HOW TO KEEP YOUR ENERGY UP!

How do you keep my energy up during the day?

That is probably the most asked question and the thing that most people have a hard time figuring out.  

Here are 10 ways to combat energy fatigue. 

Avoiding that tasty drink-a-link.

1) Alcohol prevents your body from entering REM sleep (the most restful sleep phase). So, even if you're getting plenty of sleep each night, you may not feel fully rested.

Drinking water throughout the day.

2) Breathing, talking, peeing, even sitting—they all use up the body's water supply. Let your body dry out, and your energy level will dry up as well.

Taking B vitamins supplements.

3) Get your B vitamins. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that many athletes and exercise buffs, plus even people not working out don't get enough B vitamins. That's bad, since thiamin, B6, B12, and riboflavin are all necessary for the body's production of energy.

The sacred nap. 

4) Avoid the temptation to pull a Rip Van Winkle, and take a quick midday power nap instead. Studies show the optimal amount of sleep is 10 to 20 minutes to get through the day without throwing off the night's sleep. So make sure you don't confuse a power nap with sleeping all day. 

Get up and stretch.

5) Just a few desk stretches can be enough.  It gets your blood moving and typically you are breathing more so you end up oxygenating your blood.  Studies have suggested a little yoga could fight depression and anxiety or other stress-related disorders.

Add some greenery.

6) In your home or a stuffy office, a houseplant can help filter out pollutants like volatile organic compounds (or VOCs for short) and ozone. And those chemicals can have both long and short-term effects, including energy-draining allergies and headaches. Add a plant, though, and those threats could diminish. It's important to get the most beneficial house plants that filter air the most. 

Deep breathing.

7) Deep breathing from the diaphragm gets blood pumping, which also can boost energy all day long. No deep breaths are not just the key to resisting the urge to scream at that stupid driver. 

A little walkabout. 

8) Instead of slamming some candy when the 3 p.m. blahs strike, take a quick walk around the block. Physical activity oxygenates blood cells, helping to refill your body's fuel tank.

Try a little extra curricular activity out. 

9) Think you’re just too old and too tired to have sex like you once did? No way, good, frequent sex is one of the best things you can do to increase your health and get rid of fatigue. It stimulates brain function, burns calories, increases oxygenation, boosts immunity and relieves stress and depression. If you feel you’re not as interested in it as you once were, for guys check your testosterone levels out also in women, testosterone boosts libido and energy but a lot of the time its really that darn guy who has no idea how to turn you on.  Help your man out and give him some directions.  

Exercise regularly. 

10) Yeah, yeah, you’re too tired to exercise, right? Well studies show that the more you move, the more energy you’ll have. No more excuses people!  Oftentimes,  we don’t push their bodies hard enough. While it’s true that any exercise is good, try to really sweat. Try burst training, where you work at nearly 100% capacity for 45 seconds, rest for 90 seconds, and then repeat for 20 minutes. It helps burn fat for the next 36 hours and increases metabolism.

I hope this helped you out and you got some value from it. Pick one or 2 of these to try out each day and you will be surprised by how you will feel.

If you found some value in this please share on Facebook. 

Tyler Farstad
farstad@automaticbody.com

PS: If you sometime just like to have a quick pick me up my secret is a drink called Energe.  Click here to find out about it 

5 GREAT SNACK TO CURB YOUR APPETITE!

One of the things I always found tricky was to have food on hand when I was hungry that wasn't chips or something other that is bad for you.  

Once I started figuring out there are tons of easy recipes or easy to put together snacks I was able to change my crapy eating habits drastically. 

I love nuts!  Whether they are raw, roasted or boosted with a little spices to tasty them up, I gobble them up.  Try this easy recipe to add a little to your nuts.  You can change the nuts to what you have on hand or go out and buy the ones suggested in the recipe.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive in a large bowl. Add 4 ounces shelled raw walnut halves, 4 ounces shelled raw pecan halves, and 4 ounces raw cashews. Massage in the spices well, then place on baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Store in an airtight container once cooled.

Boiled or steamed shelled young soybeans with a dusting of salt are rich in protein and antioxidants and they taste great.  Splitting the pods open to nibble on the beans helps you eat more slowly and lets your stomach register food filling it up. You can stick these in a little baggie and eat later when they are cold or jump on them right after making them. 

This is an insanely easy cookie to make with only three-ingredients.  It's a great source of heart-healthy whole grains, good fats, and potassium. Combine 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed, 1 cup uncooked quick oats in a bowl, then fold in ¼ cup crushed walnuts (or your favourite nut). Place tablespoon-sized scoops on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven.  *The idea isn't to eat all of them at once so do your best and pace yourself*

Stuff mini whole wheat pitas (about 2 inches in diameter) with different foods, such as salsa; any nut butter; low-fat cheese; turkey slices; or hummus with cucumber and tomato. 

One of my other favourites is crackers and cheese or a few piece of natural meat.  These are very easy to put together and can be done ahead for the week.  Add a 5 crackers, a few slices of cheese and a couple pieces of meat or cucumber to a little baggie or a small container and you have a perfect hold me over snack pack. 

Here are a few extra ones that are healthy and you have to do zero prep for because they are bought already done for you at the supermarket. 

Balanced Breaks from Sargent are tasty and healthy. Cheese, nuts and fruit are a go-to snack for me so having the convenience of these pre-packed, perfectly proportioned snacks for on-the-go is great when I run out of time in the day. They come 3 in a pack and can be found in the dairy aisle of your supermarket.. You’ll find 4 varieties—each with 7g of protein and 170-190 calories. 

Justin's organic peanut butter packs. These little packs are perfect to squeeze and eat all on their own or spruce it up with an apple cut up or some multigrain crackers. 

Sabra to Go Hummus with Pretzel Crips is another good one but remember it is a single serving so even though it is super tasty only have 1. 

Mini Babybel is wrapped in wax and is perfect for anywhere.  I have left these in the car for a couple of weeks in the summer (totally not recommended) and they tasted just the same as when they were in the fridge, plus I survived.  You can pair it with a piece of fruit to add a little more to your snack. 

Protein drinks are good too.  The difficulty with many of them is they are filled with sugar and don't have many nutrients in them.  One of my favourites is Fuel by Nutrie. The chocolate flavour is really good and reminds me of a fudgsicle.  It is a little pricier but they do use premium ingredients so I feel its worth it. 

GOALS ARE HARD!

How many times have you set a goal but not hit it?  Maybe it was out of reach or maybe it was "too hard".

In reality the reason most goals are hit is they don't motivate you enough.

Here are 4 ways to help you achieve your goals this year.

1) It is super important to make sure the goal is important to you.  There also has to be value in achieving them.  When you have little interest in the outcome is when you fail at the goal. You have to look inside, deep down, to figure out if that goal is really a goal and you must achieve it or its a wish and maybe someday it will magically happen.

The goals you set have to be high priorities in your life.  When you have too many goals you leave way too little time to focus on each one.  They require a high level of commitment and it has to have a sense of urgency attached to it.  When that is not there you tend to put off what is needed to make the goal a reality.  This, of course, leads you to feeling disappointed and frustrated with yourself which ends up starting the cycle of never achieving the goals you set and makes you feel like poop!

A good way to figure if the goal is what you want is to write down why it is important to you and how or what it will do for you.  

2) You might have heard of the acronym "SMART" goals but if not it stands for;

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time sensitive

Specific

The goal must be very clear and well defined.  If it is vague and foggy then you won't have enough direction.  Goals need to show you the way.  The more clear and defined the easier they become

Measurable

Goals need to be able to be measured so you can tell when you are successful.  Sometimes the measurements are so small that you normally wouldn't see the positive results so make sure all goals are being tracked.

Attainable

It is important that goal is actually something that can be done.  Yes its great to shoot for the moon but if its something you really have no hope of achieve it will only chip away at your confidence and demotivate you. 

Relevant

Whatever direction you are heading in life or business make sure your goals are congruent with that direction.  By having goals that align with what you are doing you will develop the focus you need to get ahead and achieve what you want.   Get rid of the goals that don't line up and you will most likely waste time and the years will go by with nothing ever changing.

Time sensitive

Set your goals to have a timeline so you know when to celebrate.  Also with a deadline your sense of urgency is increased and your achievement will happen that much faster. 

3) The simple act of writing down goals makes it that much more real and tangible.  When it is there in front of you and you can see it written down you are way less likely of putting it on the back burner. It is super important as you write down your goals you use powerful words such as "will" and "choose".  Writing with those words as opposed to "would like to", "might", "have to" or "should" will have much more impact internally.  You also want to make sure everything is positive.  Saying "I want to get my fat butt into the gym" isn't going to do it.  

4) This one is one that most people forget to work on.   You must have an action plan to get your goal.  It's super important to write down how you are going to get from A to B.  Besides no knowing how you are actually going to do it, you can also check off as you accomplish each step.

Goals are hard and everyone knows that.  Not many people actually hit their goals or never get started.  Be different and set a goal you truly want to hit.  Getting that goal is one of the best feelings in the world.   

HOW TO START 2016 OFF RIGHT!

The 3 main things to setting and hitting your 2016 goals!

The big one is to break down your goals so you can hit them.  
For instance if your goal this year is to make double what you made last year then there are 2 things you can do.  You must either work twice as hard or you learn a new skill that will allow the income to grow.

Also it is important to look at the comparison from last year to this year and lay out what you have to do different to attain that goal.  For a lot of people this comes down to eliminating time wasters.  It is super easy to watch TV or play on the internet for hours without actually learning anything or getting ahead.  Hey we all like those things (me included) but it is amazing what you can achieve if you limit yourself to only certain nights or only weekends to do that.  10 minutes a day is an extra 60 hours in a year to learn something new or to achieve your fitness goal.

The next one is don't just set big goal huge goals.  Make sure you set goals that are trackable and measurable.  It has to be something you can track weekly or monthly.  Fitness is a super easy one for this because you can track your weight or your measurement or even feel how easy something has become over the weeks.

Most people don't want to workout and have a hard time doing this.  That's the reality but everyone can do it and achieve a healthy lifestyle.  It only takes a goal that you really want to hit.  Okay so it does take a few months of consistency to really become easy and second nature but it sure is worth it when you get it.

Now the last one is to have an accountability partner.  Telling someone your goals and asking for them to give you a hand is super important.  Very few people hit their goals without help.  If you think athletes get to the top of their game without help then you are very much mistaken.   I think as we grow up some of us are taught to do things on our own and thats the best way.  Get that out of your head now and it will help out soooooo much.  It took me a while to realize that it has nothing to do with weakness or any other silly misconceptions I had in my head but asking for help has turned my business around as well as my personal life.  I suggest once you have figured out your goals for this year to ask for a little assistance.

Hitting goals takes work but it is always worth it when you arrive.

If you haven't joined my Facebook group and are looking for a little accountability please join in www.facebook.com/groups/nutriequest

10 WAYS TO DE-STUFF YOURSELF AFTER HOLIDAYS

Fuel Up on the Right Breakfast The last thing you may want to do after a food binge is eat more the next morning, but having a morning meal is essential to getting yourself back on track. Choose a breakfast that includes a balance of lean protein and finer. Having foods high in insoluble fiber like whole grains can help eliminate that bloated feeling.

Reset Your Idea of Portions If you are anything like my your portion sizes ballooned during the holidays. Something similar to the Good Year blimp. Remember, the goal is to feel comfortably full—not overstuffed. Using a salad plate, which is usually eight or nine inches in diameter, can help someone visualize what a reasonable-size plate should look like and slow down when eating so your stomach has time to realize there is food in there. 

Potassium is Your New Best Friend You know you have to cut back on salt to de-bloat, but did you also know you should stock up on foods that are high in potassium? It can help your flatten your stomach by flushing out excess sodium in your system. Try potassium-rich bananas, raisins, milk, and yogurt.

Eat Your Greens Low in calories and packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, greens are essential to jump-starting any new eating plan. Dark, leafy greens are hands down some of the best things you can eat. Kale is perfect because of its versatility. You can stir-fry it, blend it in a smoothie, or make chips out of the leaves. 

Don’t skip meals As with missing breakfast, skipping other meals can also have a slowing effect on your metabolism. Try to organise your day so that you have time to eat three healthy meals at regular intervals and have healthy snacks throughout the day. Plan ahead to make sure healthy options are available and keep healthy snacks on hand in case a meal is delayed.

Stop Adding Sweeteners For detoxing, banishing the sweet stuff is the way to go. I advise against artificial sweeteners and suggests green stevia powder if you must sweeten your morning coffee or tea or honey. If you need a sweet kick while snacking, naturally sweet fruits like dates, figs, and berries are awesome.

Drink more water Being well hydrated has a positive effect on your metabolism. Try to drink water before every meal and increase your intake of high water foods, such as fruit and vegetables, to keep yourself hydrated and remember that if you are working out or living in a hot climate you will need to drink even more.

Avoid Carbonation If you're trying to get back to your healthy habits, don't reach for sugary sodas. Although bubbly drinks like seltzer or diet soda contain no calories, they still have air, which can get trapped in your body and leave you feeling like a balloon. Now's the best time to return to good old water; try dropping in ginger root slices for flavor and to help with digestion or Kim Lyons water recipe.

Get enough sleep Studies have shown that those who sleep less tend to be more likely to be overweight. Lack of sleep may slow down your metabolism and often also results in overeating due to tiredness.

To boost your metabolism try to get sufficient sleep every night and develop a routine for going to bed and waking up.

Start working out If you don’t already work out, the end of the holiday season is a great time to start a new regime. If you have slacked off over the period, it’s also a great time to kick start your workout and up the intensity.

Not only does cardiovascular exercise burn calories whilst you are doing it, it also boosts your metabolism for a few hours after you stop working out. High intensity work outs are thought to have a bigger effect on boosting metabolic rate after a session than lower intensity steady state workouts.

HOW TO SNACK SMART! PART 2

Healthy snacking can be fun if you do a little preparation each week to stock the pantry or fridge. 

Here are some quick and easy recipes for tasty snacks.

Tomatoes With Soft Cheese Choose nice ripe tomatoes (cherry, grape, roma or field all work). Slice them in half or for the larger tomatoes in slice. Take fresh goat cheese or sliced bocconcini. Sprinkle with chopped herbs (such as chives, basil, or parsley), a little extra virgin olive oil with balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper.
Bean Dip This is great to dip crackers or veggies in. Put half the beans and chickpeas into a food processor with the lemon juice, garlic, cumin and yogurt, then whizz until smooth. Tip in the rest of the beans and pulse once to get a very chunky dip. Stir in the lemon zest and plenty of seasoning.

16oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
16oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
juice 2 lemons, zest 1
2 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
1/3 c Greek yogurt

Fruit and Cheese Top 1/2 cup cottage cheese with 1/2 cup of your favorite fruit. Not sure what fruit to pick? Try some superfoods! Bananas, mixed berries, and melon are a few of my favourites.

Mixed Nuts or Trail Mix Mixed nuts are a great way to get a delicious dose of protein. Try a mixed bunch for variety and a combo with dried fruit for some added sweetness. Almonds and pistachios. They're higher in protein than their nutty equivalents.

Banana Burrito Grab a whole wheat tortilla and spread it with your favourite peanut butter (try to get natural peanut butter as most peanut butter is filled with icing sugar). Then take your banana and wrap it in a whole wheat tortilla. Yum Yum!Apple Sandwich Slice each apple into rings (aim for 4 to 6 slices per apple). Take an apple slice and spread lightly with the almond butter and a sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and granola or raisin.
Top with an additional apple slice and sandwich together.
Eat immediately or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill until ready to enjoy.

Hard-Boiled Eggs Cost is minimal with these little guys and they are loaded with nutrients. Eggs are one of the best ways to get a healthy dose of protein. I hard boil and pre-peel a dozen at the start of the week and throw one in a small Tupperware container each day for an easy on-the-go snack. (If you are feeling extra hungry? Slice the egg and place it on a piece of whole-wheat bread with a little salt and pepper.)

Mini Bean-and-Cheese Quesadilla Fold 1/2 cup black beans, 1 tablespoon salsa, and 1 slice or any cheese in a small flour tortilla. Cook in a dry nonstick pan until the cheese is melted and tortilla is lightly browned. (wrap it in foil and stick in a plastic baggie for easy transport for later.)
Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies In a microwave-safe bowl (or mug), mix 1/4 cup oats, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour (of your choice), 1 egg white, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon raisins. Flatten mixture into bottom of bowl and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Cool, pop it out of the bowl, and enjoy!

Cheese Platter Make yourself a mini plate with a cheese stick (or 2 slices of cheese), 2 whole-grain crackers, a few apple slices and a handful of almonds.

For all of these remember they are only snack to keep your metabolism going during the day. Save your more substantial meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Here are 22 more recipes that use protein powder to add boost.

If you are only looking to have some popcorn it looks like this guy has mastered it. 

HOW TO SNACK SMART! PART 1

It's 2pm, your stomach starts to grumble and you think to yourself "Hmmmm what's quick and easy to eat?". Now if you are like most of us that either goes 1 of 2 ways. You either wait till dinner because you can't find something quick or grab something unhealthy. 

It's super important to eat something that won’t sabotage your weight-loss plans. Grab a whole grain cracker and dig into some guacamole packed with nutrients, or slaps some peanut butter on an apple. You can even spruce up a bowl of oatmeal with dark chocolate, nuts and berries. 

Snacking prevents you from overeating later in the day, and actually boosts your metabolism which in turn, triggers weight loss and keeps your energy levels high. It is also an effective way to add extra nutrients in the diet which are usually missing from your daily food intake.

Here are 5 simple tips to help with your snacking.

It is so simple to grab a bag of chips or scarf down a pint of ice cream before crashing at night but follow these rules and you will be way better off. 

1. Don't get bored! Nothing more important than keeping it fun. Vary it up all the time while keeping it in line with nutrition.
2. Snack every 2-3 hours in order to keep your metabolism boosted. The frequency of meals is very important since it maintains your metabolism and facilitates easy digestion.
3. Combine protein with carbohydrates. Carbs provide both your body and brain with energy, plus protein-packed foods help keep you full longer because they take more time for your body to process. Try eating fruit with nuts. 
4. Studies show that snacking and multitasking is a guaranteed way to pack on some pounds. If you eat without any distractions, including the TV, you tend to feel more satisfied and actually eat less the rest of the day. Some people are so used to snacking while watching TV that it's hard to break the habit. One of the best ways is to always have a water bottle on hand so when you feel like snacking you can drink water instead. 
5. Healthy eating requires planning. Working over 8 hours a day can make it difficult to snack healthy unless you plan ahead. Every Sunday, prepare for the week ahead. Making healthy muffins or granola bars for the week can set you up perfectly. 

Tomorrow will be all about easy recipes so hold on tight.