Is Your Fuel Gauge on Empty

Do you find yourself lacking energy throughout the day, despite getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night?  Many people report feeling fatigue, even though they do their best to get enough sleep.  In fact, about 25% of Americans complain about being tired.  One of the biggest culprits of fatigue is your diet - follow these three simple rules to invite more energy into your life.

#1 Never skip breakfast
When you wake up in the morning, your body has already gone for about 11 without eating.  Think of your body as a fuel tank running on empty.  Calories are the fuel needed to get you going, even if you do not feel like you need them.  Although the food you eat for breakfast is important for your body, it is even more important as fuel for your brain.  Most of the cells in your body store energy for those times when there is none coming in, but your brain cells need a constant supply of carbohydrates to function.  Although breakfast is one of the most important meals, do not skip lunch or dinner either.  When you start skipping meals, your body begins to conserve calories and your metabolism slows down - making you feel sluggish.  An added bonus for eating breakfast is that you tend to eat less throughout the day, which lends itself to weight loss. 

#2 Avoid large meals
Avoiding large meals is especially important at lunch time.  It requires a lot of energy from your body to digest huge meals.  Blood rushes to your gut, depleting the rest of your body of oxygen and nutrients.  By eating several small meals more frequently, you can keep your energy level consistent.  Try eating small meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with two snacks in between.

#3 Choose snacks wisely
When people feel sluggish they may think that they need a quick afternoon snack, and turn to pretzels and crackers that tend to be convenient and low-fat.  The reason these are not wise choices is because they are carbohydrates that are broken down almost instantly, which gives you the same brief blood sugar spike that candy does.  Choosing snacks wisely means eating those things that are high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats because they take longer to digest.  When this happens, your metabolism evens out, which protects you from energy highs and lows.  Great snack choices include nuts, fruit, yogurt, whole-wheat crackers with cheese, or vegetables with peanut butter. 

One last tip is to stay away from caffeine and candy.  Both of these things provide only a brief pick-me-up.  While the answer to feeling fatigued may not lie solely in your diet, these tips are a great start.