Great read... 5 Ways to Fight Fatigue By Zack Zeigler If youre lucky enough to have a job, odds are youre overworked. A survey conducted by Good Technology found that 80% of participants fielded calls, answered emails, and did other miscellaneous work-type stuff at home after leaving the office. All of that bonus time added up to roughly seven extra hours per week—or 30 hours a month.1,2 Go ahead and cry. We did. Woman Laying on Steering Wheel Factor in other stresses like relationship squabbles and money woes, and its no surprise why youre too emotionally and physically drained to exercise. And since youre unlikely to take a vacation to recharge—an estimated 577,212,000 available vacation days went unused nationwide last year3—youre going to need to rethink other areas in your life to find the energy to train. Here are four ways you can do that. #1. Eat More, More Often Woman Eating an AppleFueling up on caffeine and Tic Tacs may give you the stamina to power through the workday with mocha-colored teeth and minty fresh breath, but youll need to feast on more than that to keep your engine running efficiently. Youll run out of steam when you run out of fuel, says Dr. Felicia Stoler, DCN, MS, RD, FACSM, the author of Living Skinny in Fat Genes: The Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Feel Great. Eating three meals and three snacks can help you maintain blood sugar levels that prevent huge ups and downs in energy levels. Many of us arent following that advice. Data from 2011 compiled by Right Management noted that one in three U.S. employees worked through lunch, while 65% took their lunch break at their desks. Last year, CareerBuilder polled 3,600 workers and found that 8% dined on delicious and not-so-nutritious food from their companys vending machine at lunchtime.4 Point is, as busy as you might be, you need to make time to eat well to improve energy levels. If you need a reminder, the technology you use to work all of that unpaid OT can also be programmed to alert you when its time for a snack. #2. Carb Up Despite what youve heard, carbohydrates are not hellish calorie ghouls responsible for turning skinny people fat and fat people into morbidly obese planets. In fact, theyre a necessity. Our brains rely on carbs, and theyre a major element to maintaining blood sugar levels, Dr. Stoler says. Eating only fats and protein wont make you feel more energetic. A basic rule of thumb is to eat carbs with some protein and fat. Consuming too many simple carbs—foods high on the Glycemic Index (GI)—can cause blood sugar levels to spike, which can lead to additional body fat storage, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Fiber-rich whole foods—veggies, whole grains, and fruit—metabolize slower to provide you with lasting energy According to Dr. Stoler (and depending on what your goals are), youre looking to eat about 50% carbs, 20% protein, and between 25–30% fat per day. And for crying out loud, listen to Mom and eat more fruits and veggies. Theyre packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytonutrients. #3. Stay Hydrated Person Drinking Tea on the BeachCaffeine is a diuretic. In more scientific terms, it makes you go potty more often. So if thats all youre drinking from 9 to 5, youre going to get dehydrated. Along with impeding metabolism and making you feel sluggish,5 dehydration can also go all Criss Angel on your brain and trick it into feeling hungry when its really not. Adequate hydration benefits you in a whole host of ways, including lubricating joints, regulating body temperature, assisting the body with excreting waste, and keeping your immune system strong.6 #4. De-Stress The old standbys to shaking off tension are to meditate and become one with your body. If that doesnt work for you, find a different healthy distraction to pull your brain away from whats stressing you out. If it slows your heart rate and reduces tension, youre golden. If your schedule is too packed to take a walk, read for pleasure, or binge watch season two of House of Cards, give yourself a couple minutes to brew a cup of herbal tea. The great thing about this option is that you get the benefits of the herb youre brewing in addition to the ritual of slowing down and enjoying a hot drink. Three herbs backed by years of scientific and/or anecdotal evidence are chamomile, kava, and valerian root—but be careful with those last two because they can make you drowsy. Which leads us to… #5. Snooze More Man NappingAn ideal target is seven to nine hours of sleep per night. But most of us arent getting that, and its negatively affecting our performance everywhere.7 Lack of sleep can also do a number on your innards. Not getting a good nights sleep impacts things like heart health and metabolism, Dr. Stoler says. Its important to adopt good sleep hygiene and make your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep. That includes powering down smartphones and shutting off the TV. The blue light those devices emit can mess with melatonin levels, and those late night texts are interfering with your REM cycles. Seriously. A 2011 survey from the National Sleep Foundation found that 20% of people ages 19–29 get woken up multiple times a week by calls, texts, or emails.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 21:07:07 +0000
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