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We all have moments when we don’t feel as energised or inspired as we’d like, and we feel a little disconnected from everything. However, there are many things you can do when your energy is low.   Here are my top five tips.

Move
As human beings we were designed to move, but many of us simply don’t do enough of that any more. The best way to energise yourself is to move your body. Get all your joints moving. Walking is a fantastic way to do this, or you could use something like a kettle bell; I get up and do 10 kettle bell squats every hour and I might pump the kettle bell to work my biceps too. You can also use it for tricep extensions, there are many different ways to use it for movement. Having something around in the house or in your office to help you get the blood pumping is really good. Walking, standing up regularly if you’re sat down a lot during the day, stretching out the body and all the main muscle groups all help.

Drink water
Many of us walk around in a state of sub optimal hydration, but drinking a cold class of water, will immediately energise you. Remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day too. Herbal tea is also good, but try to avoid sugary drinks, which cause a quick increase and subsequent slump in blood sugar levels. Plus of course caffeine is an artificial stimulant, so, water or water based drinks are best.

Eat a fat or protein based snack
You can get some reasonably good snack bars now that are protein based. Examples of foods that contain good fats for snacking include nuts, seeds and avocados. For protein, you could have some good quality chicken, eggs, almonds, cheese, yoghurt, chick peas or hummus. Vegetables complement a protein snack nicely as they contain carbohydrates.

Connect
If you’re feeling under energised, connect with something that energises you. Is it a friend that you can phone? Maybe you read something motivational by your favourite author for example. Maybe you just connect with something you really love, so think about the weekend when you’re going to be doing that hike out in nature. That will give you a little spark of energy as well.

Take a nap
If you’ve got the option, take a nap if you’re not feeling very energised. Maybe you just don’t have enough sleep cycles under your belt for the day ahead. I appreciate napping isn’t possible for everyone, but even just closing your eyes for five, ten minutes, whether that’s a meditation, a quick relaxation, just trying to reinvigorate and re-inspire yourself can also be very effective.

So, move, drink water, eat a fat or protein based snack, connect, and take a nap if you can, or a micro break. All fantastic ways to gain energy.

Leanne Spencer
www.bodyshotperformance.com

This article first appeared in the July 2018 issue of SE22 magazine.

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