By Holly Rigsby
1. Eat Breakfast
You know it’s the most important meal of the day. You make sure your kids eat it…you need to eat it too. If you are eating just a cereal bar, try swapping it out for something more substantial. Choose a high fiber, high protein meal. Here’s one of my favorite energizing breakfasts. Rolled Oats mixed with water, 2 whipped egg whites, and topped with frozen blueberries. I sometimes top it with a dollop of vanilla yogurt and a tiny sprinkle of walnuts -it’s simple, satisfying, and YUMMY!
2. Sneak In Protein w/every meal or snack
Not only helps to maintain your energy levels, it also helps you burn more calories than simply eating a carb-only based meal! Instead of eating an apple for a snack, try eating an apple and a handful of almonds.
3. Drink Green Tea
Full of antioxidants, lower levels of caffeine, will prevent you from crashing later in the day. BONUS: It helps your body burn more fat. (NOTE: Green tea you brew – not bottled, “green tea”, full of sugar)
4. Move about Every hour
Get the blood flowing, clear your mind, and work your muscles. If you can, try to get outside for some fresh air and sunshine. Try my favorite energizing move a couple times a day by performing 10 -15 repetitions of the Y-Squat.
And below are a few Energy Zappers to look out for:
Turbo-charged Energy drinks are full of sugar and extreme amounts of caffeine. It leaves you feeling drained. Drink more water instead.
Toss the Energy Pills. Over stimulation of the brain and nervous system cause negative effects, including increased heart rate, blood pressure, insomnia, nervousness, and, once use is ended, general feelings of lethargy settle in-making them highly addictive.
Skipping meals. Food is energy. If you do not “refill your tank” every 3 hours, your entire body will slow down.
“Dead” processed foods. Nothing nourishing to offer. Undernourished bodies are not fit and are no where near energetic.
Follow these energizing tips and you will be amazed at how much your energy levels soar. It will leave you feeling more energetic and ready to face the world.
Enjoy your new found energy!
10 key eating tips and parenting rules to live by when dealing with food for kids
Parents control the supply lines. You decide which foods to buy and when to serve them.
From the foods you offer, kids get to choose what they will eat or whether to eat at all. Kids need to have some say in the matter. This may seem like a little too much freedom. But if you follow step 1, your kids will be choosing only from the foods you decided to buy and serve.
Quit the “clean-plate club.” Let kids stop eating when they feel they’ve had enough.
Start them young. Food preferences are developed early in life, so offer a variety of foods.
Rewrite the kids’ menu. Who says kids only want to eat hot dogs, pizza, burgers, and macaroni and cheese?
Drink calories count. Soda and other sweetened drinks add extra calories and get in the way of good nutrition. Water and milk are the best drinks for kids. Juice is fine when it’s 100%, but kids don’t need much of it – 4 to 6 ounces a day is enough for preschoolers.
Put sweets in their place. Occasional sweets are fine, but don’t turn dessert into the main reason for eating dinner.
Food is not love. Find better ways to say “I love you.” When foods are used to reward kids and show affection, kids may start using food to cope with stress or other emotions.
Kids do as you do. Be a role model and eat healthy yourself.
Limit TV and computer time. When you do, you’ll avoid mindless snacking and encourage activity.
