Food for Fuel - Nutrition Tips to Boost Your Energy

At Find Your Fit we're all about helping women and mums create more energy for the things they love. As they say, "you are what you eat" so how is what you're eating serving your energy levels?

First off I am not a nutritionist or a dietician I'm speaking from personal experience and that of my clients. This post won't give you the latest "super foods" or sell you a magic energy boosting drink. It will get you thinking about where YOU are at and give you some practical tips you can action straight away.

Check out my top tips to boost energy though food and eat in a way that works for YOU.

First off let's ask some questions...

Are you satisfied with your current energy levels?

What are you doing well in regards to nutrition?

What do you know you could do better?

Or are you at the "No idea please help!" stage

Tip 1 - Go see a nutritionist and get some blood work done

If you really want to know what's going on and make sure your nutrition is on point and you don't have any deficiencies that could be zapping your energy, this is a must.

Some key nutrient deficiencies that could be affecting your health and energy are; iron, B12, magnesium, vitamin D, Omega-3 fatty acids, potassium or carbohydrates.

Tip 2 - Reduce or remove energy zappers

These include things like sugar, processed carbohydrates, energy drinks, excess caffeine and alcohol. It may seem like a good idea at the time but these things will give you an energy spike followed by a drop leaving you feeling drained or wanting more and this is not the roller coaster you want to be on.

Tip 3 - Balance your macros to suit your body preference

There are 3 key macronutrients; protein, carbohydrates and fats.

We all need adequate protein to support healthy muscle development and maintenance but the balance of carbs or fats you have is individual to each person. This is a whole other topic in itself but to give you a snapshot...

I give all my personal training clients a daily protein target (and weekly calorie target if required based on their goals) to hit as this is critical for women's health. But, I leave the rest of the balance of carbs to fats up to them depending on what actually makes them feel and function at their best.

How much protein should you have? It depends! This is specific to each individual based on their goals, weight, and age. A ball park figure would be anywhere from 1.6 - 2.5 grams x kg of body weight = target grams of protein you should consume per day. If you want to work out your minimum multiply your body wight by 1.6 and start here.

*They caveat here is if you are significantly overweight this will be quite high so you can do 1.6 x ideal body weight in kg.

Actions you can take to balance your macros

• Eat enough protein as per above! It helps you feel fuller for longer and creates sustainable energy

• Eat lower GI carbohydrates like vegetables as well as fruit, beans, legumes as they have longer lasting stable energy. Reduce processed carbohydrates like bread, pasta, rice. These are all ok but in moderation and correct portion size.

• Consume healthy fats for energy and healthy brain function. Think olive oil, avocado, fish, nuts, full fat dairy. Avoid trans fats, reduce saturated fat and deep fried items.

• Some people will feel better eating more carbohydrates OR more fats, observe and see how YOU feel. Don't just follow the latest diet trend, everyone is different. That's why there are so many diets out there that work.. for the right person.
  

It works if you enjoy it, can stick to it and create sustainable healthy habits that fuel your body and meet your nutritional needs.

Tip 4 - Include protein at breakfast

All too often as Trainers we see clients having very little protein at breakfast, if at all. If cereal or toast and coffee is really your jam so be it, but why not try a protein loaded breakfast. Examples;

- Eggs on toast

- Greek yogurt with nuts, seeds and berries

- Proats (protein oats) look it up, it's yum!

- Protein shake if you're on the go

Tip 5 - Hydration is key

This is a no brianer but some people really struggle to get in enough water daily. Being properly hydrated increases performance, reduces hunger and increases brain function.

How much per day? Again this depends on your size, goals, and activity levels. Anywhere from 1.5 - 3L per day. Have a water bottle with you and know how many you need to drink each day to hit your target.

In Summary

1. See a nutritionist and get some blood work done to make sure you don't have any nutrition deficiencies

2. Reduce or remove energy zappers like sugar, processed carbs, caffeine, alcohol

3. Consume adequate protein

4. Balance healthy carbs and fats in a way that makes your body and mind happy

5. Stay hydrated

Need Help?

Nutrition coaching and support is included with all my PT programs both online and face to face.

I help you; set goals, understand your macros, set daily habit goals to increase the value of your nutrition. Get in touch to have a chat.

*Face to face PT only applicable to those in the North Kellyville area of NSW, Australia.