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It depends on what your definition of "eating healthy" is. There are so many different opinions on this.
It order to "have energy" you must consume energy producing foods. These are live foods. Raw foods, if you will. They possess energy. Energy which can be used and assimilated by the body. If you are eating a lot of processed foods, you are eating dead foods that do not have energy and that will deplete you of yours.
Secondly, you need to get regular exercise. This will condition your body to have more strength and endurance. The body will only rise to the occasion if you USE IT. At first it is difficult, but you will find that once you begin a regular exercise program that you will have much more energy and endurance.
I too, tend to be very low on the energy scale, and I find that when I do follow these guidelines my energy level increases dramatically. I strongly suggest you give it a try and see what happens.
20yrsinBranson
Good points.
For the OP, check to see if you have an underlying health issue, like a thyroid issue. If its thyroid, the doctor might prescribe levothyroxine, a little pill you'd take every morning.
Just some miscellaneous advice, however:
-Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
-Eat energy foods like broccoli and nuts
-Avoid sugar esp in items like desserts, donuts cakes cookies. Also avoid fried and greasy, processed partially hyrogenated foods on a daily basis. If you need to make exception for sweets, have it for special occasions (hopefully its after a dinner rather than a lunch) and take small portions.
**Maybe a 1 cup of coffee in the morning. When you wake up even if half tired, it gives you something to look forward to get out of the bed for...and the coffee should be a boost. And it has been said that it helps one exercise better. But I myself limit to just 1 cup and it has to be in the morning before lunch.
But since you have frequency at night issues, coffee may not be advisable.
-When you get back from work, consider a second shower. The shower might give you a fresh start for the evening.
You'll have to work in exercise, either before or after work. Join a gym but make sure its local to you, or make space in your house for a place where you can stretch, do yoga, and preferrably some aerobic exercise, to start off with. Even if you are reluctant to fit in the exercise yet, start out with the lots of water, energy foods, minus sugar diet, and the second shower to relieve the after work stress--you should have more energy.
Last edited by subwayfan; 12-23-2009 at 10:19 AM..
I found a B-6 tablet at lunch has helped me with the low energy I felt in the afternoon. I still take a multi-vitamin at dinner ( my stomach gets upset if I take one in the a.m. ) but found a B-6 at lunch seemed to help my energy level in the afternoon and early evening.
Have your iron and B12 checked. I've always had an energy problem. My B-12 deficiency wasn't diagnosed until I was 40.
This isn't anything to play with. A B-12 deficiency can cause permanent neurological damage. You can literally lose your memory along with lots of other terrible things.
I'm rather angry that doctors didn't find my B-12 deficiency decades sooner.
Vitamin D deficiency is often overlooked too.....but I'd def get your thyroid checked as the others have recommended (I'm hypothroid which means underactive, so I understand low energy) but I also found out 2 months ago that I'm deficient on Vitamin D. I take prescription strength for that & it helped my energy levels. Depression can be a cause of feeling drained & also adrenal fatigue & sleep apnea....there are just way too many things it could possibly be. You do need to get a physical & full blood work-up. You may try a search of "integrative medicine" & see if there's an MD or DO that incorporates a natural, holistic approach combined with western meds. This way your insurance will most likely cover the visit & blood tests. If you go to a naturopath, which I have done & they're awesome, it's just all out of pocket and get very expensive! The herbs & vitamins you may need obviously insurance won't cover, but if you can take that over prescription/pharmaceutical meds it's always in your bodies best interest (side effects). Don't forget that herbs, vitamins & minerals take longer to work & you have to take more of them, of course there can be side effects if you take too much, that's why a Naturopath can tell you what your body needs through various testing methods they use (it's really incredible & if I could afford it right now that's the way I'd go).
For the OP, check to see if you have an underlying health issue, like a thyroid issue. If its thyroid, the doctor might prescribe levothyroxine, a little pill you'd take every morning.
Just some miscellaneous advice, however:
-Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
-Eat energy foods like broccoli and nuts
.
If it is thyroid disease then an endocrinologist may prescribe a thyroid blocker, if hyper or the levothyroxine if hypo. just wanted to clarify that. Thyroid disease is more common than you think.
Also, avoid cruciferous vegetable such as broccoli if in fact you are diagnosed hypothyroid, it has the absolute opposite effect on your thyroid and energy levels.
I have been dealing with thyroid disease for almost 2 years now, I could've written your OP, by the way!
I'm a woman in my early 30's who is amazed by how much my peers can accomplish because they have normal or high energy levels. I get home from work, and am pretty much unable to do anything but make dinner with my husband (I wouldn't have the energy to make it by myself), and do a bit of tidying up. I read on the couch or watch a movie and that's it. I also usually take a one to two-hour nap every day, just to make it through the night.
My husband works a 10-hour day every day, comes home, and plays on sports teams. He does usually take an hour nap after work to make it through the night. My peers who are my age--co-workers, etc. do so much after work--it exhausts me just thinking about it. They work out (or wake up early to work out), cook, clean, take care of their kids, do activities after work, etc. I feel so spent after an 8-hour day that I really can't do much after dinner besides lounge on the couch. And weekends I spend sleeping late and lounging around, trying to recover from the week. Additionally, I need at least 8 hours of sleep to feel good, and no matter how much sleep I get, if I have to be awakened by my alarm clock, I feel awful all day. And I need my alarm clock to wake me up every workday, and I always feel exhausted. When the alarm goes off, I feel like I could use another 4 hours of sleep.
I've always been a low energy person, but I feel like a slug most of the time, and it also makes me feel bad thinking about how much my peers get accomplished in a single day. I'm of normal weight and while I don't exercise (too tired, no motivation), I don't smoke or drink, and eat very healthy. I first started feeling this way in high school. I'd come home from school in high school and fall asleep on my bedroom floor every night while doing homework. I actually think my low energy problem was a lot worse in high school and my early 20's.
I'm just wondering if anyone else feels they have extremely low energy, and what have you done about it. I've had blood work done in the past, and nothing abnormal was found.
I am going to be frank with you. I have a couple ideas.
#1-You need to exercise. I was first thinking possible hypothyroid issues, low iron etc. But if bloodwork came back within normal limits the best thing you can do is find 30 min a day to exercise. I cannot express how much better it will make you feel. Now initially this might be hard, it will make you sleep better at night, give you more energy during the day and the cycle will stop. Sure, I know-you're tired, I think being tired is the number one excuse I hear....you don't feel like it, lack motivation. Whatever you want to call it but a good healthy walk/jog will do some good. Doing it when you're super tired is when its IDEAL too. Find something you enjoy doing. I started by just watching TV and doing situps, pilates moves, jumping jacks. Heck run in place for 30 min just get off your couch! It will increase your energy 1000 fold. Exercise will help w/depression/anxiety etc. It is the best 'drug' out there and yet so many fail to do it. This is the most difficult step--not finding an excuse why you can't do it. Dont think-just do. No excuses. Make it part of your day like peeing and you'll get it done.
#-do NOT nap. I find that unless you're taking a 15 min power nap/rest this will make you feel significantly worse. Even now, I can be so freakin tired from a night of very little sleep and I allow myself 15 min to lay on the couch, rest my eyes I maybe even fall asleep for 15 min BUT have an alarm. Don't just lay all day. After I gave birth I felt like you--just really tired, all day, everyday. I had no motivation, I stayed in frump clothes all day. I would get 4 hrs/sleep a night but in increments of 1-2 hrs max. Napping killed the motivation even more. I realized I had no goals set for my day. I 'existed' which is not the way I want to live life.
#3Make a schedule of your day as I said above, have some goals each day, make a list and cross them off (include exercise as one!). Its all about having some sort of control of your life. Right now it seems like you really lack that. You have time, but you don't use your time effectively.
I would not say I have naturally high energy, in fact quite the contrary. Ive really changed the way I look at things just with exercise alone. Im in my mid thirties now and really feel significantly younger than I did at age 20.
#4 finally if all else fails--caffeine. LOL. Im not kidding. Sometimes at night after a long day and I haven't exercised yet I drink a diet coke, and then run at 9pm. Dont let yourself go to bed without a good increase in heart rate.
I'm a woman in my early 30's who is amazed by how much my peers can accomplish because they have normal or high energy levels.<>
My nurse adviser says anytime I feel the low energy issue it is a blood sugar problem. The best way to cope is to IMMEDIATLY perform some low level exercise like even just a stroll around the block. You will feel better for it.
Also, +1 on the thyroid checkup.
I agree with what others said - exercise as often as possible, because it will not only pep you up, it does indeed cheer you up (increases serotonin levels in the brain - the body's natural "feel good" chemicals).
Diet can be a culprit in making one less energetic, too. Lots of information can be found on improving your diet (I personally like Dr. Oz).
It's a constant struggle to stay on a schedule but keep at it and you will wonder how you ever lived before. I notice an incredible increase in energy & alertness when I keep up exercise as opposed to when I don't...like this week. Bad week, things were not going well & blah. Tomorrow, I have to get back on schedule, because I am starting to feel just sluggish and aimless.
Start with the simple things first and see what happens ~ I have had good success with home exercise videos, quite nice to pop one in, sweat out 30 min. and I feel like a powerhouse.
Like you, I don't think I will ever be the hyper, Type A energizer bunny like a lot of people, but I don't want to be a couch potato either
Best of luck, hope to hear what has worked for you
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Exercise & Diet first ~ it works
