It goes without saying that food is the fuel that keeps your body running. If you are tired and run down all the time, you may not have enough fuel in your energy tank.

Not only do you need enough fuel, but you need the right kind of fuel if you want a steady supply of energy to keep you going and to ward of fatigue.

Glucose fills the Tank

Your body gets energy from a form of sugar known as glucose. Everything you eat eventually breaks down into glucose.

However, some foods provide energy faster and more efficiently than others. All foods are made of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

Some, like fruits and vegetables, are almost all carbohydrate, while others, like meat, cheese and butter have almost no carbohydrates in them. Carbohydrates break down directly into glucose, so they are the best sources of energy.

This is not to say that fats and proteins play no role in providing you with energy. It’s just that carbohydrates do this more quickly.

Still, not all carbohydrates are great choices for energy. There both simple and complex carbohydrates.

While simple carbohydrates (candy, cookies, soda and other white sugar and white flour products) provide a quick boost of energy, the spike is short-lived and you will quickly feel tired again soon after eating them.

It is complex carbohydrates – vegetables, fruits and whole grain products – that provide the steadiest and most reliable source of energy.

Eating for Energy

The best foods you can eat for energy are high in complex carbohydrates while also having a moderate amount of protein and a bit of fat.

Most fat-free foods are simple carbohydrates, and these are the foods you want to avoid.

Protein is also an important nutrient when you are eating for energy because muscles are created from protein, and muscles, of course, make you stronger.

Examples of the kinds of high energy foods that you should emphasize when eating for energy include beans, oats, most vegetables and whole grain breads and cereals. You can also combine foods to create high energy meals.

For example, try

• peanut butter on whole grain bread
• rice and beans
• hummus on whole grain bread
• steamed vegetables with tofu, fish or lean meat served with brown rice

Vitamins and Minerals to keep you Going

There are also several vitamins and minerals to focus on when eating for energy. The top energy nutrients to consider are vitamin C, B complex vitamins and iron.

Vitamin C is crucial to energy production because it is involved in the creation of carnitine, a substance that helps you burn fat for energy. That means you can use fat for energy more efficiently when your vitamin C levels are not depleted.

Vitamin C-rich foods include citrus fruits, leafy greens, bell peppers, strawberries and cantaloupe.

B complex vitamins are often called the “energy vitamins” because they all play a role in processes that create energy in the body.

The vitamins of the B complex are: B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, pantothenic acid, biotin, B12 and folate (also called folic acid). They are found in a wide variety of foods including beans and whole grains, animal products and vegetables.

Often people who suffer from chronic fatigue find that taking a B complex vitamin supplement can help boost energy levels.

Iron is important because it helps transport oxygen through the blood. Without enough oxygen, you will be exhausted. In fact, a common cause of chronic fatigue is iron deficiency anemia.

Beans and legumes, spinach and meat are good sources of iron that should be included in your daily diet if you are tired all the time.

Keeping the Energy Flowing

Another strategy when you are eating for energy is to eat every few hours. Instead of three full meals, try grazing – the practice of eating five or six mini-meals, one every few hours.

Or you can eat three moderate meals and have a small mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack in between if that works better for you.

The strategy of eating throughout the day will keep your blood sugar and your energy level steady. Even if you stick to the traditional three meals per day, never skip meals, and especially do not skip breakfast!

Many people skip meals, especially if they are trying to lose weight. This strategy will backfire in the long run because it will cause your body to go into “starvation mode” thinking that there is not enough food available. As a result, you will feel exhausted!

Is your energy being zapped from you each day? Millions of people suffer from a lack of energy for a variety of reasons.

There is no one “magic bullet” such as an energy drink or supplement that will truly fix the problem. Here are some reasons, some surprising, why you may have daily energy drain and some simple strategies on how to get more energy.

Learn To Say “No”

Are you a pleaser? Do you spend time and energy you do not have trying to make others happy? Do you often volunteer for tasks that do not directly impact your life or job?

If you answered yes to these questions it is no doubt that you have an energy deficit. It is very nice that you are so willing to help others, but it does have a toll.

If you spend most of your time trying to please others and have no time for yourself, you will find that you have an energy deficit. Instead of saying “yes” to every favor requested of you, try to say “no” every now and then.

After you say “no”, try to schedule time for yourself throughout the week. The time you spend doing something for your well being will have great benefits.

In fact, it will help refresh you so that you are more productive when you do say “yes”.

Fall Asleep Faster

The National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research suggests that U.S. companies lose $150 billion a year in productivity alone due to employee fatigue.

Quality sleep may be more important than quantity. The average American today gets an average of 6.5 hours of sleep compared to nine plus hours of those in the early 1900’s.

This correlates to the invention of technology like the internet and television which keeps people up later. Staying up later and the inability to fall asleep quickly wastes already too short sleeping time. Therefore, it is important to take steps to fall asleep faster.

The following are four of the tips the American Board of Sleep Medicine recommends for falling asleep faster in order to make the most of your rest:

1) Avoid watching television, eating, or discussing emotional issues in the bedroom. The bed should be used for sleep and intimate time only.

2) If you read a book at bedtime to relax, make sure that it is not too stimulating. Adventures, thrillers, mysteries, even non-fictional books on topics important to you will tend to keep your mind active long after you have stopped reading.

3) Try to minimize light in the bedroom. No matter how early it is, once the sun comes up you will become subconsciously aware that it is morning and be prone to wakefulness.

4) Keep your pets on the floor, not in your bed. If they often make noises during the night, move them to another room.

Get Organized To Minimize Distractions

If you come home each day to a cluttered home, especially bedroom, this can have a surprising effect on your psyche and zap your energy. Clutter makes “to-do” lists harder to accomplish.

Spending unnecessary time searching for items and having to continually relocate items just for space adds stress and contributes to a lack of energy.

Looking at the problem may give you a sense of hopelessness that you will never become organized. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, make a point to set aside time to confront the problem.

There are countless resources available to give you tips on organization and many home improvement stores have all of the equipment and guidance you may need.

It will take some of your energy at the time, but the sense of accomplishment after completing the task will reduce your stress and help you better relax.

Eat The Right Foods More Often

Are you eating often enough? Revving up your metabolism with frequent, small meals during the day will keep your energy levels higher. Large gaps of time without food makes your metabolism dip low making your body conserve energy.

This can make you feel lethargic. Nutritionists recommend having smaller meals or snacks every 2 to 3 hours.

Also make sure that those small meals are all apart of a balanced diet that meets your vitamin and mineral needs. Magnesium is one mineral that is important for energy, according to a New York University nutritional study on how to get more energy.

The study revealed that magnesium is needed for over 300 functions in the body, including converting food into energy.

If you do not have the right vitamins and minerals in your system, your energy will plummet.

If you have ever been to the Mediterranean then you know how animated and energized the people in this area are. Scientists now believe that their diet plays a big role in their energy levels and youthfulness.

This is the basis of the popular Mediterranean diet which centers on foods that are vitamin and mineral rich, but also composed of complex, quality carbohydrates.

These foods include nuts, whole grains and bran, fish, fresh vegetables, berries, and lean meats.

If You Need Additional Help

Where is your energy deficit? Take an assessment of your status and it should be easy to see. Sleep better, eat better, get organized, and take some time for yourself.

If those things fail, it may be time to step your efforts up a notch by following an expert anti-fatigue plan.

End Tiredness Program is a fantastic e-book that can help you address the simple and complex issues that may be causing your lack of energy. It is essentially a comprehensive guide showing how to get more energy.

It addresses the many different aspects of sleep, including how to get more sleep and how to get quality sleep. Furthermore, it addresses other issues related to your tiredness such as diet, exercise, substance use, and others.

It gives you detailed instructions about changes you can make that will help you eliminate your energy deficit. The End Tiredness Program is the careful and expert help you need to get more energy, stay focused, be more successful, and enjoy life more abundantly.