Weight loss foods to rejuvenate you (when espresso fails to deliver)

July 20, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments

It’s only 2 P.M.

And you’re already painting eyeball art atop your actual lids – so you can nap unnoticed at your desk.

That’s right. It’s officially struck. The midday slump. So, whatd’ya do? Go for the basic solution, obvi: hit the nearest Starbucks and wait in a mile long line of what look like methadone clinic visitors in business suits, jonesin’ for their next fix of joe. And, sure it helps a little. You power through at least a third of your day’s remainder of work. But, by the time you’re off work, that workout you promised yourself… is definitely not happening. And, for a while, you told yourself, “There’s gotta be a better way…” But, then, after a while, you got too tired to question even that. All your weight loss goals’re thrown out the window as you sit at Steal-bucks’ drive through window. Why? Because reaching for caffeine to cure the workday wall became a routine. A quick fix to remedy the lethargy. But, what if I told you (*pops on Morpheus shades*) that your low energy levels weren’t random? What if I told you that they were a symptom of something in your diet that you needed to tweak – so you didn’t have to tweak out on coffee every hour?

Or donate half your paycheck to it?

It’s simple, really. Basic math.

All you gotta do is subtract some stuff… and add some stuff.

For examp, let’s start with the culprits in your kitchen that need a minus sign in front’ve ‘em. (Like all the inflammatory stuff.) Now, I’ll admit it: it’s a cruel joke. Foods with inflammatory properties often taste delish – but ultimately also Hoover your “oomph” out of you. And what’re those exactly? Well, this group’s gonna comprise your snacks that have processed sugar (including HFCS), refined starches (bye bye, white bread), artificial ingredients (in a ton of processed, boxed, and pre-packaged stuff), and – of course – trans fats (which your body can’t process properly). Yeah, it’s a bummer. A lot of the stuff on that list is in the foods that are as Pringle level addictive as they are horrible for your health and energy levels.

And, now that I’ve made you throw all’ve them out, what do I plan to replace it with? So glad you asked. ‘cause the stuff that gets a plus sign for your diet’s also delicious, albeit natural. And it’s gonna raise the roof on your moxie domicile, keeping those energy levels steady and elevated all day. Now, keep in mind that many a nutrient deficiency can be the culprit behind fatigue. That said, there are three biggies typically missing when it comes to feeling depleted: omega 3 fatty acids, iron, and folate.

Lucky for us, though, we can meet each of these needs in a next-level delectable way. For example, that first thing – the omega 3’s – are super important for fortifying our cell membranes and fighting off fatigue. And what’s lovely is that they can be achieved by the likes of seeds, leafy green, beans, squash, and broccoli. It may not sound like a lot, but within those groups, are a ton of sub-groups that allow for plenty variety.

Hate hemp? Then try chia! Hate Romaine? Go for spinach!

And that spinach can also qualify for another thing we need to keep our vibrancy high: iron.

Along with a lot’ve other scrumptious stuff:

(Wait…what? Dark choc’s high in iron? Thank God-iva. It’s about to get ferrous up in here…)

I can always tell when I’m not having enough’ve this snack category. I start dragging and my dojo mojo (AKA motivation and endurance to workout effectively) go way down. Why? Because iron’s the material that makes up our body’s army of oxygen boats (AKA red blood cells – which carry O2 all throughout us). While the seeds referenced above will also fit the fitness bill, you can even mix it up with grains like quinoa, brown rice, and oatmeal. That – or enjoy some collard greens or swiss chard with your meal. All’ve these are high in iron that helps keep you heading steady toward your weight loss, maintenance, and general fitness goals.

Then, finally, there’s folate. When we’re low on the stuff, fatigue sets in.

(Anyone else notice that – deficiency fixing aside – these foods are also fabulous fuel for your weight loss engine?)

That’s when our sweet mood gets supplanted by salty shade toward everything – including our own fitness.

And, indeed, this dovetails with studies observing deficiencies in folate. In them, a lack of folate correlates pretty consistently with bad moods and low energy levels alike. So, where do you get it? At the risk of sounding like your author’s sponsored by Popeye, yet again, it’s spin for the win. Spinach, which we just learned is high in iron and omega 3, also harbors folate. But, in case the taste is something you hate enough to overlook all those fantastic facets this leafy green’s got, there are other options. And, much like the other two energizing categories of food above, there’s some overlap. For example, the same beans and broccoli that help you on the omega front, also have folate. And that’s awesome, because it means that (unlike that cup’ve ‘bucks you were about to buy) you don’t have to break the bank to stay awake and get in that workout.

Thus, if your zest levels are low, don’t just reach for more joe.

Subtract the inflammatory culprits, and add the aforementioned trifecta to put a pep in your step instead!