Do You Have Low Energy Levels? If So, Here's Some Simple Ways to Boost Your Energy Level Fast!

These days it is common to find people who complain about their low energy level or who are generally tired all the time.

Is it any wonder considering the stresses of life we experience on a daily basis? Family, work, relationships, financial, the list is almost endless.

Here we will examine some simple strategies you can employ to dramatically boost your energy level: 

Eat more natural foods

Many health experts believe that natural foods contain the 'life force' and when food is processed, packaged, cooked excessively or microwaved, this energy is depleted. As a result, rather than revitalising our body when we eat it, the 'damaged' food actually depletes our body resulting in low energy.

Here are some foods that boost energy. By making an effort to eat more of these foods we can not only boost our low energy level but we can improve our overall health as well. The foods include: natural and unprocessed foods, like fruits and vegetables, sprouts and grains. 

Eat less refined carbohydrates

Carbohydrate sources that have been refined include foods like, bread, pasta, sugar, cakes, biscuits, some cereals and fruit juices. Contrary to poular belief, these are certainly not foods that boost energy!

Since they have been refined, the carbohydrate content of them tends to be more concentrated. This means when you eat (or drink) them you get a sudden burst of carbohydrate (or sugar) into your blood stream.

Since your body tries to keep your blood sugar as stable as possible, it produces a hormone, insulin (a storage hormone), that helps to store the blood sugar (sometimes in the fat cells). Having had a burst of sugar into the blood stream, your body produces a large amount of insulin and this means most of the sugar gets stored. What then follows is a substantial drop in your blood sugar level.

This sudden drop in your blood sugar level results in a low energy level, makes you feel tired and hungry and often affects other body functions, including brain function. By reducing your intake of refined carbohydrates (without cutting them out altogether), you keep your blood sugar level stable, your energy level high and keep your body in a 'fat-burning mode'. 

Have small meals often

By having 5 or  6 small meals a day you are able to keep your blood sugar stable and your energy level high as well as providing the fuel and the building blocks your body needs for normal daily function. By using this strategy you also keep hunger at bay, your metabolism elevated and make it easy for your body to burn your existing fat stores as a fuel source.

If you have trouble having 5 or 6 small meals a day as whole foods (as most people do), try having a meal replacement shake for your mid-morning, mid-afternoon and supper meals. They are quick, easy, convenient and cheap. Then have whole-foods for your 3 main meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most people find this to be an effective strategy for avoiding low energy as well as burning losing weight easily. 

Eat 'complete' meals

'Complete' meals provide your body with a portion of carbohydrate, protein and fat in a balanced 'macronutrient ratio'. Carbohydrate, protein and fat are collectively called 'macronutrients', nutrients that are required by your body in large amounts. Since your body is a dynamic structure, constantly building up and breaking down tissues, it is essential that these macronutrients are supplied to your body every 2-3 hours throughout the day.

This will ensure you avoid low energy levels because all of the necessary bodily processes can occur at optimum levels.

Use a glucose disposal agent (GDA)

Keeping your blood sugar level stable is an essential strategy in avoiding low energy levels as well as burning off body fat fast. GDA are effective at helping the body dispose of glucose from the blood stream. Some examples include, cinnamon, turmeric, the minerals, chromium, selenium, and vanadium, the compound, alpha lipoic acid (ALA), the amino acid, taurine, and many others.

Use a high-quality multivitamin/ mineral supplement

Not only does your body require 'macronutrients' to function properly every day, but it also requires 'micronutrients' as well. 'Micronutrients' are nutrients required by the body in small amounts. These include vitamins, minerals and various 'phytonutrients' (nutrients from plants).

Consume whey protein every day

Whey protein should be an essential component of everyone's diet. It is one of the success stories of nutritional science. Whey protein comes from milk. It is extracted using a variety of techniques and high quality whey protein is devoid of lactose, fat and carbohydrate so it is fine for virtually everyone to use (including people who are lactose intolerant).

It has the highest biological value (BV) of any protein source, which means the amino acids it supplies provides the body with the building blocks it needs to function optimally. Whey protein has very high levels of the 'branched chain amino acids' (BCAAs) and these are the most important of all the amino acids because of the countless functions they are used for in the body. Whey protein also provides the body with valuable 'microfractions'. These are small chains of amino acids or 'peptides' that play vital roles in the body, including supporting immune function.

All the benefits offered by whey protein combine together to have a direct impact on your energy level. If you help the body function optimally as well support the immune system in fighting off bacteria and viruses, then you're also going to avoid having a low energy level.

Increase your aerobic fitness

By engaging in regular exercise your fitness level will increase. It doesn't particularly matter what type of exercise you do, what matters is that you do it! Make regular exercise a part of your life.

By doing so, your body will make a number of beneficial physical adaptations, which will lead to a noticeable difference in your energy level. Low energy will definitely be a thing of the past!

For example, your heart and lung volume will increase (this means more oxygen can get absorbed into the body and transferred around the body), your capillary density will increase (this means oxygen can get to your body cells easier), levels of haemoglobin (oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells) will increase, as well as a range of other health and energy-promoting benefits.

It is sometimes hard to motivate yourself to exercise consistently, especially when you are tired and lack energy. However, if you push yourself in the early stages it will get easier in a very short period of time. By simply performing 30 minutes of exercise every day, you will notice your energy level quickly improving.

Sleep more restfully When you sleep, your body goes through the processes of repair, recovery and recuperation. These processes ensure optimum body functioning and without them, low energy results. Therefore, sleeping restfully is essential if you want high energy levels.

In allowing the body to perform the required processes efficiently, there are few things you need to do. Firstly, have your last meal at least 3 hours before going to sleep. This will ensure that most of the meal is digested.

If you eat your last meal close to bed-time, your body will have to digest food while you are sleeping in addition to going through the repair, recovery and recuperation processes, then you will often wake up feeling tired. [You can have a meal replacement shake for supper though because it is in a pre-digested, liquid form. This won't require much digestion by your body and therefore won't affect the quality of your sleep].

Also, have a substantial amount of protein in your last meal of the day. This will ensure that you provide your body with the building blocks (amino acids, which come from protein) it needs to perform the necessary processes efficiently.

So there you have it! A few simple strategies to help boost your low energy level. By simply including the foods that boost energy, avoiding the foods that don't, using specific supplements and performing some exercise you will be mazed at how quickly your energy level will increase!