These are some of the best foods for increasing your energy.
‘Weight loss diet’. ‘Healthy eating plan’. ‘Best foods for weight loss’. If you’re Googling these terms, chances are you’ve made sustainable lifestyle changes to your diet – but you might not be feeling the best for it just yet.
If you’re eating to manage your weight but still feeling lethargic or sluggish throughout the day, you may not be getting the nutrients your body needs. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet should help to increase your energy levels.
That’s because the body requires a certain ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. If we get the ratio right, we’re able to increase our energy levels. Sugary or high-carb meals are generally imbalanced – they will spike your blood sugar and provide a short burst of energy. More balanced meals, on the other hand, will help you to sustain energy levels across the whole day and assist with healthy weight management.
What should I be eating for balance?There are so many healthy foods out there that can help get you where you want to be – and we can’t go through all of them in one blog! Instead, we’ll focus on five favourites that are easy to find, easy to incorporate and easy to love in your diet.
Eggs are the champion food for healthy weight management. Rich in protein and good fats, easy to cook and eat at any time of day, they’re a great place to start with healthy eating. Swapping out a high-carb or high-sugar breakfast with an egg-based breakfast is likely to increase your feeling of satiety and improve your energy levels throughout the course of a day.
You can’t get away from leafy greens when it comes to weight loss! Swiss chard, kale, rocket, spinach and all their friends are high in energising chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, fibre, antioxidants and – here’s the big one – iron!
Moderate portions of foods higher in protein and fatty acids will increase your energy stores without blowing out your intake. Oily, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, herring, anchovies, sardines and swordfish are all excellent choices here.
Legumes are unfortunately excluded from many diets in favour of animal proteins like meat and cheese. However, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian or omnivore, legumes will give you a good dose of carbohydrates and protein and assist with healthy weight management at the same time. Dried and soaked varieties of chickpeas, lentils and beans are the best value for money – but the tinned stuff is just as good.
When it comes to snacks, you can’t beat nuts – almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, cashews and pistachios are best for your metabolism. A moderate handful of nuts each day can improve your energy and kick-start the fat burning process.
If you’re mystified by any of those nutritional terms – don’t stress! That’s what we’re here for.
The Body Balancing team of nutritionists and dietitians can help you get started with healthier, more nutritious eating plans that won’t zap your energy. We focus on eating more of the good stuff, rather than eating less overall – and we design all of our personalised eating plans to suit your lifestyle.
Whether you’re struggling with hormonal balance, mood swings, emotional eating, allergies, thyroid disorders, adrenal dysfunction or gut ailments, Body Balancing can help you learn how to manage your weight the correct way for your body – and maintain it for life.
Reach out today to get started with a free 45-minute clinical fat loss consultation!
