Do you often feel tired and is it getting in the way of your exercise routine?

The top 3 reasons why people find it difficult to lose weight & tone up is because they have little time for themselves, they lack energy and don’t have the motivation to do a fitness plan on their own, understandably these 3 barriers make it challenging for anyone who wants to lose weight, tone up and feel better.

Today I’ll will be talking about why a lack of energy is a common barrier for parents and what you can do to have more energy & get in shape.

An accumulation of work, raising children and general day to day tasks can leave anyone feeling tired and low in energy, a study was performed on more than 12,000 parents based on their data submitted by their time diaries.

This data has been linked to their feelings and levels of fatigue and its mums that take the biggest hit, why? There are many reasons but to name the biggest ones children naturally gravitate more towards the mother for nurturing, care & emotional support, which means mums take more part in the work than in the fun, they need be available around the clock and sleep way less than dads do especially when they are young.

Also, biologically women are the primary procreators which means the initial caregiving is needed by the mother and therefore society and traditional thinking view women responsible for the upbringing of children. My question is, what about when they grow up? Mothers still have that role and must handle many things on their own even more so if they have a job which means they have two jobs whilst being a parent, and being in the 21st century now more than ever women have jobs and are a parent at the same time like many of my clients.

So you can see with the picture I’ve painted that’s it’s harder for mothers of different age groups and stages in life to improve their wellbeing because it’s so easy to feel tired and not have the motivation to exercise alone.

When you’re tired it affects our decision-making and you’re most likely to make decisions with the least amount of resistance, usually these aren’t the best ones which will help you look and feel better.

How often have you had sleepless nights and the next day told yourself “I fancy doing a workout today” if you do then I applaud you, but for most, you just want to curl up on the sofa and dose off, which you probably don’t do because you got a million and one things to do that day. Including your workout!

When you are tired it’s difficult to make good decisions which leads to a knock-on effect on your actions, behaviors, and habits.

So here are 3 scientifically proven ways to naturally increase your energy levels.

1.Exercise, exercise almost guarantees that you will sleep more soundly, better sleep results in higher energy levels.. It also gives your cells more energy to burn and circulates oxygen and better circulation means more energy. Also exercise releases endorphins which can lead to higher brain dopamine levels which helps elevate mood. So, if you’re not exercising even when walking, pick up the pace periodically to get extra health benefits and if your are exercising try increasing the intensity and see how that works for you.

2.Eat for energy – It’s better to eat small meals and snacks every few hours than three large meals a day, this approach can reduce your perception of fatigue because your brain needs a steady supply of nutrients. But maybe you’re thinking Michael! I can’t be cooking and eating 5 or 6 meals a day, don’t worry even if the three main meals breakfast, lunch and dinner are the best for you to commit to then keep an eye on your portions to avoid feeling fatigued.

Also choosing whole and minimally processed foods will naturally have a lower GI these type of sugars are absorbed slowly this may help you avoid the lag in energy that typically occurs after eating quickly absorbed sugars or refined starches. Foods with a low glycemic index include whole grains, high-fiber vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils such as olive oil. In general, high-carbohydrate foods have the highest glycemic indexes. Proteins and fats have a GI that are close to zero.

  1. Control stress, stress-induced emotions consume huge amounts of energy. Stress can come in many forms so a good starting point is how we handle that stress, identify what is causing the most stress in your life and with the help of a therapist, support group, or family and friends by talking to the right person they can help diffuse the stress. Quite often the causes of stress in our life are not resolved quickly so by looking inward and managing ourselves better you may find it beneficial to try relaxing techniques such as yoga, meditation or having some relax time for yourself.

By trying the 3 methods above imagine how effective this could be to your eating habits, your exercise routine and ultimately the results you want to achieve. To find out more ways to increase your energy visit brigopt.com and if losing weight on your own feels like a daunting task have a look at our success stories who achieved great results with our transformation plan.