Today I wanted to discuss energy and our requirements and uses of it. This is not a scientific post at all, but one more based largely on my personal journey of successes and failures on increasing and maintaining energy levels and also from the experiences of others whom I have worked with.
I shall outline what I consider to be of most importance to anyone who struggles with fatigue or would just like to have more natural and real energy.
I hope this post can be of some help for this purpose although it is a brief summary. I am aware that there are many medical conditions and also medications that can induce or increase fatigue levels, so take this in to consideration if this is the case for you, and always be patient with yourself, we all have different capabilities.
Firstly, a little bit about my experience, so you can understand where I am coming from. Having been a fitness fan from a young age, I have always recognised the energising benefits of exercise and loved the feeling of increased energy from training. However I found out the hard way, I think that I began to take these energy levels for granted, as I would consistently and naturally want to feel this way. Being a fitness instructor also requires a certain amount of energy.
However as many have or may find out it is kind of unrealistic to operate at this level all the time, unless you want to reach a point of burnout which is what happened to me. I was later given a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, This was extremely frustrating because I then couldnt do what I loved to, when I wanted to. It has to be said that before this point I was training 1- 2 times a day minimum.
Some lifestyles and jobs do require us to have a lot of energy and to train everyday, which can be possible for some to, but there are vital factors involved to sustain that level of energy and to be able to recover effectively.
Through personal understanding and research, I have learnt how best to optimize my energy levels, to be most effective but also importantly not to burn myself out again. There are particular factors which can lead to this. So I wanted to share some of what I have learnt with you, in the hope that it may be of help to some.
Anyone who has been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome knows how difficult it can be and that everyones’ experience is unique. I do believe though that these methods can help and also be preventatives of fatigue for anyone who wishes to maintain good energy levels.
When you become fatigued it can be very tempting to reach for quick fixes such as caffiene and sugar. Unfortunately although they provide quick energy they also create a vicious circle of energy drops and highs that can quickly become a habit. This type of habit developed to maintain this type of energy using sugar and caffiene is extremely common and many of us if we admit to ourselves may have fallen prey to this trap in some form or other because of the energy demands upon us.
There are though far better ways to obtain more natural real and sustainable energy, requiring simple but important steps and routines that are often forgotten or not maintained. With a lttle discipline and effort it is possible to achieve optimum, natural and real energy levels.
To outline the simple but perhaps main causes for depleted energy levels particularly within health and fitness training;
Dehydration- can also be caused by over consumption of caffeinated drinks.
Lack of adequate nutrition
Stress
Overworking/ Burnout
Overtraining ( this concept requires another blog post to explain in detail which will follow.)
Lack of adequate sleep.
Although these causes do seem fairly simple or maybe obvious they are in fact very common. They can also be interlinked, one will affect the other, creating a trap of fatigue.
In the short term these causes may do little harm and some perhaps such as stress are even good temporarily. But all these causes if allowed to become prolonged will lead to fatigue in some form, and can also have many other health implications.
The good news is if you apply the following methods for energy, you can achieve real sustainable natural energy levels. Which also will feel so much better than the type of energy you may gain from caffeine or sugar.
Drink water at regular intervals throughout the day (not just when your thirsty).
Eat plenty of natural foods(to obtain optimum nutrition).
Eat at regular intervals – (always have breakfast- very important:)
Regular exercise – (with adequate rest in between sessions)
Take relaxation time regularly- (meditation is also excellent to recharge, help maintain focus and reduce stress).
Reduce or avoid caffeine consumption
Reduce or avoid consumption of refined sugars.
To some the above may seem like strict guidelines to follow, but to obtain optimum real energy levels it is highly worth the effort, you will feel amazing benefits if you follow these guidelines.
One of the main culprits of fatigue can be chronic dehydration which can go unnoticed and lead to further health problems.
I found the following link very helpful and informative. Please check it out for more info on this.
http://nutritioninfo.tripod.com/id19.html
I hope you found this blog post helpful.
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