Let´s be honest here. If any of you have ever met me (or frankly even seen a picture of me), you will be laughing at the mere idea that I should be giving out health or nutrition tips, and you´d be right.
My idea of a healthy dinner consists of vegetable crisps and a fruit salad (aka a glass of wine - it´s basically the same thing right?)
I am, I think quite possibly literally, one of the last people on earth that should be giving out advice on this matter. So I´m not going to, I am however going to listen to some people who have a MUCH better idea than me of how to optimise your energy levels during the day and let you know what they advise.
I´ll do my best to filter out the ridiculous (yes Gwyneth, that includes your “eight-day, mono-diet goat-milk cleanse”) and hopefully leave you with some simple ideas to increase your energy levels throughout the day, that don´t cost you the earth and for which you won´t need your own private shaman (although don´t we all have one? I know I do).
Why is it important?
Realistically, we all know this already so I´m not going to spend hours explaining to you why a good diet is better for you than a crappy one. Since time immemorial, we´ve been told about the benefits of eating certain foods and how they can affect our daily lives as well as our long-term health (although I was also told that eating the crusts from bread would make my hair curly and I’m not entirely convinced that there´s a solid scientific argument for this). My interest is in finding ways that we can incorporate this into our daily lives and also understand the benefits before we can actually feel them. You´re not going to wake up after one day of yoga looking like Taylor Swift, but that doesn´t mean your body isn´t starting to see the benefit. The same goes for your diet. One day of acai berries and walnuts won´t give you the mental acuity of Oppenheimer, but a more long-term approach where you incorporate elements of better eating into your daily lives might. I mean, it definitely won´t make me into Einstein, but it may help swing the pendulum from Homer Simpson. A study published by PubMed states that “An increasing number of studies are revealing that diet and nutrition are critical not only for physiology and body composition, but also have significant effects on mood and mental well-being”. And if we´re being honest with ourselves, I think we all know this to be true. There is a reason why we all feel better after a few weeks of eating more healthily, or more specifically, why we all tend to feel pretty sluggish and slow after a few weeks of overdoing it. More people than ever start a new diet or incorporate a lifestyle change after the holiday season. It´s less to do with the, frankly symbolic, idea of a new year, and more to do with the fact that we´ve spent the better part of a month convincing ourselves that chocolate covered strawberries somehow count as part of one of our five a day.
So how do I make a start with good nutrition?
Well, like I said previously, I´m not the one to come to if you´re looking for a Rebel Wilson style makeover, so again, I´ve gone to the experts to see what they recommend.
Incorporate small changes. Attempting a complete diet overhaul will be incredibly effective for about a week (maybe more if you have great willpower) and then you´ll find it impossible to continue and go straight back to where you were. Don´t try and rid yourself of a 10 cups of coffee a day habit, maybe just try and make a few of them decaf.
Plan ahead (as far as possible). I know that there will be days where you simply can´t, or haven´t, or just don´t want to. That´s fine. Remember, perfection is the enemy of good. If you manage to have a healthy breakfast twice during your working week, and the rest of the time you´re still grabbing a doughnut from Starbucks, that´s still a 40% improvement in your work week breakfast. If you improved in any other area of your life by 40% you´d be giving yourself a high five.
Make it easy for yourself. This goes hand in hand with planning ahead. It´s pretty difficult to have a healthy lunch if the only food available to you comes from a vending machine. When you do your food shopping, make sure to buy something healthy and filling. This doesn´t have to be super expensive either - although I appreciate that a burger can be cheaper to buy than a salad. Simply replacing your afternoon chocolate bar with a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts can help you fight that mid afternoon slump without pumping you back full of sugar. On that note, I particularly love something like this for taking lunch into work. I bought them recently for my sons and they´re amazing. I can give them a whole lunch, with lots of different elements and it doesn´t feel like I´m giving them a whole picnic basket of food.
Conclusion
In wrapping up, it's clear that while we might not all be nutrition gurus or fitness fanatics, making small, manageable changes in our diet can have a profound impact on our energy levels and mental well-being. Remember, it's not about drastic overhauls or chasing after perfection; it's about finding those small, sustainable tweaks that make you feel more like Einstein and less like Homer Simpson.
So, whether it's swapping a few coffees or trading a chocolate bar, these tiny steps can lead you toward a healthier, more energized you. After all, it's these small changes that can swing the pendulum towards a more vibrant and vivacious life. And don´t forget, even Gwyneth has the occasional martini, so don´t beat yourself up too much!
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