Have you ever wished that there were more hours in the day to get more of your 'to do's done?
Yep, we've all been there.
Whether it's the daily grind, our families, hobbies, or just our fast-paced lives, we're always asking for more ways on how we can pack more tasks into our days.
But, the reality is you're not going to get more than 24 hours in the day. Then, deduct from the time you spend sleeping, eating, and relaxing, leaving even fewer hours.
While time may not be on your side when it comes to your 'to do's, you can certainly optimize your time by utilizing the hours you have.
How do you do that?
Well, it all revolves around our energy.
Energy is your core motivator which spills into personal and professional matters. It's the backbone of the speed of your accomplishments, focus, and effort you put into life's errands.
But, you want to be getting the right type of energy in your life. Likewise, making sure you consistently have enough levels in your body to keep you thriving in all areas.
How do you get the 'right' energy?
Yeah, we get it. You're probably looking at this question thinking; energy is energy? It does not matter where you get it from?
There's more to this than you think; some foods can make it difficult for your body to metabolize and cause it additional energy to break them down, leaving you becoming more fatigued easily.
Hall et al conducted a study that gave ultra-processed foods to 20 inpatients for 14 weeks. The foods consisted of sugar, fiber, sodium fat and were high in calories. Likewise, there was a control group that was provided food that was unprocessed.
At the end of the study, metabolic testing was conducted, and it was discovered that those who had an ultra-processed diet required a higher energy intake to perform daily duties and gained weight.
Processed food can make you more exhausted because initially, at first, your blood sugar and insulin levels can skyrocket, then plummet just as quickly.
As a result, you have to consume more processed food, and it becomes a never-ending consumption of unhealthy foods. Likewise, if some of that food is processed meat especially red meat, you could be putting yourself at risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and weight gain.
According to the World Health Organisation, meats like pork, beef, veal, mutton, and horse are class 1 carcinogenic, giving you a higher chance of contracting certain cancers. Combine that with a high sugar diet, putting you at risk for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, and cancer, which can tremendously shorten your lifespan.
That's not to mention the symptoms you'd experience as a result of this.
Now, can you imagine how much energy you're probably depleting?
In fact, your imagination is probably an underestimation; this is something you don't want to experience.
Food that makes your body thrive
On the contrary, you can eat consciously and healthily too, to allow you to feel more energized. You can do this by incorporating a plant-based lifestyle or at least more natural foods into your diet. Here are some examples of this type of food that will help regenerate your cells and allow you to feel energized and more upbeat for longer:
Fermented foods- soya, tofu, tempeh
Nuts- Almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, pecans, macadamia nuts
Seeds- pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds
Beans and lentils
Fresh fruits and fresh vegetables
Those mentioned above are just a select few examples to allow you to feel more energized. The reason they allow you to do this is that they're packed with the nutrients your body requires and have little saturated fats, lack cholesterol, are high in fiber, and full of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals.
Other ways of feeling more energized
By food alone, you won't just feel more energized. In fact, you need to combine it with other positive lifestyle habits to enrich the quality of your life and reduce your chances of diseases. To do this, I suggest also making the following a priority:
1. Sleep
For you, this may be a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many people neglect their sleep.
On average, you should be getting in 7-8 hours every night for a good night's sleep.
Sleep helps regulate your hormone balance and your body's glucose control, allowing you to feel happier and less stressed in your waking hours. Most importantly, sleep repairs ATP, a form of energy that allows you to throw yourself into each day fully. It also helps with weight loss as you will be skipping the late-night snacking.
2. Meditation
Whether you live a fast-paced or relaxed lifestyle, practicing mindfulness is key. The University of Waterloo conducted a study that showed that as little as 20 minutes of meditation or yoga a day can boost your brain's cognitive functions. Allowing you to develop more of a healthy habitual thought process and be in tune with your emotions.
You can try using insight timer or headspace to help you get started.
3. Exercise
Daily exercise allows you to increase your body's endorphins, which target your brain's pain receptors. As a result, reducing your body's pain interpretation and enabling you to feel a natural high. Likewise, it allows you to feel more positive and also a greater sense of accomplishment.
Overall, a healthy diet full of fresh vegetables, fruit, lentils, beans, and nuts, will allow you to feel more energized and non-processed foods will reduce your risks of contracting certain chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
You also need to adopt other lifestyle habits like having a good night's sleep, meditating, and exercising regularly.
Remember, to optimize your time, you need to feel more energized. The only way you can make the most of each minute is by incorporating healthy lifestyle changes into your days.
I hope these tips have been helpful. If you’d like some support on getting started, don’t hesitate to get in touch - I’d love to help you start your journey on transforming your life for good!
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