How to have more energy, in 6 steps

Do you regularly feel low on energy? It’s a tough place to be if a fit and healthy body is your goal. Low energy will make you more likely to reach for foods that probably won’t support your goals. Exercise will feel like a slog, and your motivation levels might drop. If you want to know how to have more energy, then read on.

Today, I’m sharing a simple approach to holistic health and fitness that will help ensure your bases are covered. Put a little consideration and effort into these six areas, and you’ll be one step closer to better energy levels. Ultimately, I know you want to get out there and enjoy life to its fullest. Let’s look at reclaiming your energy so you can do more of the things you enjoy.

Before we get started, I just want to check that you are feeling well. If you’ve got a cold or a sore throat, check out this post for lots of tips to help you get well.

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Eat well

If you want to have more energy, first consider the quality of your diet. The most significant portion of a healthy nutritional regimen should consist of a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. These foods are incredibly high in the widest and most dense variety of nutrients.

More than any other foods, they will provide what your body requires to function well and energize you. Combined with good fats (e.g. eggs, nuts, seeds) and protein (e.g. meat, eggs, legumes), you’ll be on your way to an energy-rich nutritional regime. Find out more about what to eat in this article, and check out these everyday energy-boosting superfoods.

If you don’t think you can get all your required nutrients from food at the moment, check out the benefits of IV vitamin therapy. This could be especially useful if you are experiencing high stress levels. For some healthy food inspiration, check out my favorite healthy cookbooks.

Drink well

Water should never be underestimated as a powerful way to energize your body.  Grabbing a coffee or another caffeinated beverage may provide a temporary energy fix, but could leave you feeling low on energy once the effects wear off. Caffeine is a diuretic, so it flushes water out of your body. If you’re working on ‘how to have more energy,’ take a large glass of water, try out the next tip on the list, and then see if you still ‘need’ that coffee.

Move your body

Regular activity has immense benefits, one of which is a ‘mental’ break to refresh and re-energize the mind, so you can return to a task or move on to your next one with greater energy. Some tips for increasing your physical activity include taking the stairs, parking farther away, getting up from your chair every 20-30 minutes, and walking around the block during breaks.

Read about the value of incidental exercise in this article. It’s essential to get away from the mindset that you need a full, one-hour, intense workout to get the benefits. If you’re working on how to increase your energy, a short burst of movement to get your heart rate up and blood flowing could be more beneficial.

If your body is tired and depleted, a high-intensity or long workout could leave you feeling even more tired. If you often find yourself ‘desk-bound, ‘ try these simple stretches to add a little bit of movement to your day.

Mind your stress

Modern lifestyles can be busy and stressful, which can lead to low energy levels. Stress management is a key component of having more energy. Try the following stress-reducing tips to increase your energy levels:

• Practice regular ‘belly’ breathing. Stop and take 10 deep breaths with your eyes closed. Place one hand on your belly and feel it rise as you breathe in and lower as you breathe out
• Do less. Choose the important things.
• Find some ‘me time‘ every day
• Spend less time on electronic gadgets such as laptops, phones, and iPads.
• Check out other ideas for keeping your stress in check, and find out whether stress is always bad for your health

Sleep well

Just as electronic gadgets can lead to increased stress as we are constantly ‘on alert, ’ they can also affect your sleep quality. You’re probably aware that sleep is a key consideration when figuring out how to have more energy. Just like exercise and nutrition, it requires focus and planned action steps to improve it.

So, switch off all devices at least two hours before bed, and avoid bright lights during this time. Also, be wary of caffeine-containing beverages. If you have trouble falling asleep or waking during the night, caffeine is best avoided after midday.

Read more about how to get better sleep here.

Are you uninspired?

This is a question you should ask yourself if you want to know how to have more energy. Sometimes, boredom or a lack of inspiration in your job or life in general can make you feel low on energy. Instead, you could simply be uninspired and lacking motivation.

If you think this might be the case, start by brainstorming what you love doing. What gets you excited or inspired? What makes you laugh out loud? Jump for joy? How can you put more of these things into your life?

Are certain things or people bringing you down? How can you do less of these things or spend less time with these people? Identifying where your lack of inspiration comes from is the first step toward taking action to improve things.

If your exercise motivation is low, check out this blog post. You might also enjoy reading these motivational fitness quotes to help kick-start you into action.

All of these holistic health and fitness areas are closely linked. Work on small changes, one at a time, to feel healthy, happy, and more energized. If you feel like you’re nailing all the suggestions above but still feel low on energy, you may need to look more deeply into why you’re feeling that way. Start with a visit to your health professional for basic tests, such as vitamin and mineral levels, thyroid function, and lingering viruses—your doctor will know what to check.

For more information on a holistic health approach to supercharge your energy levels, check out my commonly asked holistic wellness questions (with links to the answers)

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