Jai here! Your resident “wants to be healthy but also really loved bacon cheeseburgers and fries as well as Taco Bell” food guru.
I’ve been working from home and one would think I might feel more energized by getting an extra 30 minutes of sleep (since I don’t have to change out of my PJs, grab my meal prepped nutrition and drive into the studio), but that is so not the case!
It seems like we are all dealing with exceptionally high levels of energy depletion these days.
Last week I mentioned some habits that drain your energy . . . But, what about things that boost your energy?
Especially FOOD!
Hot dang, do I love to eat.
If you’ve been feeling exceptionally blah or even just plain old meh lately, trying putting down the temporary caffeine pick me up (I am looking at you beautiful red can of Coke that I love so much) and take a close look at the all around diet and nutrition in your day-to-day.
While I do keep healthy food in my house, I have been finding that working from home has nixed my healthy meal prep and instead just grabbing for other items while I work. Typically freezer foods with zero nutritional value I can pop in the microwave for a few minutes and eat while I get back to my workspace — specifically those meatball Hot Pockets . . . Tostinos Pizza Rolls . . . and T.G.I.Fridays potato skins from the frozen food aisle at the grocery store.
As someone who already deals with chronic pain and fatigue (thanks Fibromyalgia), then add in the third trimester of pregnancy in (seriously, no one warned me just how exhausting pregnancy is), I really need to be keeping up my nutrition and making sure I’m getting enough energy boosting foods rather than the energy sucking foods.
I figured I’m not alone in this, so why not share?
According to those nutrition expert people, there are foods that can really help with that energy boost.
1. Avocados – Filled with good fats, these heart healthy guac makers can not only boost your energy, but also lower cholesterol.
2. Bananas – Major energy boosting properties with a crazy good source of carbohydrates, potassium, and vitamin B6. I don’t really like bananas, but I’ve been trying to make myself eat them more by hiding them in my breakfast smoothie.
3. Sweet Potatoes – I LOVE sweet potatoes, but I don’t like doing the typical “add cinnamon and” blah blah blah to them. I treat sweet potatoes like white potatoes and cook them accordingly depending on what I’m making (like mashed potatoes, potato fries, roasted Dijon mustard . . . oh yum!). These guys are filled with fiber and beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A).
4. Salmon – I’m a big fan of seafood and salmon is one of my favorites! It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acid which helps fight against chronic inflammation. How you make it depends on your taste preference, but in our house we coat it with a mixture of spicy brown mustard (the kind with the seeds), tamari, and ginger paste. We slice up some lemons and put that on the pan for the oven or directly on the grate if we’re grilling or smoking it, then place the salmon on top and cook according to your cooking preference.
5. Lemons – Speaking of lemons, those sour suckers are a good energy booster as well. Add some to water and BAMMM you have a boost of electrolytes (critical for cells to produce energy). One of my favorites is to add lemon, cucumber, mint, and ginger to water for a good flavor boost as well.
6. Apples – They are rich in natural sugars and fiber which can offer a slow, sustained release of energy, plus they’re high in antioxidants. Green apples may contain less sugar and carbs while offering more fiber than their red counterparts, but both are pretty good in the nutrition department. My favorites are Fuji, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady apples.
