Energy Plan
Fantasy: You downsize your to-do list, ignore your computer and phone, and delegate your responsibilities as a mom, daughter, wife, sister, coworker, or boss. Reality: You’ve got more to do than ever, with hundreds of e-mails flooding your in-box, homework to help with, carpools to loads of laundry piling up and a new baby and puppy to boot. Sound familiar? Then maximize your energy level by tweaking your daily habits. This hour-by-hour guide can help you power up your day so you can multitask more efficiently and feel peppier while you’re at it.
7:00am: Embrace the Sunshine When you wake up in the morning, your circadian rhythm, an alertness cycle, peaks. Still, it generally takes an average of about 25 minutes to
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www.metrofamilymagazine.com | November 2011
go from groggy to fully awake. To speed the process, open the shades and turn on the lights. Sunlight or bright artificial light travels to your brain’s internal clock to trigger alertness. Morning light exposure is especially important, though, because it sets your 24-hour circadian cycle so you’ll be sleepy at bedtime.
8:00am: Breakfast Breakfast raises blood sugar (glucose), which fuels your brain and body. However, low-fiber carbs like donuts or a plain bagel can cause glucose to spike, which can make you feel tired. To stabilize that energyzapping roller coaster, pack a protein punch at breakfast. Healthy, highprotein options include lowfat cottage cheese (11 grams of protein per ½ cup), skim milk (10 grams of protein in one cup) or Greek yogurt (14 grams of protein per six ounce serving). Keep in mind that kids who eat breakfast can concentrate better and have healthier diets. So emphasize how important breakfast is and be a role model. “If you’re not eating breakfast yourself, it’s going to be hard to get your child to value it,” says Elizabeth Ward, M.S., R.D., author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Feeding Your Baby and Toddler.
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The 24-Hour