As I write this I am sitting at my desk on a Monday morning. I had a really good start to the day with a walk by the sea before breakfast. I had loads of energy and a really active beginning to my day.
I hit 11am and the motivation was waning – what to do to get the creative juices flowing and write for you.
Most people would be reaching for a biscuit or a snack at this time of day but as you might imagine that’s not what I did. I know that if I have a biscuit or snack mid-morning it will literally wreck the rest of my day and I’m not exaggerating. Within half an hour I will be yawning and restless, I will be unable to think and start wanting to have lunch. Sound familiar, then read on to find out some other ways of reinvigorating yourself instead of reaching for the sugar.
First of all, I need to check in with how much water I’ve had to drink since I sat down at my desk 2 hours ago. My bottle is nearly full, time to drink some water. If you can drink about 250ml each hour you will find your concentration and motivation is so so much better.
What I did next is something you may or may not know about. I used an Energy Routine. This is about getting the energy in your body flowing again.
So what is energy?
It was pointed out to me that not everybody knows what I mean when I talk about energy. Is it physical, mental or emotional? Really it’s all 3.
Energy is what you live by, the body creates energy to perform the simplest tasks as well as the most complex ones and if it is not able to flow freely around the body you start to feel sluggish, frustrated and unable to perform the simplest tasks.
In Chinese medicine, they talk about the flow of Qi. The pathways along which this energy flows are called Meridians and the Energy Routine is about opening up the flow of energy through the Meridians.
What does this have to do with sugar habits I hear you ask?
Well, the moments when we want sugar are when our energy is low. If we have another way of lifting our energy then we don’t need to reach for the sugar.
Another important factor is when did I last eat, for me it was a latish breakfast eaten at about 9:15 and lunch is usually at 1pm. If breakfast is really early for you then you probably need something to eat about 3.5 to 4 hours later depending on your metabolism. Personally, I need food every 4 hours.
However, that doesn’t mean reaching for the biscuit is the right thing to do.
Did you know that your willpower improves when you eat something that’s good for you?
In reverse, if you eat something that is high in carbohydrates, fat or salt your willpower is not so good. This is because when you eat something that hits that “BLISS” point (the perfect combination of fat and sugar or fat and salt) it triggers the reward centre in your brain causing the release of the hormone dopamine creating the feeling of pleasure and wellbeing similar to narcotic drugs!
So if it’s time for food, eat good food with protein and healthy fats rather than those that set off the rollercoaster and make you overeat.
How I work with clients
When I start working with clients I often suggest they eat 3 meals a day and add in a small 4th meal in the afternoon so that they are not tempted to reach for the snacks in the early evening.
It’s really important that all of these meals contain protein even if only a small amount as it keeps you fuller for longer.
Enough preaching from me, I hope you see where I’m coming from.
If you’d like to know more then please get in touch to book a call or investigate my Healthy Habits Club – helping you to revise your sugar habits.
