Do you ever think people are making up excuses just so they don’t have to do something? Well, I do. I always hear “well I would but I’m just so exhausted when I get home at night.” Please tell me why you have enough energy to pour five glasses of wine but you don’t have enough energy to rinse some fresh fruits and/or veggies for work tomorrow. Both of which could be energy boosting foods! Yes, we are all humans but there is a difference between excuses and really being exhausted.
I know everyone at some point in their life wonders why they are “dog tired” three to four hours after you get up?! Or maybe after a relaxing day getting your hair and nails done?! There are some common energy stealers that may be to blame. These little suckers seem to get us all from time to time. Some of these culprits you may have never even thought about, but you will now. The most common energy stealers I see are:
- Crash dieting
- Being a couch potato
- Energy suckers
- Over exercising
- A breakfast high in sugar
- Cabin fever
I know you are looking at some of these and thinking “agh now it all makes sense but why?”
- Crash dieting: is among the top reasons for low energy levels seen among dietitians. A lot of patients come in and say “well, I only eat 800 calories a day at home because….” This is neither safe nor does it provide your body with the amount of energy it needs to properly function. It may be a quick way to lose weight (most of which will come back when lost in such a quick manner), but you are also making yourself more tired.
Crash Diet
- Being a couch potato: I mean who doesn’t love to just sit on the couch and watch TV every now and then? I know I sure do! However, your body associates sitting/laying in the same position for longer periods with sleep. Therefore, it steals your energy.
- Energy suckers: what in the world is an energy sucker you may ask? Energy suckers are people who lower your energy levels when you are a mission to pursue a dream. For example trying to start a new business, this is not only stressful but very tiring.
- Over exercising: ha, who does that? More people than you may think. Now, we all know that exercising is good for you but too much exercise or too much high intensity exercise each day may not be good for your energy levels. Take a break every once in a while.
- A breakfast high in sugar: may give you a burst of energy but it will go back down and you will crash when your energy runs out. Hints the getting “dog-tired” a few hours after getting up and having breakfast.
- Cabin fever: is a major cause of tiredness. Are you a stay at home mom/dad or do you work from home? Staying inside daily results in a lack of light and fresh air which has been shown to lower your energy levels.
Now that I shared some of these energy stealing culprits, you may be wondering how you can boost your energy without drinking an energy drink that is full of sugar. Look for my next blog “want to boost your energy?” to find out!
**some tiredness/fatigue may be caused by unknown or known medical conditions, please consult your physician if you feel like there is something more behind your fatigue than mentioned above**