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Before you grab another cup of coffee…read this! When it comes to building your energy nothing works better than a balanced eating regiment. You may get a quick boost after a cup of Joe…but you’ll end up losing your mojo in know time.  Leading nutritionist Linda Prout, M.S., suggests the following tips to gain energy!

Eat Protein For Breakfast & Lunch. Meat, eggs, fish, poultry, nuts and seeds give you the energy you need to get things done. Put walnuts and butter on your oatmeal, not maple syrup and raisins. For afternoon energy, eat a low-carbohydrate, high-protein lunch like stir fried chicken with broccoli or a chicken breast with cooked green beans. Avoid pasta-only meals.

Look For Humanely-Raised, Grass-fed Meats and Free-Range Poultry and Eggs. These protein sources are richer in several vitamins and omega-3 fats, which are important to energy and health. Factory produced animal often harbor diseases from overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions, as well as unhealthy hormone and chemical residues.

Eat Your Greens. Cooked spinach, broccoli, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, chard, bok choy, beet greens, Chinese broccoli are all energy boosters, with chlorophyll, magnesium and B vitamins. Vary them!

Drink Enough Water. The amount you need varies by person. Signs you need to drink more include thirst, dark/deep yellow urine, fatigue, mental fogginess, dry skin and constipation. Avoid cold water, which slows digestion. Avoid sweet and artificially sweetened drinks. Make sure your water is free of added fluoride, which can suppress thyroid (and thus energy and metabolism) and free of pollutants.

Eliminate Or Reduce Sugar and White Flour. Muffins, cookies, fruit juices, white bread and white pasta contain refined sugars and simple carbohydrates that wreak havoc on blood sugar. That leads to low energy. Replace them with protein and complex carbs like veggies.

Bonus Points

Exercise And Breathe. Regular aerobic exercise improves mental and physical well-being and works better than drugs at alleviating depression. A daily walk, jog, bike ride, swim, or dance keeps us physically energized and mentally alert.

Plan Something Exciting. Looking forward to a get-away, starting a new project or learning something new stimulates your mind and gives your body a reason to give you energy. Discover the activities, work and people that help you feel joyful.

Working Divas http://www.workingdivas.com/2011/09/23/how-to-eat-for-more-energy/