Energy Boosters
Fuel Up
Provided by Prevention
8 ways to energize your walks, your day, your life
You wouldn't try to drive your car with an empty gas tank--you know you'd never get out of the driveway. But chances are you've gone for a walk or two when you were out of gas and didn't get very far either. Unwittingly, you may have sabotaged your entire exercise program: After "I never have enough time," one of the most common excuses people give for not working out regularly is "I'm always too tired." And when exercise regulars lose focus and quit, the primary reasons are fatigue and dehydration.
Sometimes the problem is lack of sleep, but just as frequently it's diet. "You need calories and fluids to have energy and to feel good while you're physically active," says Kristine Clark, PhD, RD, director of sports nutrition for the Penn State University athletic department. So whether you're walking 2 miles a day to lose weight, training for a 5-K, or trying to keep up with an active family, here are eight eating tips to help you stay energized and rarin' to go.
1. Don't Go Hungry
"That's rule number one," says Dan Benardot, PhD, RD, associate professor of nutrition and director of the Laboratory for Elite Athlete Performance at Georgia State University. "It's extremely difficult to exercise when you haven't eaten enough or at all, so to keep your blood sugar from getting low and to sustain your energy, you need to eat small amounts of carbohydrate-containing foods throughout the day." He recommends having three moderate-size meals plus two snacks every day.
Pick complex carbs, "which will help sustain blood sugar levels," thereby boosting energy, advises Clark. "Choose whole grain products, such as a small whole wheat pita or a bowl of oatmeal with fruit; the fiber in these foods helps the carbs stick with you."
2. Never Go Thirsty
Dehydration is a real downer. If you haven't had enough to drink, you can feel light-headed, headachy, dizzy, and confused and can have increased heart and breathing rates. "Any athlete who is ready to compete but isn't holding a drink is not fully equipped," says Benardot. That's because "even a small amount of water loss can impair your ability to perform at your best and feel good about exercising," says Christine Rosenbloom, PhD, RD, associate professor of nutrition at Georgia State University.
When you exercise, don't wait until you feel thirsty: Drink 6 to 8 ounces of liquid before and after you walk. And sip something every 15 minutes while you walk.
3. Save Sports Drinks for Special Occasions
Plain water is a fine hydrator, but if you fatigue quickly when you exercise or if you sweat a lot (you're power walking, for instance, or it's warm out), a sports drink may be just the ticket. Sports drinks contain glucose, the sugar your body needs for energy, as well as electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, which are lost when you perspire.
Another reason to sip them: You're taking a long walk or competing in a race and you don't have access to a bathroom; the sodium-rich drinks help you hold on to your fluids.
4. Watch the Calories
"Unless you'll be exercising for long periods of time, you don't need to drink a quart of a sports drink or eat a 300-calorie energy bar beforehand," says Rosenbloom. Energy snacks like these, especially the bars, are so high in calories they can cancel out the fat-burning benefit of your walk.
Instead, before you start, drink 6 to 8 ounces of fluid (such as water) and have an energizing snack of 100 to 200 calories if it's been more than 2 hours since your last meal or snack. Can you have an energy bar? "If you're planning to walk 40 minutes or longer after work and you haven't eaten since lunch, an energy bar that contains protein as well as carbohydrates is a quick-energy option," says Clark.
But keep an eye on calories. "I recommend to my clients that they eat half a bar. That way they can choose the one they want without overloading on calories," she says.
Next: Get More Energy
