4 Food Habits to Overcome Fatigue During the Day By Karman Meyer, RDN, LDN
Have you felt excessive fatigue, the inability to focus, or feelings of anxiety during your daily routine as a busy mom? If you said yes, you’re certainly not alone. Nearly half of Americans report daytime sleepiness - and that number increases drastically amongst mothers.
Most people can relate to at least one of these occurrences from day to day: the unrelenting need for caffeine in the morning to help wake up, being unable to focus during that midday meeting or conversation with a coworker, or the afternoon slump that hits and makes it nearly impossible to get through the rest of the work day.
These feelings of low energy, reliance on caffeine, and struggling to focus have almost become accepted as ‘just part of the deal’ in our modern day society.
What you eat and drink can affect how you feel physically and mentally, both in a positive way and a negative way. When your body battery is feeling drained, it may be that we need to turn to food to give it the true energy it needs!
Here are 5 food habits to overcome fatigue during the day:
1. Don’t skip meals
If you’re one to get busy with work and forget meals, set an alarm or schedule meal breaks on your calendar as a reminder to stop and eat. Your body and brain will thank you! Simply put, food provides us with fuel for cells to function and for our brain to think more clearly. Start your day with something to eat, even if that means you take it on the go. Make time for lunch and an afternoon snack if needed to keep you going. Keep reading through the tips for specifics on foods to include at your meals.
2. Balance your plate
One of the tips I share most with my clients is to include protein, fiber, and good fats at all meals for better nutritional balance and satisfaction after eating. When we have this balance, we get the variety of macronutrients the body needs to keep it running well. Protein foods include beans, nuts & seeds, nut butters, meat & seafood, tofu, dairy foods like milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Fiber is found in our fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts and seeds. For good fats, look to avocado, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, olive oil, and fatty fish like salmon.
An option for a quick breakfast on-the-go could be a banana with almond butter plus a cup of yogurt. For lunch, a whole grain wrap filled with veggies, hummus, and beans and paired with an apple makes for a satisfying and balanced meal. If you need an afternoon snack, reach for a homemade trail mix of almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate, and dried fruit for an energy-filled pick-me-up!
3. Reduce refined and added sugars
This tip may not come as a surprise but let’s cover different forms of added sugars so you can identify them in an ingredient list. They include sucrose, table sugar, honey, dextrose, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025.
Americans 2 years and older should limit added sugars to less than 10% of total daily calories. For a 2,000-calorie diet, that means no more than 200 calories should come from added sugars, which is equivalent to about 12 teaspoons a day.
Also, remember that this tip is to reduce consumption because most of us are consuming too much on a daily basis, but it does not mean we have to completely avoid them! We can still enjoy foods with sugar or added sugar, just try to include them as part of a meal or a snack that contains the protein, fiber, and good fats we discussed above. This will help with blood sugar stabilization and satiety. Have your cake (and eat dinner, too!)
4. Be mindful of caffeine consumption
This is an important message to hear: caffeine is not energy, it’s a stimulant. While caffeine can certainly make us feel more alert, it doesn’t provide the fuel and energy our cells need. Once caffeine’s stimulant effect wears off, it can cause a crash in energy levels if we haven’t provided the body with a quality source of energy (aka FOOD).
While there are some positive health benefits associated with drinking coffee, overconsumption can have negative side effects, such as restless sleep or insomnia. Some people are caffeine sensitive, and the effects can impact them more drastically, meaning increased alertness, jittery feelings, and elevated heart rate if too much is consumed at one time.
If you’re struggling to sleep well at night, take a look at your caffeine intake, which can come from coffee, certain teas, sodas, and even dark chocolate, and try cutting off caffeine 8 hours before your desired bedtime.
Karman Meyer is a Registered Dietitian, speaker, and author of Eat To Sleep: What To Eat & When To Eat It for a Good Night's Sleep and The Everything DASH Diet Meal Prep Cookbook. She speaks to groups across the country about simple changes they can make to sleep better and feel more energized day-to-day! Visit her at karmanmeyer.com or on Instagram @karmanmeyer.