5 Simple Changes to Your Diet That Can Boost Your Energy (And It Doesn’t Require Big Sacrifices)
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- Author, Cecilia Barria
- Role, BBC News World
Feelings of lethargy or habitual tiredness, even sleepiness, can become a burden if repeated.
Especially when we don’t even have the energy, the basic motivation to do what we like, because the fatigue becomes unrelenting.
“It may also become harder to concentrate, and you’ll eventually find your patience wearing thin and frustration levels increasing,” says Samantha Heller, a clinical nutritionist at New York University.
While it’s true that genetics, rest, mental health, and exercise are essential to your energy levels, nutrition is also critical.
Instead of embarking on an ambitious plan to suddenly change your eating habits, it may be more effective to start small.
“Making small changes to your diet gives you a sense of success that keeps you motivated.”Dolores Woods, a nutritionist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), told BBC Mundo.
When it comes to energy, there is a very important factor: sugar.
Sugar is a bit of a trap. At first it gives energy, but then it takes it away.
“Any food with a lot of sugar will lower your energy,” he adds.
Below we present 5 changes that will help you feel more energetic.
1. Drink water
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Sometimes exhaustion is due to lack of hydration.
Many people drink coffee, energy drinks or sodas with lots of sugar when they feel tired, but the problem is that they have the opposite effect because they are diuretics.
“They stimulate us for a while and then the energy goes down.”explains Woods. “It’s a feeling of well-being that doesn’t last long.”
The same thing happens with coffee. When caffeine is metabolized, it reduces energy because it is a stimulant whose effects are short-lived.
Hunger signals are easy to confuse with thirst (we think we need food when in fact we need water).
2. Don’t skip meals
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Skipping meals causes your blood glucose levels to drop, causing fatigue.
It doesn’t matter whether you eat three small meals a day or five small meals a day (it depends on your daily routine), but the important thing is that you don’t leave too many hours between one meal and the next.
“We don’t want our glucose levels to go up or down too much, they need to be balanced to feel energized.”says Woods.
Various studies show that people who frequently skip breakfast consume more calories throughout the day compared to those who start the day with a meal.
Breaking your fast soon after waking up gives your body a shot of fuel that sets the tone for the rest of the day.
Skipping any meal during the day leads to an increased overall feeling of fatigue at the end of the day, according to an article published in the journal. Nutritional health.
3. Add protein to your breakfast
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Protein makes you feel more satisfied.
Vegetables are very important, Woods explains, but we must keep in mind that they are low in calories, so they need to be accompanied by some type of protein to boost energy.
What type of proteins? Meat is a source of protein, but not the only one.
They are also provided by legumes, dairy products or soy.
Beans, for example, contain a lot of fiber and provide us with the glucose we need to boost our body’s energy.
It is also beneficial to include fiber, which is found in oats or whole grain bread. These are “complex carbohydrates” that are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. and are converted into glucose, which helps improve energy.
On the other hand, simple carbohydrates are composed mainly of starch. They are absorbed faster by the body, which leads to a significant increase in blood glucose levels.
This is, for example, white bread or white rice.
“Ideally, it’s good to include protein at breakfast as it provides energy for the rest of the day,” says the nutritionist.
4. Eat Power Snacks
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Experts recommend eating nuts, seeds or dried fruits, which are considered power snacks as they provide energy to the body.
For example, walnuts contain heart-healthy fat, as well as fiber, vitamins, iron and other components important for fighting fatigue.
You can also consume fruits or nuts as they contain sugar, fiber and vitamins.
In addition to walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts or pistachios are recommended..
5. Eat whole grains
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Finally, it is important to eat whole grains.
This could be bread, pasta, cereal or brown rice made from whole grains, Woods says.
Supermarkets typically sell products made from grains or multigrains, but with other accompanying ingredients.
To know if it’s truly a whole grain, you need to check to see if it contains at least three grams of fiber per serving (five grams is ideal).
Eating whole grains in the morning provides a slow and steady release of fuel.
This way, your energy will be constant and balanced, and you will feel less tired at the end of the day.
These five changes are small steps towards a diet that gives you more energy throughout the day and reduces fatigue.
Combined with exercise and good sleep, they can help you feel better.
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