We all know the feeling or sensation we experience when we get a good night’s rest and feel rejuvenated and ready to start the day by eating energy-boosting foods. It’s even better when we keep that same energy throughout the day and can approach our career, relationships, and goals with fervor and passion.
What we often fail to see is that what we eat directly impacts the energy we have throughout the day.
Instead of downing another cup of coffee or sipping on an energy drink, there are a number of healthy eating habits and nutritious foods that can boost our energy level and help us power through the day.
Some foods provide a slow release of energy from healthy carbohydrates while avoiding the feelings of a temporary sugar rush. Others are packed with vitamins and minerals that make drawing sustainable energy from your foods easier. Even proteins help to provide energy by supplying spent muscles with the building blocks they need from energy-boosting foods.
Maintain Balanced Blood Sugar Levels
One thing you want to avoid if you’re looking for energy is a drastic fluctuation in blood sugar levels. The energy from a well-balanced, nutritious meal can last for up to four hours, helping to ensure that you have the fuel you need to get through the day. On the other hand, foods high in sugar cause spikes in insulin and lead to the sensation we know as “sugar crash.” Eating well-balanced meals throughout the day and snacking on energy-boosting foods every 3-4 hours will help maintain balanced blood sugar levels.
Choose the Right Kinds of Foods
What you eat is as important as when you eat. Foods that are filled with the right type of carbohydrates will help sustain your energy levels. When combined with protein, carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index will release energy slowly and leave you feeling full. These energy-boosting foods include oats, whole-wheat bread, sweet potatoes, and lentils.
Avoid Too Much Caffeine
It’s important to stay hydrated, but drinking too much caffeine will actually work against you. A dependency on the quick bursts of energy from caffeinated beverages is a poor substitute for a balanced diet that will provide energy to burn. A cup or two of coffee won’t hurt your overall nutrition, but be mindful of how much it impacts your energy levels. If you can’t get through the afternoon without another cup, your coffee might not be to blame.
There’s no single, quick solution to energy-boosting foods. Instead, it’s important to focus on nutrition and a well-balanced diet. Eating right will make sure you have all the energy you need. Need help choosing meals that will power you throughout the day? Fit Five Meals has the answers.