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Posted by Danielle Bean in Health on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 6:35 AM
I really enjoyed this article recently: 50 Ways to Boost Your Energy Without Caffeine
Some of the entries were things I’ve read dozens of times before, but some were actually surprising. Did you know, for example, that being a pessimist might be sapping you of your energy?
Don’t focus on the negative. Being a pessimist may actually be making you more tired. Try looking on the positive side of things instead, and you may see a turn around in your energy levels.
And, though I’ve read it many times before, I particularly noted the recommendation to get regular exercise.
While it may seem counterintuitive, exercising can wake you up and give you an energy boost that lasts all day. Make time for even 30 minutes of exercise in your day and start reaping the benefits.
I recently discovered, that exercising when you are feeling stressed or sluggish is a very good thing. When my life gets busy, it seems that exercise is one of the first things to get crossed off my list of daily activities. It’s just that when I’m feeling overwhelmed, it’s so much more tempting to sit and drink coffee while I freak out than it is to get up and move.
I tend to do my workouts at night, after the kids have gone to bed (or at least to their bedrooms). I just don’t want to deal with physical exertion and little kids underfoot. It works for me. In recent weeks, though, I realized that I was skipping my evening workouts more often than not—because I felt tired.
This seems logical, but actually it’s quite a silly circle—No exercise, no energy ... No energy, no exercise ... No good.
Since I was beginning to feel more and more like a slug, I decided to force myself to work out one recent night. Wow, did I feel better afterwards! I had always read that exercise gives you energy and helps you sleep better, but I had never experienced it quite so dramatically before. I made a mental note to use as incentive to keep myself moving when I am tempted to skip exercise.
Are you feeling tired? Do you have trouble getting up in the morning? You don’t have to be a crazy triathlete like my friend and fellow blogger Rachel. Skip the caffeine, and just get moving!
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The article didn’t mention sugar intake as a reason for fatigue. Sugar can give you a temporary boost, but an overall sugary diet can really gum up the works inside and make you sluggish.
I loved the point about finding something to get excited about. When I wake up each morning, I pick some small thing to look forward to: I get to try that new shampoo this morning! Pathetic and sad, but it works!
Picking something small to look forward to daily doesn’t seem “pathetic and sad” to me at all, Regina! I think I’ll start doing that. Remember St. Therese’s “Little Way” of “spiritual childhood”? It seems to me that it is wise and holy to learn a lesson from our children and take delight in the little things (like a train going by or a puddle of water…).
I agree it is the little things sometimes that keep you motivated. Thanks for that reminder! Also, almost a few years ago I started doing Jazzercise. I absolutely loved it for the workout as well as the people I met, which both gave me the motivation to go. Last November I loved it so much I became a certified instructor for Jazzercise. I really love it! If you want you can check out a class if there’s one in your area. http://www.jazzercise.com, click on “find a class”.
Exercising is the best thing ever, it really is. Once you start the first few minutes or so you really feel fit and healthy….get those heartbeats pumpin’!
Also the little things do get you motivated when you start thinking about them. My brother and his wife are expecting a girl in November and I can’t WAIT to have a little niece…they already have a son who’s a doll.
Thinking about the small things really do make huge impacts!
I still do coffee in the morning. But a B complex vitamin helps too! Sugar boosts your energy and then insulin is released dropping the sugar in your blood, big time. It’s like a big yo-yo effect. I find that once I get started on the sugar things, I can’t stop, so I just don’t start.
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