Crush Afternoon Craftings!
How do you typically feel around 2:30-4:00 pm every day?! Are you how I used to be? Falling asleep at your desk. Crawling into bed for a quick nap. Crrrraaaaving that extra coffee or dose of something sweet just to keep your eyes open? Wondering how the hell you are going to make it through the rest of the day? Ugh. I feel you! I used to be there too. And it was miserable! The struggle is real and it’s something most of my clients experience too. How did we all come to believe this was just a natural part of getting older and juggling a busy life? “Oh it’s because I have kids.” “Oh, it’s because I have a stressful job.” “Oh, it’s just something I have to live with.” NO!
I am here to tell you that this hard core energy crash that halts ALL productivity, makes you feel crazy irritable, and causes you to engage in unhealthy habits you wish you could quit is NOT normal AND is 100% preventable! Did you know that energy crashes, sugar cravings, hangry-ness, and weight you can’t lose are all signs of hormone and/or blood sugar instabilities in your body, aka your blood sugar is stuck in a loop of constantly rising high then falling back down. The key is making your blood sugar more flatline and stable by not doing things to cause those high spikes to begin with! That might sound confusing, but all you need to know is that with just some simple tweaks, you can regain balance and banish these nasty symptoms for good.
You CAN live every day with abundant energy that doesn’t disappear on you when you need it most….aka RIGHT when the kids are getting out of school, RIGHT when you still have an afternoon of meetings to attend, RIGHT when you are supposed to be revving up for the whole second half of your day!
- Restful Sleep. How many of us go to bed but don’t actually sleep? Maybe you have trouble falling asleep or are one of those people that wakes up several times throughout the night. Or you fall asleep but still feel exhausted when you wake up, like you didn’t sleep at all! When you don’t sleep enough or don’t sleep well, this is one of the things that causes your blood sugar to start soaring. And you know what that means! Eventually it will come plummeting down, leaving you shaky, hangry, and grasping for the nearest bagel and caramel latte ASAP! Do me a favor. The next time you wake up and feel extra ravenous, ask yourself: “how did I sleep last night?” Chances are you will realize you had an exceptionally bad night which is contributing to your hunger and other symptoms. And these symptoms don’t just occur the morning after a bad night’s sleep. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for your body to recover so your blood sugar will likely be elevated all day. Believe it or not, in order to get through your afternoon, you need to prioritize restful sleep the night before. This requires two things: 1. Practice good sleep hygiene. Make sure you sleep in a cool environment (cold even!) and turn off all electronics or wear blue-blocking glasses at least 1 hour before bed. 2. Set a sleep routine for yourself. Research shows it is best for your body to get to bed between 9pm-11pm at night and get at least 7-9 hours of sleep. So work backward from the time you need to wake up in the morning! At least 1 hour before bed, start a wind-down routine for yourself. This could look like dimming the lights, reading, journaling, or another quiet activity to signal to your brain it is time to power down. Be consistent with these two things and I PROMISE you your sleep will improve! And so will your afternoon slump!
- Break your fast with protein! You may be balking at me right now saying “what fast?!” – the one you did overnight of course! This is where the word “breakfast” comes from, after all. And it is why this meal is the most important of the day – because it sets the tone for your metabolism, cravings, and energy for the rest of the day. Therefore, it is absolutely essential to make this meal metabolically supportive. This means high protein and low carb/no sugar. I suggest things like leftover dinner, eggs or chicken sausage with veggies, Greek yogurt or other yogurt mixed with protein powder and topped with berries and seeds or nuts, a smoothie with protein powder, veggies and healthy fats – basically anything with at least 20-30 grams of protein and fiber. If you have sugar for breakfast (think toast, bagel, cereal, oatmeal, etc.), you will jump on that blood sugar rollercoaster and come 2-4pm you will absolutely hit a wall. So revamp your breakfast and I PROMISE your afternoon self will be thanking you!
- Manage stress. What does this even mean this day and age?! Kids, work, finances, taking care of a home, relationships, scheduling logistics, the list of responsibilities and stresses goes on and on and on. I get it! I’m there too. It’s a lot to juggle and it can feel exceptionally overwhelming. Unfortunately, when we are stressed, our blood sugar is going to be chronically elevated, once again setting us up for those super highs and lows that leave us feeling misssserable come 2:00, 3:00pm. I won’t sit here and tell you to fix it all or that stress isn’t real. But what I will say is that one thing that can really help is to make sure to do SOMETHING/ANYTHING for yourself first thing in the morning. Get some direct sunlight on your face for 10 minutes; do something to move your body or schedule a workout or walk for later in the day; journal or meditate; hell, lie in bed for 5 minutes after you wake up just thinking of things you are grateful for; make yourself a healthy lunch or at least set a plan and intention for what healthy meal you will eat for lunch or dinner that day; make your bed. ANYTHING! Doing something for yourself first thing in the morning like this sets the tone for the whole day. It sends a signal to your brain that “I am important. I am a priority. And I deserve to be more than an after-thought today.” I talk to way too many clients who put themselves last in their own life. They will get up early to make their kids a healthy lunch but won’t do it for themselves. They might get up early to let the dog out, but not to get sunlight or movement themselves. You matter and you are important. And if you want to get through the afternoon with ease and energy, creating this morning ritual for yourself is a no–brainer!
So there ya go! Clearly there are plennnnty more tips and ways to truly manage blood sugar and start creating a healthier lifestyle, but these are a damn good place to start. If you try them, let me know how it goes! And if you are interested in personalized health coaching to do a deeper dive, you know where I live. I can’t wait to see you all out in the world at 3pm crushing your days and living your best lives! It’s there waiting for you. All you have to do is set the goal and be intentional with your actions. It’s all within you!
Ready to Take Action?
Are you sick of waking up feeling exhausted, overweight, and uncomfortable in your own body? It’s time to realize YOU are the greatest factor when it comes to your health, how you feel, and how you look. Say goodbye to yo-yo dieting, food guilt, and confusion over what to eat FOR GOOD. Life is complicated…but your health doesn’t need to be. Take charge of your health journey today!