Fatigue is a concern for many people when they come in and talk to a dietitian. Alison Schuler, clinical dietitian, gives us three tips on what you can do if you feel depleted throughout the day.
Watch the video: Nourishing Knowledge: Food and fatigue
Tip #1: Make sure you spread your eating throughout the day.
Don't save all of your eating for one meal. Think of your body as a car, and food as fuel. If you don't eat all day long, you're basically running on empty. Of course, you're going to feel tired.
Tip #2: Include carbohydrates in those meals.
Not all carbs are bad. We need carbs in our bodies. They're what provide us with energy and what give us stored energy, in fact. So, if you are avoiding them or not wanting to eat them for certain reasons, remember that there are beneficial carbs too. Healthy options would be a piece of fruit or whole-grain bread. And that way, you're going to get fiber too, which is also helpful in maintaining your energy levels.
Tip #3: Protein is going to be your sustainer.
If you only eat carbs, you may end up with an uptick in energy, but soon after, usually within two hours, you have a bit of a crash.
Protein and healthy fats are what keep you feeling energized for a longer time, like four to six hours instead of crashing out after two. If you are looking for something quick during your day, while you're at work, or you need a light snack, consider something like:
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a cheese stick with a piece of fruit
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a piece of fruit with some peanut butter
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whole-grain crackers with some cottage cheese
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a corn tortilla with some refried beans on it
Those are all a nice combination of carbs and protein, so they are going to help keep your energy levels up and sustained over a longer period of time.
