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Gain More Energy Through Proper Nutrition

Sometimes, even when we sleep way past the recommended eight hours, we still feel tired all the time. If you find yourself feeling weak, tired and exhausted and you know it’s not because you don’t do enough physical activities or get adequate rest, then adjusting your diet to make sure the foods you eat are giving your body the nutrition it needs to make energy can have a positive impact because it really is true that you can gain more energy through proper nutrition.

Balanced Meals Throughout the Day

By eating well-rounded breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks, you should have the energy you need throughout the day.

According to Dr. Barry Sears’ Zone diet plan, you should have five servings of protein each day. Each serving should equal about the size and thickness of the palm of your hand. Once your serving of protein is on your plate, you will have approximately two thirds of the plate left to fill, and this should be filled with vegetables, carbs, a little fruit and a dash of fat, such as a few nuts, the olive oil you used to cook the food, avocado slices or a dollop of cream cheese or sour cream. As for carbohydrates, if you are not trying to lose weight, fruits high in sugar and starchy carbs are not recommended on a daily basis.

Power Foods to Include in Your Meals

The one way to make your balanced meals and snacks even more beneficial for you is to choose from Mother Nature’s super foods:

Arugula

Watercress

Spinach

Kale

Collard greens

Almonds

Avocados

Quinoa, brown rice, millet, amaranth

Ground flax seeds

Lentils, white beans, black beans

Moderate servings of dates and other dried fruits

Edamame

Berries

Seaweed and other sea vegetables

Salmon

Energetic Snacks

Eat before you are ravenously hungry; this way, you won’t be tempted to grab the first thing on hand, which may not have any nutritional value.

You may find yourself wanting a snack at least twice a day, and they are important so that you have a steady supply of energy. The same plate proportions apply here too since you can include a serving of protein with each snack. A glass of 1% milk is a simple and complete snack portion according to the Zone. Cheese and fruit is another option as is hummus with your choice of vegetables.

Go Easy On the Coffee

Coffee doesn’t give you the same kind of energy as a well-balanced, healthy meal. If you have that without having food with it, then when the high wears off, you may end up being struck with sudden and uncontrollable hunger pangs that leave you drained and wanting to scarf down the first food you can get your hands on. Coffee is OK in moderation if your health allows it and you are not taking any medications that interact with it. Another even healthier option is green tea, which you can make more delicious with a squeeze of lime.

Drink Water!

If you only drink water when you are thirsty, then dehydration has already had adverse affects on your energy according to a recent study that came out of University of Connecticut’s Human Performance Laboratory. It proved that dehydration not only affects energy but also mood and the ability to think clearly.

There are many more benefits to following a balanced diet than increasing your energy; you will also lose extra body fat, become healthier, be happier, perform better, have improved thinking, add years to your life and look more youthful and vibrant.