So you have been to the doc and they have given you a clean bill of health. Now that you know there are no underlying issues we can start the methodical process of changing some habits in your life so that you don’t feel tired anymore. The tips that follow can be used individually or all at once. The more you can adopt the better. But, most importantly, don’t just adopt them for a week or two. Try and make these permanent habits that you take with you for the rest of your life.
1. Eat more fruit
Fruit is not given enough attention in today’s culture. We hear a lot about the benefits of vegetables but due to the fact that it is made up of sugar, a lot of people make the mistake of ignoring fruit. Let’s be clear – fruit won’t make you fat. Fruit is an extremely natural food that humans have been eating for thousands of years. Our digestive systems are designed perfectly for fruit. If you are feeling tired and low on energy then you need to start taking in more fruit, especially early on in the day. The vitamins, minerals and, yes, even proteins, will make you feel energetic for a long time during the day.
2. Get your sleep habits right
Obviously, if you are feeling low on energy we need to look at the sleep habits. I have written about this a few times before and as such I don’t want to rehash it again. Basically, you need to be going to sleep at the same time and waking up at the same time every day. If you can’t do it every night of the week then just do your best. Your body needs to know the routine and the habit, if you muck up your sleeping arrangements your body’s clock gets extremely confused and can actually become “jet lagged” for up to three days after. Some other posts on sleep include:
- how to wake up when your alarm goes off
- how many hours of sleep do you need each night
You might be surprised to know that the idea of eight hours sleep per night is just a myth. In fact, it is a harmful myth. Get your sleep in order if you want to get more energy. This point is not really an option.
3. Do an “energy” based exercise
We all know how to run and lift weights. We know how to tense certain muscles and we know how to move the body in a variety of ways. But how many of us know how to control our internal energies? Not many. And that is something we need to work on.
If you have been abusing your body for years with junk food, late nights and alcohol there is a good chance that your internal energies are a little out of whack. If you go to a Chinese doctor he/she will be able to tell you what energies are damaged by looking at your eyes and tongue and listening to your pulse. I have so many friends who, having tried every western form of medicine, gave acupuncture a go and found that it cured them completely. And this is because it corrects your chi or internal energies.
Tai chi and yoga are the two best forms of “internal” exercise. These ancient disciplines have been keeping people healthy for thousands of years by using certain poses and breathing techniques to move the energies of the body in a certain way. Don’t believe it? Good. You will be all the more surprised when you give it a go and feel amazing!
4. Drink green tea
If you are a regular reader of Free Women’s Fitness you will know that we love green tea. And with good reason! Countless studies have shown that green tea is an amazing health food due to all those antioxidants that it has. People who drink green tea are less likely to develop heart disease, cancer and, yes, it can help you feel more energetic.
photo credit: ?Debs?
The reason green tea can help is twofold. Firstly, it has caffeine in it and as such it will give you that little pick-me-up that we so often need. Secondly, the hot water mixed with the health benefits of the tea can really serve to clean out your system and rejuvenate the mind. Remember, if your body is toxin free your mind is likely to be clearer and that is, a lot of the time, the only thing you need to feel more energetic.
Remember, you need to drink green tea without milk if you want to get the most health benefits. Studies have shown that the protein in milk can destroy some of the goodness in the tea and as such you do not extract as much from it as you could.
5. Cut out refined sugar
One of the absolute worst things you can do for your body is eat refined sugar. The problem? Americans are addicted to it. It is in every cereal, snack and even some supposedly healthy meals. Take a look at anything that says “FAT FREE” and you will notice it is full of sugar. And it is sugar that makes you fat! So why is no one worried about it? But I digress.
Refined sugar is a very simple sugar that carries zero nutrition with its energy. That means you are taking in lots of calories but getting no benefit. Compare that to a bowl of fruit where the sugar you eat comes with minerals and vitamins and goodies that you can’t get anywhere else. Sugar is bad. And it makes you feel low on energy because it causes spikes that are followed by a sugar low. And in order to get yourself out of that low you need more sugar. And so the cycle continues.
If you need to get a sugar hit go with natural raw honey or fruit. Try and get rid of anything in your house that has processed sugar in it and see how you feel after just a few weeks. I bet you feel better than every and I bet you lose weight without even trying.
Conclusion
If you can adopt at least one of these points, great. If you can adopt all of them, fantastic! Each one will give you more energy and stop you feeling like a zombie all day long. If you have any other suggestions please let us know by leaving a comment. I’m sure a lot of our readers have some wonderful tips.
