Health Fitness

Most of us want to feel clearheaded and on our game from morning ‘til night. The happy truth is, you can find more pep even if, like me, you can’t always find more pillow time. The amazing energy enhancer I’m referring to? Healthy, delicious food! Specifically, lean protein, complex carbs, foods high in vitamin C and high-fiber fruits and veggies.

As anyone who has ever experienced a sugar crash knows, the bites you nibble have the power to make you feel spunky or completely spent. Make tiny tweaks to what you put in your mouth—say, by having an egg sandwich instead of a roll with jam for breakfast—and you’ll enjoy the invigorating effects all day. Keep your motor revved with these mojo-lending strategies.

Energy enhancer: Pack your breakfast with protein.

Less is more may apply to some things in life, but not breakfast. Rather than skimp on your premiere meal of the day breakfast (or worse, skip it entirely), aim for a bite that boasts at least 5 grams of protein—it spurs the production of norepinephrine, a neurochemical that increases your heart rate and makes you feel more alert. Eggs are always a good bet. Because protein digests slowly, your blood sugar and energy levels stay constant. Adios, doughnut daze!


Energy enhancer: Squeeze in more vitamin C.

You know that too few zzz's lead to wooziness, but you may not realize that a shortage of C can have the same fatiguing effect. About 30 percent of women don't get enough vitamin C—that’s a lot of yawning! Vitamin C produces carnitine, a molecule that transfers fatty acids to cells where they're converted into energy. Too little carnitine compels your body to use carbs or protein for energy instead, which spurs lactic acid to accumulate in tissue and fatigue muscles. Get 75 milligrams of C daily by munching an orange or a kiwifruit (about 70 mg per fruit), steaming a cup of broccoli (74 mg) or savoring a cup of strawberries (89 mg).


Energy enhancer: Crunch and munch 'round the clock.

Spacing out your meals more than three or four hours apart may make you feel, well, spacey. Going a whole afternoon without a nibble causes your blood sugar to plummet, which makes your body think it's starving and often triggers a binge (cue the carb coma). A better stay-svelte strategy: Aim to eat every three to four hours by having five mini-meals of about 350 calories each, along with two 100-calorie snacks. Click here for 30 slimming snacks you'll love.


Energy enhancer: Be an iron woman. (Not to be confused with the triathlon goal!)

Iron is essential, and many women are walking around borderline anemic without knowing it. This mineral delivers oxygen to your muscles, increasing energy levels. Aim to get about 18 milligrams of iron daily—the amount in a cup of MultiGrain Cheerios—to stay pumped. Bring the Os in a baggie to fend off an afternoon slump. Spinach, pumpkin seeds and kidney beans are also rich in iron—toss ‘em in your salad to savor the bennies! Popeye would be proud.