F I T
HEALTHY LIVING
7 WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR ENERGY WORDS Holly Louise – The Fit Pharmacist If you find yourself feeling tired mid-afternoon,
which help to improve energy levels and
Ensuring that you get an adequate amount
struggling to stay alert throughout the day, or
overall vitality!
of sleep will assist mental health, hormonal
just straight up exhausted, you are not alone!
STAY HYDRATED
balance, and muscular recovery. Aim to get
Did you know that one of the first signs of
CONTROL YOUR STRESS
Due to our busy lifestyles, more and more people suffer from low energy and fatigue. Luckily, there are easy ways to boost your energy levels – and often all it requires is making some small changes to your routine.
between 7-10 hours per night.
dehydration is feeling tired or exhausted? Not drinking enough water can be why your energy levels are low and you feel exhausted.
FOCUS ON NUTRITION
Don’t just drink water when you are thirsty. Make
The best thing you can do for your body is to
the day, with more around training times.
eat according to your goals. You must eat the
MOVE YOUR BODY EVERY DAY
right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat
an effort to sip on water continuously throughout
We often feel like there is nothing we can do about stress, but we have a lot more control than you might think. Stress management allows us to take charge of our thoughts, emotions, lifestyles, and the way we tackle problems. No matter how stressful your life seems to you,
Incorporating regular exercise into your
there are strategies you can use to relieve the
routine will actually boost energy levels.
pressure and take back control.
important, and can help you get the most out
Burning calories and engaging in physical
These include: identifying causes of stress,
of your workouts and assist in recovery.
activity sends oxygen and nutrients to the
using relaxation techniques, improving sleep
cells of your body, which helps your heart
quality, prioritising task lists, learning how
and lungs to work more efficiently and in turn
to say no, staying active, eating healthy and
boosts your energy levels.
reaching out when you need to.
You don’t need to be a gym junkie or run a
SEE YOUR DOCTOR
to effectively fuel your body. Pre and post-workout nutrition is exceptionally
In terms of food selection, you should try to follow the 80/20 rule to maintain balance. That means getting 80 per cent of your nutrition through whole, minimally processed, micronutrient dense foods and using the remaining 20 per cent for more processed, or “junk foods”. This will ensure that you obtain enough
micronutrients
(vitamins and minerals)
marathon to get the benefits — moderate levels of activity will help with increasing
If you have optimised everything above and
energy levels and reducing stress and tension.
you are still struggling with constant fatigue,
It all adds up!
you may be suffering from an underlying
OPTIMISE YOUR SUPPLEMENTATION
medical condition. Anaemia,
The perfect health and fitness regime includes a balance of four things: a healthy diet, an appropriate exercise program, sufficient rest and recovery, and optimal supplementation. However,
many
people
underestimate the benefits
diabetes,
depression,
anxiety,
thyroid dysfunction, hormonal problems are all causes of fatigue, so it is important to see your doctor if you suffer from prolonged tiredness. As fatigue can present a vast range of symptoms and be caused by many different factors, diagnosis can be difficult.
on
Your doctor may diagnose fatigue using a
optimising energy production
number of tests including physical examination,
of
supplementation
and improving your nutrition status
clinical tests and medical history analysis.
and overall health. Make sure you get enough sleep. Sleep is the most important factor for recovery
holly@thefitpharmacist.com.au Instagram: @thefitpharmacist Facebook: @HLthefitpharmacist www.thefitpharmacist.com.au
and energy production.
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