Eating for energy: Balancing blood sugars and reducing fatigue.
It is very common to experience an afternoon energy slump, which can leave you feeling sluggish, fatigued, and unmotivated. This, in turn, could impact your food choices, activity levels, and overall mood. By finding balance in your meals and snacks, you might just be able to reduce or even prevent these energy dips and the subsequent poor food and lifestyle choices that often follow.
In certain cases, energy problems arise due to continuous nutrient deficiencies resulting from either dietary restrictions or a lack of diversity in food choices. If you adhere to a restrictive diet, you may unknowingly miss out on essential nutrients that play a crucial role in maintaining energy levels. To help you combat this, here are some tips to get you started:
1. Include protein in every meal and snack.
2. Carbohydrates are needed for energy production, but choose whole grains, legumes, and vegetables over white simple carbohydrates.
3. Don't overtrain and undereat - fuel your workouts.
4. Swap your sweet breakfast for savory - think eggs!
5. Limit or avoid processed snacks and confectionery.
6. Include vitamin B-rich foods in your diet or test them and supplement accordingly.
7. Limit fruit to 1 to 2 pieces a day and do not eat it in isolation.
8. Eat regular balanced meals.
9. Aim to eat within a 10-hour eating window.
10. Start your day with natural light (open blinds first thing & go for a short walk).
11. Eat meals mindfully and stop when you feel comfortably full.
12. Consume caffeine before 12pm and limit it to 2 cups.
13. Drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water daily.
14. Consistently get 7-8 hours of sleep.
“Popping extra vitamins isn’t necessarily the answer: “How nutrition affects a person’s energy is highly individualised,””
Top Vitamins for energy
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Converts food into energy. Deficiency symptoms include confusion and muscle weakness, especially in diabetics or individuals with alcohol abuse disorder.
Found in: Whole grains, meat, fish, legumes, and seeds.
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Converts food into energy. Symptoms of deficiency include weakness and fatigue, more common in vegans, vegetarians, pregnant and breastfeeding individuals, and those avoiding dairy.
Found in: Eggs, meats, milk, and green vegetables.
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Another B vitamin that aids in energy conversion. Deficiency is rare but more common in individuals with anorexia, alcohol abuse, or inflammatory bowel disease.
Found in: Poultry, beef, pork, fish, nuts, legumes, and fortified breads.
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Essential for blood and nerve cell health. Symptoms of deficiency include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, palpitations, weight loss, decreased appetite, infertility, depression, memory problems, and nerve damage. More common in vegans, vegetarians, older people, and individuals avoiding meat.
Found in: Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, clams, beef liver, and nutritional yeast
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Crucial for hemoglobin production, which transports oxygen in the body. Fatigue, weakness, difficulties in concentration, and weakened immune system may indicate iron deficiency. Risk factors include heavy menstrual periods, pregnancy, vegetarian or vegan diet, and specific gastrointestinal conditions.
Found in: Lean meat, seafood, poultry, spinach, lentils, kidney beans, and nuts.
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Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and fatigue. Individuals with type 2 diabetes, long-term alcohol use disorder, or gastrointestinal diseases like celiac disease are more prone to magnesium deficiency.
Found in: Dark leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, milk, yogurt, and fortified cereals.
“We support clients with personalised recommendations that they can adhere to, coaching and support to achieve long-term success with no diets I’m sight! ”
The Power of Blood Glucose on Energy Levels
Our body converts carbohydrates into glucose, which is the fuel for our cells. Glucose enters our bloodstream and provides us with energy. Any extra glucose is stored in the liver. When the liver is full, the body starts storing it as fat. Consuming too many carbohydrates may cause a spike in blood sugar, leading to excess insulin and fat storage. Insulin's role is to lower blood sugar levels, which can result in low energy levels and increased hunger, even if we have consumed enough energy. If you have a diet high in sugar and carbohydrates on a regular basis, your body may experience a rollercoaster effect of insulin and blood sugar levels, causing the body to potentially store fat in preparation for a potential stress response.
It is important to note that everyone is individual and while some people are genetically more sensitive to sugar and carbs than others. We do not truly know how you're affected until you wear a continuous blood glucose monitor and analyse how your diet might be affected by certain foods.
Jessica May works in clinic to analyse your current diet (and continuous glucose monitor if requested), she listens to your goals and symptoms and makes personalised dietary, lifestyle supplement and testing recommendations that you can easily adopt. The goal when working with Jessica is to adopt a plan that you enjoy while feeling more optimal and to reach your goals, yes that’s truly possible, read Jessica’s client reviews for yourself.