Best foods for natural energy

[cupcakechef]

I'm exhausted lately...I guess it's part and parcel of having a baby but I'm turning to coffee way more than I should - and then wondering at midday why my heart is racing...

What are your "go-to" foods or meals when you need an energy pick me up? As much as I'd like to rely on candy and chocolate for pick-me-ups, it's not really practical for my waistline or the fact that it gives me that terrible sugar crash.

 

[L_B]

My go to foods are blueberries, bananas, nuts and eggs. Salmon is also good if you have it on hand. Coffee does help too but you have to make sure not to overdo it. I always have some kind of trail mix on hand so they are convenient to grab for an energy snack.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

It sounds more like you need to think about what you are eating the night before so you exhausting yourself as much during the morning, plus what you eat for breakfast (which is what supplies energy from lunch onwards) really.

More carbs such as pasta to make sure your glycogen levels in your liver are high enough (stored energy) and make sure your iron levels are high enough. You may find that you need a short course of multivits to get you back on your feet and then you can go back to your normal food.

Otherwise you need to be looking at taking more fibre with the sugar, so looking at natural sugars in fruits such as dates and figs, not sultanas which are just pure sugar really.
Nuts are good because it takes the body a while to get at the calories, but that means that the energy release is sustained rather than a burst which is what you are trying to avoid.

But I think I would personally start (without knowing what you actually eat) with what you are eating the night before. I have just quit with the 'ration' of breakfast cereal that is supposedly a serving in the morning (and failing to loose weight but being very successful at being exhausted) and moved over to a serving and a half. The result is that I am nowhere near as tired, not getting anywhere near as hungry so not picking or treating myself later on in the day, and actually loosing weight! Work that one out.

 

[Elvisish]

I find carrots make me feel pretty good well I'm not feeling 100%, a nice raw carrot, skin and all. Also nuts, brazil nuts and almonds are great and taste yummy aswell! Bananas and apples are tasty and great for a sugar boost that is full of fibre and vitamins.

Also you might want to get hold of some liquid iron or iron tablet supplement as that is really helpful for naturally boosting you when you feel fatigued.

 

[cupcakechef]

It sounds more like you need to think about what you are eating the night before so you exhausting yourself as much during the morning, plus what you eat for breakfast (which is what supplies energy from lunch onwards) really.

More carbs such as pasta to make sure your glycogen levels in your liver are high enough (stored energy) and make sure your iron levels are high enough. You may find that you need a short course of multivits to get you back on your feet and then you can go back to your normal food.

Otherwise you need to be looking at taking more fibre with the sugar, so looking at natural sugars in fruits such as dates and figs, not sultanas which are just pure sugar really.
Nuts are good because it takes the body a while to get at the calories, but that means that the energy release is sustained rather than a burst which is what you are trying to avoid.

But I think I would personally start (without knowing what you actually eat) with what you are eating the night before. I have just quit with the 'ration' of breakfast cereal that is supposedly a serving in the morning (and failing to loose weight but being very successful at being exhausted) and moved over to a serving and a half. The result is that I am nowhere near as tired, not getting anywhere near as hungry so not picking or treating myself later on in the day, and actually loosing weight! Work that one out.

Surprisingly I think I eat pretty well. Breakfast is usually greek yogurt and some sort of cereal/granola with berries...and as for dinners it varies. This week we've had stuffed peppers, pasta, steak with rice and veggies, taco salad, and just a night of takeout which was Japanese cuisine. I honestly have no idea why I'm so run down (I would have thought 8 months post partum I should be relatively back to normal) but I'm questioning now whether I'm actually eating enough. Like you were, I have a habit of being in that "ration" mindset and sometimes I'll eat, still be starving, but worry about calories. Sometimes I think that mindset is stupid (I don't know why I still do it!)

 

[cupcakechef]

I find carrots make me feel pretty good well I'm not feeling 100%, a nice raw carrot, skin and all. Also nuts, brazil nuts and almonds are great and taste yummy aswell! Bananas and apples are tasty and great for a sugar boost that is full of fibre and vitamins.

Also you might want to get hold of some liquid iron or iron tablet supplement as that is really helpful for naturally boosting you when you feel fatigued.

I am actually wondering about the iron side of things myself. I've never been anemic before but I guess post pregnancy after all those nutrients have been depleted from growing a baby it could absolutely be possible. I might give that a whirl!

 

[Pat]

It does sound like you are eating good food and enough food. It maybe necessary to check with your doctor to find out what the cause of your depleted energy is, it maybe something else that is causing you to be so tired.

 

[winterybella]

I honestly came for some tips for my own health and found some which I really appreciate. Some exercise and some of the suggestions here should do me well. Cupcakechef says she eats well. Sadly I can't say I do the same consistently.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Surprisingly I think I eat pretty well. Breakfast is usually greek yogurt and some sort of cereal/granola with berries...and as for dinners it varies. This week we've had stuffed peppers, pasta, steak with rice and veggies, taco salad, and just a night of takeout which was Japanese cuisine. I honestly have no idea why I'm so run down (I would have thought 8 months post partum I should be relatively back to normal) but I'm questioning now whether I'm actually eating enough. Like you were, I have a habit of being in that "ration" mindset and sometimes I'll eat, still be starving, but worry about calories. Sometimes I think that mindset is stupid (I don't know why I still do it!)

Apologies, I didn't mean to imply that you didn't eat well. More a case of not enough of what is needed to get you through the day without snacking. I'm doing a lot better wrt not snacking now I am eating 1/2 portions of cereal. My main concern with your food (I won't use the word diet) is that there is a specific requirement by the liver for what it can use the night before to restock its supply of energy for the next day (in the form of glycogen). It is something I know a lot about having gone off to cycle around the world and fatigue in the mornings is directly related to what you ate the night before and how well you have slept (I'm assuming this bit is more in the negative than the positive). One you can't do much about, the other you can. I'll leave it with you to look up glycogen and what is needed to restore the levels each and every day. Only certain foods restock glycogen, the rest of what you eat is for other things (repair, growth, etc)

 

[cupcakechef]

Apologies, I didn't mean to imply that you didn't eat well. More a case of not enough of what is needed to get you through the day without snacking. I'm doing a lot better wrt not snacking now I am eating 1/2 portions of cereal. My main concern with your food (I won't use the word diet) is that there is a specific requirement by the liver for what it can use the night before to restock its supply of energy for the next day (in the form of glycogen). It is something I know a lot about having gone off to cycle around the world and fatigue in the mornings is directly related to what you ate the night before and how well you have slept (I'm assuming this bit is more in the negative than the positive). One you can't do much about, the other you can. I'll leave it with you to look up glycogen and what is needed to restore the levels each and every day. Only certain foods restock glycogen, the rest of what you eat is for other things (repair, growth, etc)

Oh no I didn't take it that way at all! I'm sorry if it sounded like that's what I thought!
Going to do a bit of research about glycogen now - thanks for the heads up!

 

[skytvcontact]

Lemon water
The simplest way to get a boost, ever! Adding lemon to water transforms regular H20 into a natural energy drink that is packed with electrolytes, which are critical for cells to produce energy.

Fresh fruit
The natural sugar in fruit provides a quick pick-me-up when you're dragging and helps keep blood sugar levels steady because it's packed with fiber.

Nuts
Cashews, almonds, and hazelnuts are high in magnesium, which plays a key role in converting sugar to energy.

Dark chocolate
Nibbling a square of dark chocolate as a post-lunch dessert is good for you. It contains the natural stimulant theobromine, similar to caffeine, which boosts your energy and your mood.

Whole-grain toast
Carbohydrates provide 60 percent of the energy required to make your body go, and whole grains are packed with complex carbs (the good kind!), which are full of vitamins and minerals.

Cardamom
In Asia, this spice is valued for its ability to increase energy and promote blood flow by expanding small blood vessels.

Asparagus
This green veggie is high in B vitamins, which naturally support healthy energy levels by turning food (carbs) into fuel (glucose), and it contains plenty of blood sugar-steadying fiber.

Sauerkraut
Raw sauerkraut isn't just a good match for bratwurst; it also helps you maintain energy. The fermented cabbage is high in probiotics, which makes your gut digest food more efficiently.

 

[Corzhens]

I seldom get that feeling of exhaustion in the morning maybe because I eat a good breakfast. When I will have an expected grind in the office like a tour of the branch offices, I would have fried rice for breakfast. The carbohydrates give me the energy that I need for that physical activity ahead. A good match for fried rice is dried fish that is fried to the crisp. Aside from fruit juice, the side dish is sliced green tomatoes plus salted eggs. That heavy breakfast is my weapon for the morning grind. Try it.

 

[Berties]

Broccoli
Soy beans ,edamame
Dried nuts and seeds
Whole grain cereals
Guarana ,twice as much caffeine as coffee,comes in shot forms in the health food shop
Quinoa
Pumpkin seeds
Goji berries
Here is a list of more high energy foods ,it's what works for you ,and the levels of activity you do ,some people need to eat to eat to let their body repair
My neighbours son is playing rugby for England in the World Cup at the moment and they have steak ,spinach ,broccoli eggs for breakfast and porridge but his demands are high where as a tour cyclist will have porridge with fruits and nuts and a espresso ,like wise with the op ,a well thought breakfast light lunch of salad and grains and a fish dish and veg for the evening,mill during the day with nuts plenty of hydration ,

 

[Rosyrain]

Surprisingly I think I eat pretty well. Breakfast is usually greek yogurt and some sort of cereal/granola with berries...and as for dinners it varies. This week we've had stuffed peppers, pasta, steak with rice and veggies, taco salad, and just a night of takeout which was Japanese cuisine. I honestly have no idea why I'm so run down (I would have thought 8 months post partum I should be relatively back to normal) but I'm questioning now whether I'm actually eating enough. Like you were, I have a habit of being in that "ration" mindset and sometimes I'll eat, still be starving, but worry about calories. Sometimes I think that mindset is stupid (I don't know why I still do it!)

Sounds like we have been eating dinner at the same house, as my dinner menu is much like yours. I too eat granola in the mornings and it seems to keep me energized for the first couple of hours, and then I feel hungry again before lunch. I experimented and added more eggs to my breakfast and they seem to keep me full longer. I am not sure about the energy produced from eggs though. Nuts are also a good choice for breakfast and you can just chomp on them as you go about your business.

 

[cupcakechef]

Sounds like we have been eating dinner at the same house, as my dinner menu is much like yours. I too eat granola in the mornings and it seems to keep me energized for the first couple of hours, and then I feel hungry again before lunch. I experimented and added more eggs to my breakfast and they seem to keep me full longer. I am not sure about the energy produced from eggs though. Nuts are also a good choice for breakfast and you can just chomp on them as you go about your business.

I don't like eggs (it's hard because everyone recommends eggs since they are so high in protein but I'm just not a fan!) but nuts are something I enjoy. Might have to try and start sneaking more of those into my diet so that I'm a little more energized. Plus like you said, they're one of the easier foods to consume when you're on the go!