Feeling Flat? There may be a reason...

1. Sugar has a tendency to be a craving and a curse all at once. It tastes good going down and keeps you from feeling ‘up’. When you crave something sweet, its important to have something else ready and available to eat instead. Try to choose snacks that have a small amount of carbohydrates to give you a measurable amount of energy for your day like whole grain crackers and low-fat cheese, fresh fruit or a small box of raisins and low-fat cheese or plain, nonfat yogurt blended with fruit.

2. Caffeine is another substance that will give us the wake up call that we need, but leave us hanging later on. Try to choose the decaffeinated version of your favorite beverage like coffee, tea or cola and avoid using caffeine to help you stay awake; this will only throw off your natural sleep cycle and promote your low energy levels.

3. Dehydration – With our busy lifestyles, it is easy to forget to drink water throughout the day. We need water to flush out toxins, keep our energy levels elevated and to keep our tissues hydrated. It contains no calories, so you can drink as much of it as you want to, and if you need some variety, add a lemon or lime slice to it. You can also make homemade lemonade with lemon, water and a small amount of sugar or artificial sweetener.

4. Exercise –Whether or not you exercise consistently, the amount of exercise that you get (or don’t get) could be contributing to your lack of energy. While exercise energizes us physically, mentally and emotionally, we feel more sluggish without it. On the other hand, when we do exercise, it enhances our mood by releasing endorphins, a ‘feel good’ chemical that increases energy levels. Hopefully it will encourage us to exercise more…. but not too much. Overtraining will deplete your energy reserves, break down muscle and make you feel weaker instead of stronger. Exercising too much could suppress your immune system, which could increase your chances of a bacterial or viral invasion, making you more vulnerable to illness. So make sure that you stay in control of your workout sessions and the frequency of them.

You (and you alone!) are in control of your own energy levels, so choose to eat the right foods and drink the right beverages to boost your energy instead of bring it down.

For more information see source: www.fitness.com

Top tips for eating out!

1. Eat your calories and drink water. The first question you are always asked upon being seated in a restaurant is what you would like to drink. Choose water and pass on the high-fructose-corn-syrup, sugar, preservatives, caffeine and extra calories found in most beverages.

2. Take half home. We are annoyed when restaurants don’t over serve us and restaurants have responded accordingly by over supplying huge portions. Italian Restaurants are the worst culprits. Order a regular meal but eat half and get half to go. To resist the temptation to finish everything have the server package the remaining half at the same time the rest of the meal is brought out.

3. Pretend you are the Mercedes Benz of human machines. Top end vehicles require the best fuel and so should you. Pass on the value items and what appears to be a deal. Ever notice that salads and fruit platters are never the daily specials?

4. Look for key terms that describe how the meal was prepared. Good options include grilled, steamed, poached, broiled or roasted but pass on those that that are battered, deep fried and accompanied by sauces and dips.

5. Pass on the grains. You can get all the carbohydrates you need from fruits and vegetables. Just because bread is brought to the table doesn’t mean you have to eat it.

6. Pass on the buffets. We are usually full up to 20 minutes before we recognise the feeling of fullness. Having unlimited amounts of food available to you makes it nearly impossible to prevent overeating. No one brings a scale to the restaurant and we eat based on portion size. If the portion size is infinite we are going to overeat.

7. Order local. Food that comes from a particular region will be fresher, have more nutrients and add to the traveling experience by trying something new. When in coastal environments consider ordering fish and seafood. Find out what is produced locally and then try it.

8. Order off the menu. Don’t feel that asking for some grilled chicken and mixed greens is an unreasonable request.

For more information see source: www.fitness.com

Hunger and appetite awareness

Many of us eat when we are too hungry and then eat past the feeling of
being comfortably full.
Rate your hunger levels before and after you eat by using the following scale.
Make sure you eat with the initial signs of hunger (level 3) and only eat to be


feeling satisfied (level 5).



HUNGER SCALE



1
Incredibly Hungry
(starving, dizzy, irritable)



2
Hungry
(feeling ready to eat)



3
Initial Signs of Hunger
(slight pangs)



4
Neutral
(not full or hungry)



5
Satisfied
(feeling comfortable)



6
Full
(feel like you have over eaten)



7
Overfull
(feeling sick)

For more information visit source: http://www.gethealthynsw.com.au/