Our bodies are highly efficient machines. They’ll give us everything we need – if we treat them well and offer quality fuel. The best types of fuel for your body (especially for exercise) are complex carbohydrates.
This is as opposed to simple or refined carbohydrates, which lack necessary fiber. You’ll blow through the energy from these quickly and will inevitably crash! Think of food like you would any fuel: some burn more efficiently than others. Paper is flimsy and will flame out in an instant, while a solid log will keep the fire roaring for hours. You want to provide your body with a quality fuel source!
So, what are the best foods you can have in your diet for increased energy and focus? Here are the nutritional tips you need to know!
6 Diet Hacks to Have Energy & Focus All Day
Hack #1 – Hide healthy additives in daily meals.
If you want a little extra energy and focus in your day but don’t want to dramatically change your dietary habits, hide healthy additions in everyday meals. Add a scoop of matcha powder to your next smoothie with a handful of spinach or kale. Include mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, and other vegetables in a pasta sauce.
This is also a great way to boost fruit and vegetable consumption for picky kids and adults.
Hack #2 – Replace pantry staples with better alternatives.
You set yourself up for success or failure in the grocery store aisles. You won’t eat what you don’t buy – so don’t buy the things that will sap your energy and expand your waistline. Swap out your pantry staples for alternatives. Instead of potato chips, try apple chips, freeze-dried fruit, or healthy nuts. When buying bread, rice, or pasta, stick to whole grain/wheat varieties.
Instead of soft drinks, buy sparkling water. There are so many excellent substitutions you can make! While it may not taste to same or give you the same temporary satisfaction that junk food might, your body will thank you in the long run.
Hack #3 – Eat your breakfast.
As you already know, breakfast comes from the idea of “breaking the fast.” After a long night of sleep, your body needs food and water to fully wake up and engage the metabolism. A healthy breakfast is how you do it! Even if you’re just grabbing a (healthy) breakfast bar, some instant oatmeal, or scrambling an egg, take the time to eat breakfast.
Hack #4 – Drink water first.
Many of us are chronically dehydrated and we don’t even realize it. How much water you actually need to drink varies from person to person, but here’s the rule of thumb: if you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Your urine should also be clear or a very light yellow. If it’s darker, you need to drink more water. An easy way to ensure that you’re getting enough fluids is to follow a simple rule: water first. No matter what you’re about to eat or drink, have a glass of water beforehand.
Drinking more water can help curb the appetite, too, keeping you feeling satiated and less inclined to reach for empty calories throughout the day. If water alone is too “boring” for you, try sparkling water or brew yourself some tea.
Hack #5 – Prioritize gut health.
Science increasingly demonstrates that gut health isn’t just about digestion. It impacts everything from your bowels to your brain, including energy levels! Make sure you’re a regular consumer of prebiotics and probiotics. Look for yogurts with live cultures, chow down on your favorite fermented foods, and drink some kombucha.
Hack #6 – Think beyond three square meals.
All across the nutrition and diet sphere, different eating habits emerge beyond the classic breakfast-lunch-dinner model. For many people, this structure doesn’t work. They may need to try something like intermittent fasting to optimize dieting results. But that’s not really what I’m talking about! When we’re wanting to optimize energy and focus, we can’t expect to operate at break performance when we’re running low on fuel.
Try eating several smaller meals throughout the day so that your energy levels are more consistent.
What are your favorite meals for energy and focus? Share in the comments!