Many of us have been trying to lose weight at some point in our lives, or have been stuck on a low fat routine recommended by our dietitian or even our friends, but felt that our mental health, well being, or our energy level suffered, so we gave up.
If you are feeling sluggish, tired, and less energetic, chances are that the diet is not for you, and you will need to make some adjustments. There are plenty of tips and tricks that will help you make the most out of your diet without having to quit, provided that you combine increased exercise levels with lower calorie intake.
However I am aware we're not all necessarily dieting to lose weight. I once got told by my dietitian to drink as much milk as possible so I could gain weight, but was then told my cholesterol was getting high so instead I needed to temporarily stick to a low fat diet to bring that back down. I was definitely worried about the effects it would have on my well being and energy!
Here are some tips to combat that, no matter your reasoning for it!
Five Small Meals
Instead of eating less and less often, you might want to train your brain and your digestive system to know that you will top up the food every now and then. Having a larger breakfast that is full of slow release carbs, such as muesli and fruit sugar will keep you going until about 11 a.m. After this time, your energy levels will drop, unless you are snacking. This means that you will need to find a healthy way of restoring your energy level and losing belly fat. Be mindful of the so called “healthy” snacks, such as cereal bars, as they usually have a very high sugar content.
Oh and to fit in with today's occasion, I'd highly recommend banana pancakes instead of the usual pancake batter recipes. I made these over the weekend and they were so much more delicious and healthy than normal pancakes, and vegan! It's a great idea for a filling, healthy breakfast with fruit sugars. You can add berries to add even more of your 5 a day. Link to the recipe here!
Keep Your Sugar Level In Control
One of the reasons why you might feel out of place and tired all the time during your diet is that your energy and sugar levels are out of balance. When you eat high sugar food, you will increase your glucose levels, but this will change over time, and you will start craving carbs. That is why you need to gradually reduce your sugar intake instead of trying to quit all of it at once. Your body will not react well. Add a bit of fruit sugar to every meal, but not too much to knock you out of balance.
Avoid Drastic Changes
One of the most common mistakes people make when embarking on a healthy living and diet journey is that they try to make changes that are too big too soon. Gradual changes always work better, and you have to make sure that you are not overwhelming or confusing your brain or your digestive system. You should also remember that every new habit takes a couple of weeks to stick, so you need to allow your body time to adjust.
Supplements and Vitamins
If your body is feeling tired, and your brain is not functioning as well as it used to, chances are that you are starving yourself of some of the important minerals and vitamins you need to function normally. You should visit your health care professional and get advice on what your body might be missing. At the same time, you can get diet supplements that will not only help you make the most out of your nutrition, but also speed up your weight loss by binding fat. Best of all, you can order them online and help your body out when it is struggling. Only take these if you are trying to lose weight though and have done your research.
Pick Me Up Fruit
Your snacking habits will have a great impact on your diet and results. You have to choose your small meals just as carefully as you do your lunch and dinner. You might think that one particular healthy snack is low in calories, but you can never know until you check. Opt for fruit whenever you can, so you can get the sugar, the water, and the other vitamins, instead of just giving your body a quick fix. After all, it is important that you stick to your new lifestyle all day, not just during main meals.
Slow Release Carbs
Carbs are important for the body, but not all of them are created equal. If you have already tried low carb diets, such as paleo, and you didn’t manage to stick to them, chances are that you will need to make smaller changes first. Slow release carbs combined with healthy oil, such as nut and linseed will be a great source of fibre and take longer to digest, so your body will not experience the highs and lows of energy. Simply swapping to a whole grain pasta, bread, or cracker-bread will help your body stay balanced all day long.
Green Tea
Small changes can make a huge difference in your diet. Drinking green tea will not only help you digest your food more efficiently, but the slow release caffeine will keep your energy levels high for longer. Compared with coffee and black tea, green tea has a release rate of about six hours, so you feel less tired throughout the day, and you can still improve your diet and digestion. There are different blends of green tea, in case you don’t like the taste, such as one with fruit extract or jasmine. You might even add some lemon juice to deliver more antioxidants to your body.
Smoothies
One of the best ways of boosting your energy level during the morning is smoothies. The good news is that you can use any fruit or nuts, and create your perfect recipe. It is recommended that you use more water than milk when mixing the fruit, and you can add nuts, linseed, or pumpkin seeds for extra energy. Experiment with the right combination of fruit and nuts, try coconut or almond milk instead of the regular one, and enjoy more energy every morning.
Food with Antioxidants
You need to find the right fruit that contains enough antioxidants to help your weight loss and maintain your energy levels. Some of the superfruit that is widely available is blueberries, mangoes, avocado, and papaya. No matter if you juice your fruit, make a smoothie, or slice them up for a snack, you will certainly benefit from the antioxidants when it comes to maintaining your energy level throughout the day.
You could even try avocado toast with some wholegrain bread for a great lunch idea.
There are plenty of tips and tricks that will help you speed up your weight loss and help you improve your digestion, energy level, and blood sugar balance, so you can stick to your new routine longer and see results sooner.
I hope this has been helpful to anybody thinking of starting a new diet or anybody who has been told to diet for medical reasons.
Happy Pancake Day!
Disclaimer:This is a contributed post and may contain affiliate links.
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