when all you want to do is nap, or yawning as you're stuck at work for yet another late night, it’s not unusual to feel low energy. But while sleep itself plays an important role (you’re trying to get those sweet, sweet National Sleep Foundation-recommended 9.25 hours, right?), the food you eat may have a major impact on your energy levels, too.
"Food affects energy in lots of ways," says Kelly Pritchett, Ph.D., assistant professor in nutrition and exercise science at Central Washington University and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "If you’re under-fueled or not getting enough calories, that can have a negative effect on energy levels, versus properly fueling with the right foods, which can be a real energy booster." Here are a few secrets to making sure the food you eat keeps you fueled:
Eat all your meals (no skipping!). Even if you don’t think you’re hungry when you wake up, your body’s been fasting for the last 8+ hours (that’s why they call it break-fast!), so grab something to kickstart your metabolism for the day, Pritchett says. A light-and-easy banana is great, but if you have time and appetite for a slightly larger meal, consider Greek yogurt with nuts and fruit. You’ll get a great combo of protein, carbs and healthy fats.
Don’t rely on energy drinks. “Some teens like energy drinks because they’re an easy way to get a big boost, but the problem is, they’re unpredictable—you don’t know how you’re going to respond and when you’re going to have that crash,” Pritchett says. “They can have the opposite effect from what you intended.”
Remember that calories = energy. The word “calorie” can have a negative connotation, but in reality, calories are simply a way to measure the amount of energy in a food. “Looking at each food and thinking about what it can do for you may be a better way to think about calories,” Pritchett says. That may mean eating something that has a few more calories than what you’d normally go for, since some healthy foods (like nuts) are “energy-dense.” And that’s okay!
Spread out your protein. “We tend to eat almost all of our protein at the end of the day, with a meat-heavy dinner, but our bodies benefit if we spread out our protein intake,” Pritchett says. That’s because our body needs more time to break down and digest protein than it does for, say, sugar—so you feel full and energetic for longer. A few ideas: eggs at breakfast, grilled chicken or quinoa at lunch, nut butter as a snack, and fish at dinner.
Pair meals and snacks with dairy. Low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese provide protein, carbohydrates and a small amount of fat—so dairy foods are great partners for other foods, since nutritionists love combination meals and snacks (ones that have a balance of protein, carbs, fat and, ideally, fiber). “Plus, there are a lot of health benefits of dairy, especially for young females whose bones are still growing,” Pritchett says. Try cottage cheese with fruit for breakfast, or string cheese with an apple for a snack. Lactose intolerant? Soy milk (even chocolate-flavored, Pritchett says!) can be a good option.
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Hydrate. According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, even mild dehydration can have an impact on young women’s energy levels and ability to concentrate (the slightly dehydrated women in the study also experienced headaches—ugh!). So keep guzzling the good stuff. “There’s also some indication that drinking water can help you control your appetite—sometimes we go into a meal thinking we’re hungry, when we might just be mostly thirsty,” Pritchett says.
Get up and move. If all else fails, movement can do wonders for your energy. “I’m a strong believer in getting some physical activity to get the blood flow going,” Pritchett says. Pop outside for a 10-minute walk or jog, or fire up Spotify and get a solo dance party going for a few minutes. You’ll feel perkier in no time, we promise!
By Anna Maltby
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