Skip to main content

Energy Boost

Aside from weight loss, the other thing it seems everyone is in pursuit of is more energy. Look at the abundance of energy enhancing products on the market these days. Red Bull, etc. is everywhere and there is also energy gum, candy, and brownies that I have seen. Wake up folks (ha ha, no pun intended!), these are not a good solution. Most of them are full of crap along with that caffeine and mix of "herbs". They can also have nasty side-effects. At the CAN-FIT-PRO conference I got a free sample of an energy shot (
http://www.screamingenergy.com/energy_drink_51.php). I gave it a try and instantly got hot and tingly and broke out in itchy hives all over. Turns out it has a lot of niacin in it, something I am very sensitive to. People claim niacin flushes are good for you but it sure didn't feel good! I had to take a Benadryl to get the hives down.

What is the best way to get more energy?

* GET ENOUGH SLEEP! I can't stress enough how important sleep is, and nothing can replace it. More and more research is demonstrating how critical it is for our health. Most people need 7ish hours.

* Eat a balanced diet with regular meals and snacks. Both what and when you eat is important. Eat complex carbs and foods low on the GI index for sustained energy. Things like whole grains, fruits and veggies, low fat protein, etc. Stay away from refined carbohydrates, candy, juice and empty calories of any kind. Eat every few hours, ideally three meals and two snacks per day, with no more than 4 hours between.

* Stay hydrated. Water is best. Avoid drinking sugary drinks altogether.

* Manage stress. Do whatever works for you - meditation, yoga, shopping, reading, cooking. Essentially take time for yourself.

* Exercise. Yes, expending energy actually gives you a lot more. Get moving.

A word on caffeine...

Caffeine is the main ingredient in most commercial "energy" supplements. It has been proven to enhance athletic performance. Just try it. I've just started taking caffeine pills first thing in the morning before my workout. I don't have time to drink a coffee and it's too hard on my stomach but I often wish I could get a bit of a boost since I go from fast asleep in my bed to pounding it out in our home gym in about 10 minutes flat. So this morning, I took 1 100mg caffeine pill before I started my workout. Wow, it really makes a difference! I did the most chin ups I have EVER done. I definitely felt stronger. After my workout, I had a coffee and that was definitely enough caffeine for the day. While trying to do school work this morning, I felt like doing jumping jacks. And that's the key with caffeine, do not OD!! Too much will just make you feel nervous and jittery. I learned my lesson on Saturday. I took 2 caffeine pills before my workout and felt great. But then I took advantage of having more leisure time, compared to during the week, and gulped down 2 massive coffees with my breakfast. BIG MISTAKE! I felt nauseous and jittery for most of the rest of the day. Next time I feel like extra coffee, I'm going for decaf!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Japanese 7-Spice Kelp Noodles

I love trying new spices and seasonings, so I am very excited that the President's Choice Black Label line now has a bunch of new spice blends available.  My most recent find: Shichimi Togarashi, or Japanese 7-Spice blend. It's a combination of crushed red chili flakes, sea salt, Szechiuan peppercorns, black and white sesame seeds, poppy seeds, orange zest, wasabi powder and nori seaweed flakes. I make Japanese-inspired dishes all the time, but resort to the same old flavours most of the time: miso, soy, sesame, ginger and garlic.  I was so excited to be able to liven things up a bit. This dish is easy and tasty, although be warned that this seasoning packs punch.  I used 1 tsp, which ended up being too spicy for me, and I have a high tolerance for heat!  I recommend 1/4-1/2 tsp, or, if you don't like heat at all, make your own at home and omit the red chili flakes.  You'll get all the flavour without the heat. I served these noodles with a mix of seafood (

Blackfly Coolers: Product Review

Summer is over! Well, at least if you're a student. Officially it doesn't end for a few weeks, and it certainly still feels like summer. Yeah, I hate it. This f*cking hot, humid weather needs to end NOW! We made the most of our last weekend of the summer with our annual trip to the CNE on Friday, with a crowd of friends. It wasn't unbearably lot, thank goodness, and the girls and their friends had a blast on the rides.  Saturday I had to work, and Sunday was errand day. Monday we took the girls berry/apple/pear picking but didn't last long due to the heat. I organized the house to prepare for the construction workers starting back up yesterday, while Adam took the girls for a swim in our neighbourhood pool. Yesterday was the first day of school. Grade 2 and Grade 5. Yep, the girls are growing up.  We are fortunate that the girls don't have much anxiety about school, they are so much more confident than I ever was as a kid! But now, in the midst of our reno ch

How to Look Like a Celebrity

Okay, I know you're going to be interested in this post! I am sure virtually every woman in North America has wondered how Hollywood celebrities achieve such 'perfect' bodies.  Well, at CAN FIT PRO last week, one of Hollywood's top fitness trainers, Eric the Trainer , was there to tell us fitness professionals the secrets! Eric the Trainer, gave several presentations, and I caught the one on Celebrity Secrets, and it was most interesting!!!  I also found some of what he said rather disturbing. First off, he was very upfront about the fact that celebrities come to him for improve their appearance.  Not to improve their health or athletic performance.  To look their best.  He admitted that his approach then, is entirely dedicated to that end. Male and female celebrities are trained in completely different ways because Hollywood wants women to be lithe and thin and in his words, "look like they dropped out of heaven looking this way without every having ste