Stress has a bad rap, but a certain amount of positive stress is good for us, says Posen. The trick is to stretch ourselves a little beyond our comfort zone to find something that’s stimulating – but not too anxiety-producing.
Energy-boosting tip: Add some challenge to your life, whether it’s taking a writing or painting class, learning a new hobby or asking for more responsibility at work.
FOOD/NUTRIENTS
5. Don’t skip breakfast
The word breakfast literally means "to break a fast," and your body can’t shift into full gear when it hasn’t had fuel. Eating food high in fat and sugar, or skipping breakfast altogether, will leave you feeling lethargic all day, says Lois Ferguson, a registered dietitian in Mississauga, Ont., and author of Eating for Energy and Ecstasy (self-published, 2000). "A healthy breakfast containing protein and complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain toast, helps keep blood-sugar levels balanced and stabilizes energy," she says.
Energy-boosting tip: Plan ahead; cut up fruit the night before to add to cereal or a smoothie, or make a batch of bran muffins to get you through the week’s mornings.
6. Stay hydrated
Lack of fluids is a major cause of fatigue, since they transport nutrients and oxygen to our cells and organs. "Sometimes I get ‘brain foggy’ in the afternoon and realize I haven’t had any water," says Penny Ormsbee, a holistic nutritional consultant and educator at the Therapeutic Approach Health Centre in Halifax. "Water perks me up again." We need at least eight cups (two litres) of fluids per day to stay properly hydrated. Besides drinking water, you can get hydrating fluids from watery foods such as fruit and vegetables and from milk, juice and other noncaffeinated, nonalcoholic beverages.
Energy-boosting tip: Ditch sodas and coffee and keep a glass of the clear stuff handy.
7. Eat more often
Most of us know what foods we should be eating (less fatty foods and plenty of whole grains, fruit and vegetables), but it’s also important to know how to eat – that is, how to spread out healthy foods over the course of the day, says Toronto dietitian Leslie Beck, author of The No-Fail Diet (Penguin Books Canada, 2006). Eating five or six small meals throughout the day ensures that your blood-sugar levels remain steady. "My clients tell me they feel much better once they start eating healthy between-meal snacks," says Beck.
Energy-boosting tip: Aim to eat every three to four hours. Keep high-energy snacks, such as nuts or dried or fresh fruit, in your purse or at your desk so you can munch on something to prevent afternoon tiredness.
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