It’s coming. You can feel it. You’re trying desperately to will it away, but, inevitably the clock strikes 3:00pm. Suddenly, you are exhausted. The thought of striking the letters on the computer keyboard seems like a daunting task, not to mention you can barely keep your eyes open.
‘Argh!’ you think to yourself. When this happened yesterday, you swore it wouldn’t happen again. As you walk to the café to get a cup of coffee, you wonder how to avoid this midday slump tomorrow. Here’s the good news: there are steps you can take to energize your body throughout the day and avoid this desperate feeling.
The best place to start is with breakfast. Before we even talk about what to eat, let’s recognize that it’s important TO EAT breakfast. Your body has been in a state of rest, relaxation, and recharging for several hours. It needs fuel in the form of carbohydrates and protein to get going in the morning. Instead of processed cereal and milk, why not go for oatmeal with almonds and blueberries? Or prepare a couple of hardboiled eggs that you can grab-n-go in a hurry. Pair them with a slice of sprouted toast (like this
It’s also important to remember to drink water throughout the day. Dehydration is certain to cause sleepiness and fatigue. Imagine that a few glasses of water could be the difference between your 3pm exhaustion and vitality.
Don’t forget to put some thought into your snacks. You want to be sure to stay away from excess fats and sugars, which are in candy bars and most packaged food. The fatty foods will make you feel lethargic and the sugars will provide an initial spike, but then you’ll feel the afternoon slump as you come down from the sugar high. Take a few minutes at home to prepare trail mix with almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, Goji berries, and cashews. For sweetness, you can add some cacao nibs (like these
Lastly, a little bit of fresh air will always do wonders. Take that yummy snack you brought and enjoy it outside. Or take a 10 minute break and walk around the building. Take a few minutes to breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun on your face.
The midday madness doesn’t have to continue. You can control how your body feels by nourishing it with healthy food (and water) throughout the day.
Hey are you on my e-mail list yet? If not, you’re totally missing out! Click here to sign-up and get free weekly tips and recipes!
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKE-AWAY HERE IS –EAT A QUALITY BREAKFAST– THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO START YOUR DAY THAN WITH YOUR METABOLISM REVVED UP AND YOUR BODY FUNCTIONING AT PEAK. YOU NEED SOME CARBS AND PROTEIN, BUT INSTEAD OF HIGHLY PROCESSED CEREALS WITH TONS OF SUGAR THAT WILL GIVE YOU A BOOST FOLLOWED BY A CRASH, OR EXCESSIVELY FATTY MEATS, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU EAT. AND DRINK, FOR THAT MATTER. SPROUTED BREAD IS DELICIOUS. THERE ARE SEVERAL BRANDS, IN THE REFRIGERATOR CASE. JULIA’S SUGGESTIONS OF OATMEAL, HARD BOILED EGGS, BLUEBERRIES, ALMONDS AND TRAIL MIX ARE GREAT.
I WOULD ADD ANY BERRIES IN SEASON, NUTS, SEEDS AND CEREALS MADE OF BARLEY, AMARANTH, KAMUT, SPELT, QUINOA AND MILLET, AND DON’T FORGET WATER.