6 Ways To Level Up Your Energy For Work & Fitness

It’s that time of the winter that leaves most of us feeling a distinct lack of energy.

Juggling work commitments alongside a fitness routine creates a busy lifestyle. It’s perfectly normal to have a dip in the energy you can bring on a day-to-day basis.

We’d all love to wake up with a huge hunger to get after it 100% of the time, but that’s just not realistic.

There are some simple hacks you can use to boost your energy levels, though, so you can improve your chances of feeling at your best at work and in the gym.

Here, Built for Athletes takes a look at six habits that can boost your energy.

Eat Carbs In The Evenings

Some people in the health and wellness space advocate eating a light meal in the evenings to allow your body to wind down.

That’s not necessarily the best advice, though, if you want to feel energised the next day.

Carb-rich foods create an insulin release that flushes amino acids out of the blood, allowing tryptophan - an amino acid that supports sleep - to be better absorbed.

Stimulate Your Senses

We often overlook the way we can manipulate our senses in order to make us feel a certain way.

Studies have shown that smelling lemon oil, for example, can boost your mood and even make you run faster.

Try utilising lemon-scented candles or diffusers to perk you up in the mornings or while you work.

Don’t Neglect Your B Vitamins

Getting enough B vitamins will help your body convert food into energy to fuel you throughout the day.

Stress will deplete your supplies, and most athletes put their bodies and minds through a lot on a daily basis.

If you eat plenty of oily fish, leafy greens and eggs, you should be getting enough, but you can also take a supplement if you prefer.

Get fresh air

There are loads of health benefits for people who regularly spend time outdoors in nature.

Getting fresh air first thing in the morning is also one of the best things you can do to set your circadian rhythm which leads to better sleep.

If you’re working from home and stuck indoors, try going out for a short walk or a jog before you start work.

Get Your Vitamin D

Long evenings and short days during the winter mean a lot people end up with a vitamin D deficiency.

Low energy or constant fatigue is a common symptom.

When your body can’t get enough vitamin D from sunlight, it’s a good idea to take a regular supplement.

Watch Your Sugar Intake Throughout The Day

It’s hard to get away from sugary snacks in the western world, but any energy boost you get from a spike in your blood sugar will inevitably be followed by a crash.

If you know you have a particularly sweet tooth, try switching some of your regular food choices for healthier alternatives.

For example, if you normally eat biscuits during the day, experiment with snacking on nuts to keep you going until your next meal.

It’s all about making small changes that you can stick to.