Seven Ways to Gain Energy

Have you ever found yourself feeling the weight of the world upon your eyelids and wishing you could just take a nap for only a few minutes (or hours)? When this becomes an everyday thing and you realize your productivity and focus is slowly fading away into darkness, it really is vital that you find some ways to gain energy. Here is a list of various ways to gain energy back.

1. Drink lots of water. Most of us have read about the "8 by 8" rule, eight 8 oz. glasses of water each day. This rule is just about right, but it bought to be referred to as the "at least 8 by 8" rule. It is actually recommended for males to take about 12 cups of fluids and females to take 9 cups of fluids. Water is fundamental for our bodies to perform properly and is a massive factor when it comes to getting the vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants our body requires. Water is necessary for our bodies to absorb food, which in turn releases vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants, and often water is used to process these nutrients. Without water, the energy gained through nutrition would be incomplete. If drinking more water is the only thing you do on this list, you still will see a huge energy increase.

2. Get fit. Engage in activity that makes you sweat. When your body increases in lean muscle and decreases in fat, you will gain more energy. Out of all the ways to gain energy, this way will improve as time passes. The more body fat you lose the more energy you gain. Try doing some high intensity interval training (HIIT). This exercise involves spouts of intestine cardio mixed with moderate intensity in 30 second and 90 second intervals accordingly. Do 30 seconds of high intensity cardio (running, swimming, elliptical training, etc.) and 90 seconds of moderate intensity of the same type for 20 minutes.

3. Fuel your body with healthy foods. Good nutrition is critical, everyone knows this, but when it comes to ways to gain energy the right diet becomes a necessity. Eating the right foods will not only help you get fit, but it will fuel your body with the nutrients needed to power your muscles, mind, and spirit. Consume nutrient packed meals. Eat sensibly by building a colorful plate focusing on portion control. This will certainly keep your energy levels high. Eating foods like muffins and cakes may sound good, but in the end it will weigh you down, literally.

4. Power snack. When it comes to snacking make sure to find snacks that contain power boosting nutrients or anti-oxidants. Some good snack ideas that contribute to ways to gain energy are almonds (be careful not to eat too many, they are packed with calories), yogurt, apples with peanut butter, all types of berries, or trail mix.

5. Minimize caffeine. Caffeine can work temporarily, however, if caffeine is used on a daily basis dependency can form and it can have a negative effect on your energy. Occasionally, your body will NEED caffeine for you to only feel a little energy. A mug of coffee in the morning is alright, but do not overdo it. Make sure not to drink caffeine in the evening so that you can avoid insomnia.

6. Stay organized. This may, initially, not seem like it should be on a list about ways to gain energy, but this may in fact bring peace into your life that may significantly bring productivity and focus back. Staying organized will cause less energy to be expelled on chaos (or just trying to find that paperwork you laid God knows where). If you know where everything is and know exactly how your day should be planned out, you spend less than that precious energy on unnecessary circumstances.

7. Stand up and stretch. Start out by stretching your arms over your head and stretching your back, legs, abs, and neck. Take a deep breath and slowly rejuvenate each muscle. After you sit back down or get back to work you should feel a sense of relief and readiness to restore the focus on whatever you were doing.

These ways to gain energy can work independently, but for maximum results incorporated each one of these ways to gain energy into your life.

"Energy is the power that drives every human being. – Germaine Greer