Health, Diet, Nutrition, Weight Loss
Low energy and afternoon slumps are one of the main causes for concern among my female friends and nutrition clients.
Looking back at my own heady days of youth I wonder how I maintained several intense years of high-energy demand working aboard a cruise liner. Following a 12-hour shift I’d have enough reserve to change into ‘Captain’s Cocktails’ formal wear to dance the night away.
Admittedly I was 25 years younger and exercised for a living but I recall the main key to my boundless energy was my diet!
Cruise ships are renowned for having food available practically 24 hours a day, a big appeal for to those who love their grub. My initial excitement of seeing glorious culinary displays had me reaching for the cream laden turrets from the Disney Castle cake, dipping marshmallows into the towering fountains of multi coloured chocolate and dripping cheese lava from spoonful’s of soufflé, but the novelty quickly wore off. Within days my energy was zapped.
Following some experienced advice from my fitness colleagues I began not only making better food choices but also eating more frequently. The easy part on board ship was the variety of food on offer – I switched to fresh fruit, eggs, chicken, salad, porridge oats, nuts and wholegrain bread, eating small amounts of at regular intervals.
Don’t panic, unless you’re partial to a nautical adventure you can put the cruise brochures down. Unlocking your own energy reserve is possible wherever you are, whatever your age. Good news is with good portion control and a little extra exercise the pounds can drop off alongside the energy surge.
Think of your day as a ’12 hour taster menu.’ It may feel a little alien to those who regularly fast to counteract the effects of the previous day’s excesses. It’s a case of balancing your circulating glucose (the bodies fuel) by keeping ‘the tank’ topped up with small high quality meals.
Restock your fridge/food cupboards with some easy to make, easy to transport, easy to eat food items. Avoid or even better throw out any highly processed white or high sugar goods.
12 hour example:
7:00am Breakfast – 40g muesli with milk or 50g dried porridge cooked with milk
9:00am (snack) ½ Banana + 10/15 Blueberries
11.00 am (snack) 5 Brazil nuts + low fat yoghurt
1:00pm Lunch – Small bowl of salad with good quality protein– (Flaked salmon/mackerel or slices of chicken/turkey or egg) plus endless green leaves/peppers/tomato/cucumber – dressing
3:00pm (snack) 2 Oat cakes/grainy crackers with hummous
5:00pm (snack) 2 cubes of dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids and above)
7:00pm Evening meal – small portion protein with large portion of mixed vegetables (small portion of rice/pasta or potatoes)
Handful of olives/1 slice wholemeal toast with thin spread of nut butter/small piece of fruit/small container of pineapple/mixed seeds/celery and cream cheese/ gluten free cereal bar.
Soup with a 1 slice of wholegrain/seedy bread smeared with cottage cheese or 2 egg omelette made with onions/peppers/mushrooms or Stir-fry Vegetables chicken/fish/lean meat
Include herbal/green teas and regular glasses of water through the day.
Keeping energised will not only improve your health but also help counteract many other energy-busting missiles fired your way throughout each day!
Ruth Crosby DipPar MBANT is a Nutritional Therapist
