When I talk to other women about their health, the topic of fatigue almost always comes up, and more specifically, it’s the afternoon energy crash that happens somewhere between 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon.
(Don't feel like reading? Just watch the video, it contains the same information.) A lot of times, when that energy crash comes, it’s because of what we ate at breakfast and lunch. When simple carbohydrates are eaten on their own it can quickly satisfy your hunger and give you an energy boost, but both are only temporary, and it leaves you craving more simple carbs when your energy drops a few hours later. And then you’re on a blood-sugar rollercoaster. So when you eat simple carbs, like bread or pasta, make sure to pair it up with a healthy fat and a protein to balance your blood sugar, so you prevent the energy crash and so you’ll feel fuller longer. When you include protein, from either plant or animal sources, and good fats like avocados, nuts and seeds and healthy oils like coconut oil and extra-virgin olive oil your meal is more 'fulfilling' and contains the proper balance of nutrients, which will keep your energy levels up. There’ll be no need for cravings because your body has what it needs. The body only craves things because it’s missing something. These simple changes in your eating will make a big difference in your energy levels throughout the day. Another reason for a lack of energy is not getting enough daylight and movement. Our bodies were not created to sit indoors at a desk all day long without daylight and the ability to move around. But I also get that’s the reality for a lot of people because it was my reality for many years. That doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do though. Try getting out for a walk on your lunch break for both exercise and daylight. Exposure to daylight will help your natural rhythm, with the bonus of helping you sleep better at night. Last but not least, water is a simple and really effective way to boost your energy levels. Every system in your body needs it, and when we don’t have enough, we become dehydrated, and dehydration leads to feeling tired. Try drinking 8 glasses of water in between meals spread throughout the day and see how much better you feel. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty, because by that time you’re probably already dehydrated. So here you have 3 simple, yet really effective changes that will help boost your energy throughout the day. If you try these tips and you’re still finding yourself dropping tired in the afternoon, there may be more going on and I would love to help you by looking into it further with you. Just send me an email HERE. Until next time, May Anne
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The May long weekend has come and gone and now summer feels like it’s ‘officially’ here.
Long weekends are amazing and usually involve yummy food, socializing and the great outdoors. If you’re anything like me, you love the long weekend for those reasons- the get-togethers, the BBQ’s and sunshine. Those are all great things, however, we can find that by the end of the long weekend, we’re feeling the need to ‘Get Back On Track.’ My tendency used to be to overly restrict calories after indulging, but this only led to another indulgence later on because it wasn’t sustainable, and made me feel like I was punishing myself. What I came to realize is that overly restricting calories means your body will end up with serious nutrient deprivation and you’ll end up with cravings in order to get those nutrients back in your body, and ultimately you’ll gain the weight back, possibly with more than you had to begin with. So, if you’re looking to get back on track, these TIPS will help you do that. 1. Have Breakfast. This will kickstart your metabolism and helps set you up for balanced blood sugar, which will reduce cravings and keep your energy levels up. Include protein, fats and carbs at your first meal of the day. 2. Hydrate. Water is necessary to flush out toxins and increase your energy. Water is essential for every system in your body to function well so be sure to drink at least 8 glasses a day. 3. Have Snacks. Get back in the routine of eating regular balanced meals spread throughout the day, with snacks in between, if needed. It’s important to keep your metabolism going so you can avoid an energy crash, which in turn could cause another binge. Raw mixed nuts and fruit are great snack options. 4. Include Protein and healthy fats with your meals. Eating protein at every meal will help curb your cravings for refined carbs. Protein and Fats take longer to digest and are a slow-burning fuel, keeping your energy levels up and reducing the need for quick-fixes when your energy crashes. 5. Start working out regularly. Once you get into the habit of working out regularly, your body will crave it and you’ll miss it when you don’t do it. Find something you enjoy, and remember, it doesn’t have to be at a gym. Just get your body moving. The sooner you get back on track, the sooner you’ll start feeling better about yourself. Until next time, May Anne P.S. To help you get back on track more easily, join my FREE 5-DAY SUGAR-FREE CHALLENGE so you can easily say NO to the foods that are keeping you stuck (it has NOTHING to do with your willpower, btw!) Water is one of our most important nutrients (and it might seem kind of boring, but it's actually my favourite drink!)
I know it seems like such a simple thing, but drinking enough water can easily become overlooked for people who aren’t used to drinking water regularly, and they can be easily become dehydrated. Paying attention to daily water intake is important and might take some pre-planning if it’s not something you’re used to doing. Try to prevent even mild levels of dehydration as even being slightly under-hydrated can impede our daily performance. The following symptoms may indicate even just a mild hydration:
Here are just a few of water’s many benefits and functions:
Urine output and sweating make up your greatest fluid loss, but other ways fluid is lost is in feces, through exposure to humid or warm air and when you exhale. Don’t rely on thirst alone as an indicator to drink water because you are already slightly dehydrated by that time. A good tip is to aim to drink on a schedule of 1 cup every hour. An easy way to monitor your hydration levels is to check the colour of your urine. Great news if your urine is clear or pale yellow! That means you are adequately hydrated, but if your urine is darker like apple juice, you need to increase your water intake. If you are eating A LOT of fresh fruit and veggies then that also counts towards your water intake, but if you’re eating a lot of processed, boxed foods or eating out at restaurants often, then you need to increase your water intake to help flush the extra toxins out of your system. If you find plain water too bland or boring, here are a few helpful ways of upping your water intake:
Personally, I take my water canteen with me everywhere I go and sip water all throughout the day. Comment below - are you currently a water drinker? Yay or Nay? If 'Yay,' what are your best ways of remembering to drink enough? Until next time, May Anne With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I want to speak specifically to the other moms out there.
This is for the Moms who continually tell themselves, “One day, I am going to eat healthy, work-out and lose weight. I just don’t have the time for it right now. I have too many other responsibilities.” I totally get it. You work full-time, you’re a chauffeur for your kids many activities and you want to be able to make healthy meals that the whole family will like - because who wants to cook separate meals for each family member?? But, it all just seems too overwhelming and you don’t even know where to start or where to find the time to figure it all out. I get it. I used to feel the same way. When I was a single mom and sole breadwinner, the words “One Day” commonly came out of mouth. I know all too well that it’s hard to find time to focus on you. And when you finally do take some time for yourself, you probably have what I like to call mom-guilt. That nagging feeling that there are other things more important that need to be done than to work on you. That’s part of being a mom. You put others first. I totally get it. But consider this. What I came to learn the hard way was that putting your own needs last is not helping the people who depend on you. Your choices and your actions are all affected by the way you feel about yourself, and it will carry over to the people around you and your relationships with them. The only way you can give your loved ones the best of you, and not what’s left of you, is to make your needs a priority, so you can feel good about yourself and like what you see in the mirror. If you’re feeling self-conscious about how you look and you’re choosing what to wear that day based on what will cover the muffin top and a part of you cringes at the thought of the upcoming tank top and shorts season, you’re so not alone. But that’s going to carry on into your thoughts and actions and ultimately your relationships. I’m speaking from experience here. When I suffered from IBS, anxiety, a distorted body image, and was exhausted all the time, I hated how I felt and what I looked like and felt like a part of me was missing, and that carried over into my relationships. The hardest part - is probably starting - to make “one day” Today. Once you do that, the rest falls into place. You will have overcome the biggest hurdle. It may be hard because you’ve ‘started’ before and failed. Millions of other women have done the same. It could just be that you didn’t have the proper tools or that you were trying another diet, and when it was finished - then what? It may be hard because changing lifelong patterns of eating seems way to hard and you don’t want to be stuck eating rabbit food, or you just don’t know where to start. I mean, there are hundreds of diets and different ways of eating if you search on google. But which one is right for you? Everything that I’m talking about are the reasons why I created programs like the 14-day Body Reset. I know for a busy woman or mom to be able to make her One Day, "Today" it has to be easy, it has to be do-able and it has to be able to work for the whole family. And it has to get results. I know that if you follow the 14-Day Body Reset, you will know what to eat, when to eat and how much to be able to lose that stubborn weight and look in the mirror with confidence again, without the confusion or overwhelm. This could be the best gift you give yourself this Mothers Day, and to help you out, I’m taking over 50% off the price. You are an awesome mom who deserves to look and feel awesome too. If you’re ready to make your One Day Today, click HERE. May Anne P.S. If you're ready to discover what to eat, when to eat and how much to be able to lose that stubborn weight and look in the mirror with confidence again, without the confusion or overwhelm, check out my 14-Day Body Reset (and take over 50% OFF for Mothers Day!) HERE. In my Slim Down program I teach proper portion sizes, so that anyone going through my program will have the waist-line friendly portion sizes and visual references to help them estimate them correctly, and I’m going to share my secret of portion sizes with you!
It’s important to understand how having the proper balance of macronutrients in any given meal keeps you fuller longer, boosts metabolism, keeps your energy levels up and reduces cravings. (Prefer to watch a video instead of reading? Just click Play on the video above - it contains the exact same information!) Knowing the visual reference makes it easier to estimate the portion sizes correctly in any given situation. There’s no weighing foods or counting calories this way, and once you get used it, you’ll find that you just automatically do it, with no thinking involved. It just becomes second nature. A portion is the amount of food you actually eat in one sitting– as opposed to a serving size, which is what is stated on a Nutrition Facts Panel or in the Food Guide. Most people are used to eating more than an allotted serving size of foods like bread, pasta, rice and meat. Fats and oils are also often eaten in quantities that exceed a serving just because few people bother to measure. If you want to trim down, paying attention to your portion sizes is a simple way to cut calories, fat and carbohydrate intake. I’ll demonstrate the visual references that will help you estimate them correctly.
I always tell my program members, to remember that each one of us is different, with various activity levels and metabolisms, so if you are truly hungry, and not just eating out of habit or boredom, then increase your portion sizes respectively. What I mean is, don’t just increase your carbs, without also increasing your fats and protein because those are what is going to keep you fuller longer, help you burn more calories, reduce the cravings and you absolutely need them for weight loss. Carbs on their own will produce the opposite results. If you have any questions or comments, please share them in the comment section below. Know that when you make healthy changes, your body and your health are going to thank you for investing in yourself and you’re going to look and feel better than you have in a long time! If you want to learn more slimming down techniques like this and want to know more about my Slim Down program and whether or not it would be right for you, send me a message here. Until next time, May Anne xo |
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AuthorAs a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, May Anne's passion is working with women who have lost themselves in the busyness of life and don't feel comfortable in their skin anymore. She uses a step-by-step program that includes nutrition and lifestyle strategies, along with coaching and support, leading them to feeling vibrant, energetic and confident in their skin, without dieting or spending hours in the kitchen. Archives
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