It is mid-september already and it is time for round two of HECTIC (Healthy Eating College Tip Thursdays).
I don’t want to sound like your mother, but it really does help! Many college kids stay up late cramming for papers, which in the end doesn’t produce a very good project anyway.
You crave more sugar when you are tired because your body wants that quick energy from sweets. Don’t let yourself get tired by getting a good night sleep. If you do need carbs to wake you up, though, go for fresh fruit.
You can always find fruit on campus through the local convenience store or in the dining halls. My meal plan allows me a certain number of “meal swipes” per week, and I always grab an orange or banana to take back to my room for snacks. When my bananas start piling up, though, make some of these tasty treats:
(These PBC Bars are a staple of mine and they only require a few ingredients to make)
While I don’t recommend relying on caffeine for energy everyday, I realize that it is sometimes inevitable. Black coffee, black tea, or green tea all contain natural sources of caffeine without added sugars like energy drinks and sweetened coffee drinks.
If you absolutely cannot stand the taste of black coffee, try experimenting with different types of flavorful tea. Some of my favorites include jasmine green tea, chai, honeybush, and ginger tea.
(Iced coffee with a drizzle of coconut milk is a favorite of mine in the warm months)
Other ways to get energized without caffeine:
- Splash water on your face
- Talk a walk outside
- Exercise
- Breathe deeply
- Drink a big glass of water
Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:
What are some of your favorite ways to be energized while staying healthy?
Why does iced coffee always look so delicious? 😀
My favourite little tip I read was to brush your teeth with a peppermint (as opposed to spearmint, for example) flavoured toothpaste as peppermint is refreshing and energizing. Since I read that I brush my teeth before every workout and I swear it works!
I work at a 24 hour facility where shift work and overtime is a way of life. I’m currently in the middle of a 2 am – 2pm shift where I was ordered in early at 2 am. So.. Tired I am! I drink lots of water and eat tons of veggies when I’m exhausted. I find those two things curb the cravings, help keep my energy up ( as much as can be expected), and prevent the sugar spikes and crashes. If I find myself falling into the fatigue sugar woes… I’ll have some fruit or a piece of dark chocolate or a healthy home baked paleo treat.
Trisha,
Sounds tough! I’m glad you’ve found a system that works for you 😀
I stay energized by taking a walk (like you suggested)! If I’m a hungry, I’ll eat an apple.
I heard somewhere that eating an apple has the same “wake up” effect as coffee. I don’t know if it’s true . . . but I’ll take any excuse to eat a piece of my favorite fruit! 🙂
Michelle,
I have never heard that about an apple before! How interesting!
Sleep does more for us than we know! For several years now I have been exercising regularly and eating a healthy sugar-free diet, void of refined white sugar or flour and loaded with plenty of fresh low-glycemic fruit and green leafy vegetables. Yet the scale kept climbing and I am 50 pounds overweight. But my doctor just found the culprit: I have severe obstructed sleep apnea and stop breathing dozens of times during the night, which means my system is awake in the wee hours without even knowing it. She explained that due to insufficient REM and other sleep states, my circadian rhythm is off and thus the body fails to produce the 3 hormones that control appetite, fat burning and metabolism and which are normally produced at that time. She said that unless we are in deep REM during the wee hours, our appetites and metabolic systems can’t function properly. So I feel bad for folks who work overnight shifts because their systems can’t get into proper sync. The doctor says millions of people have apnea too and don’t even know it and then wonder why they can’t lose weight. At least I am on the mend and have been fitted with a dental device to correct the problem. She says I will now see the weight start to slide off. We’ll see! I hope this helps others who may have similar issues…
Alex,
What an interesting story! Good luck on your future mending, and I am glad you found the source of the problem!
drinking more water usually helps and stepping outside 😉
This is my first time finding this website, and I’m really impressed. Your thoughts for college students show you are compassionate toward the work load and time crunches, but maintain that eating a healthy diet is still important. I’ve recently come to the “sugar free” lifestyle and was amazed to see how much energy I had when I took sugar out of my meals. I started to take Zumba classes, and now when I need to get some extra energy, I turn on some music and try to do some of the Zumba moves to it. That kind of exercise is fun! It reinforces my resolve to go sugar-free or low sugar.
I definitely agree with you on how you really NEED to get enough sleep when in college. I’ve started a few classes online and I’ve found I can focus SO much easier when I get a good night’s sleep the night before. Sleep can really do wonders. 🙂