If you’re feeling low on energy, this will help energize your mind and body with mental fitness exercises, workout options, and nutrition tips.
Let’s take a holistic approach to get more energy as our mind and body are connected. So, a way forward that takes all into consideration is the best path.
Consider looking at small wins per category first and make sure you’re able to stay consistent before upping your goals.
Here we go:
Mental Fitness*
- Don’t indulge negative emotions like anger and frustration. They hardly ever bring us further to solving an issue effectively and keep us from moving forward, on top of wasting valuable energy. When you catch yourself being stressed, take a moment, and do a PQ Rep (short Mental Fitness exercises) like this one here to reset your mind.
- Know your triggers and set healthy boundaries for yourself. Some of those could be not to buy any sweets or unhealthy foods as not having them at home will help you cut back on eating them. Or set your phone to remind you that you’ve had too much screen time. This’ll make it easier for you to spend time more consciously doing what you actually love.
- Give yourself a pep talk! When something doesn’t quite work out, instead of berating yourself about ‘all the things I could and should have done or known better’, try the route of positive reinforcement. Give yourself a motivational pat on the shoulder. What’s the most encouraging thing you could say to yourself? Notice how your mood and energy changes once you’ve done that.
*For more on Mental Fitness and why it matters so much, please keep reading.
Workouts
- Start working out. Starting in the first place is the most important aspect. Ideally focus on a combination of strength and cardio exercises. For a quick workout idea check out this instagram post. If you haven’t been active for a while or have plateaued, then getting your first few workouts or new routines under your belt is the most important part.
- Be consistent. It’s better to have 3 shorter but consistent workouts throughout the week, than a longer, more intense workout once a week.
- Keep going. Sticking to the right workout for you will aid you in building up your energy levels.
Nutrition
- The energy-boosting foods that work for me are: proteins (like eggs, lean fish, tofu), complex carbs (like wholegrain rice and breads, apples, bananas), and unsaturated fats (like avocados, seeds, and nuts).
- Watch out for hidden calories, high contents of sugar and salt in your foods. It pays off reading the labels. Best is still home cooked and with the least amount of additives as possible.
- Drink water, water, water.
Do you know what else is important?
We need to acknowledge that change starts in our minds.
If we want to have more energy, then our minds need to be made up that that’s what we want to take action on and actually see it through.
With the initial motivation there, sustainable success – the one that isn’t a once-off – comes with mental strength.
Mental Strength means we’ll:
- keep up our determination even when things get tough and don’t sabotage our own success,
- know how to effectively overcome obstacles we’ll encounter along the way,
- Actually find happiness in the journey.
Being mentally fit and strong will help achieve your goals to start and keep up your workouts, nutrition goals, and positive mindset for an ultimately healthier and more energized life.
I’ll be running several Mental Fitness Group Coaching sessions throughout the year that are strictly limited to 5 spaces per cohort.
If you’d like to find out what’s involved and how to secure your spot, simply schedule a short 15-minute chat or send an email to [email protected]
Blog co-authored by Emilia D’Aversa & Nadine Stille
