This means eating a real breakfast in the morning packed with protein. You may think you’re saving time by skimping on breakfast or you’ll insist that you’re not that hungry in the mornings, but I’m telling you that if you’re missing out on this meal, you’re missing out for the rest of the day on valuable energy. Skipping a meal is like trying to run your car without fuel; it’s totally unworkable. Without enough blood sugar, you won’t be able to think or function clearly, and even if you eat later on, your blood sugar level won’t recover. Nutritional studies show that not getting enough blood sugar in the morning affects you the entire rest of the day. This causes your adrenal glands to go into action, raising the level of the hormone, cortisol. Draining your adrenals and running on cortisol will make you feel exhausted and crave sugar and caffeinated drinks for a quick fix. I recommend eating a little, healthy protein-filled meal every three hours to keep yourself fueled.

Another important aspect of diet is increasing your daily intake of protein. Many women don’t get enough of this nutrient. Protein keeps you energized by sustaining your blood sugar level much longer than carbohydrate-packed foods. It also stimulates dopamine production, a neurotransmitter that keeps you more alert, and keeps your energy up by raising your metabolic rate. Cut out carbohydrate-packed snacks and replace them with healthy proteins like walnuts, almonds, cheese, etc.

Drinking enough water is also an essential way to keep your energy up. Some people often mistake signs of dehydration for fatigue. Your cells need water in order to function at their optimum level, and coffee or diet soda isn’t going to cut it. Tea is often a good idea, but I recommend keeping a water bottle with you and sipping from it all day. You should aim for eight glasses of water daily.

Tina Turbin