More energy without oatmeal

The world might be coming to an end.  The biggest abomination of my life summer has occurred; the thing I’ve always dreaded has happened.

For breakfast, I went for a typical bowl of oats before hitting the gym.  I had a few bites and then bam, I couldn’t swallow the oatmeal anymore.  I’m. Sick. Of. Oatmeal.  As you know, I hate wasting food, but I couldn’t force myself to eat something I wasn’t feeling.

I poured myself a bowl of Kashi and Cinnamon Chex and my throat opened back up again.  My crazy brain isn’t totally okay with subbing sugar-infested cereal for healthy oatmeal.  But I’ve learned that giving into a craving is much healthier than forcing something down you don’t want.  So my brain will just have to accept that.  So long for now, oatmeal. 😦

School is just around the corner, which means time management and extra coffee-two things I let go of this summer.  Saying I’m nervous about this semester would be an understatement, but I’ll be devoting a whole post to that topic later next week.

Monster, 5-hour energy, all-nighters just ain’t my thang.  I’m always looking for ways to “boost energy” besides getting an adequate amount of sleep, so this article I stumbled across was really helpful!  Healthy and easy ways to gain more energy?  What do I have to lose?

1.  Look to the light.

If only that was what I woke up to every morning.  Supposedly, spending two minutes every morning looking at natural light shuts down the production of melatonin in your brain, which causes us to feel tired.  For those of us that wake up welllll before the sun is out, I’m sure this little trick works at any point in the day.  God gave us light for a reason, so use it!

2.  Eat a banana.  

Done and done.  “Experts credit this fruit’s hefty amount of potassium–a mineral that stimulates muscles, nerves and brain cells to function at their peak.”  Not only do they boost energy in the morning, but they’re the perfect pre-workout fuel, post-workout fuel, or bedtime snack for a restful night of sleep.

3.  Stretch.

If you can, sun salutations will give you energy and a new mindset like no other.  If you’re not a yogi or feel awkward doing this in public-which I totally understand-the study suggests doing a few neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, and stretching out your back by doing toe-touches.  At any time of the day, stretching invigorates your muscles and gets that O2 flowing like it should be.

4.  Mint gum.

The act of chewing and mint flavor stimulates the trigeminal nerve, which wakes up the brain.  Back in highschool, our school handed out peppermints during state standardized tests because it “makes you think smarter.”  Even if it doesn’t make you smarter, it still tastes pretty darn good.

5.  Laugh.

Whether it’s talking to a friend or watching a TV show that’s guaranteed to make you giggle, laughing cuts fatigue and makes you feel alive.  Laughing is definitely something I missed when I was at my lowest point in the ed days, and it does make a huge difference in how you live your life and feel about yourself.

6.  Brush your hair.

Is it gross that I never brush my hair?  I promise it’s not a tangled, gnarly mess.  I just never have the need to!  But according to the study, it stimulates the nerve endings on your scalp, which reduces stress and helps you sleep better for a more energetic day tomorrow.  It feels even better if you get someone else to do it for you 😉

**********

What’s something you do to feel energized?  
Yoga: YAY or nay?