Tired of being tired?

We've all had those days and all you can say is, "I'm just tired."
It can be exhausting (pun intended) saying that.

Gone are the days as kid where you just pop up in the morning, are ready to play all day, then sack out for a good eight hours and do it again the next day... BEHOLD! Those days don't have to be gone forever.

A few things can really mess with your energy and sleep. My personal experience and through discussions with others, diet and irregular sleep schedules affect how tired I may or may not be for one or more days following my poor food choice or extra late night.

1. Diet: I don't see this as a fad, all the different diets that are out there. The word "Diet" has a bad wrap. It really is just a certain way you choose to eat. "My diet consists of, blah blah blah." However that feeling you might get after you eat a big bowl of pasta and you just want to nap; yeah, that pasta DID make you sleepy. There are certain foods that will energize you. Change up your eating habits, you don't have to go cold turkey and cut out grains, do what works best for you.  
2. Irregular sleeping schedules: How often do you go to bed and wake up at the same time despite the fact that it's a Friday night? If you often switch up your bed and wake times, you'll be in for a tired week. Avoid caffeine at least six hours before bed, it's tempting you, but don't look at your iPhone, tablet or whatever Smart-object you have, the lighting messes with your brain (the light suppresses sleep-inducing hormone). 

If you're curious of your sleeping pattern, I enjoy the app, Sleep Time, it determines when you're awake and sleeping the deepest and more. It'll wake you up at just the right time so you feel rested during the day. 

Available in the App Store. "Sleep Time"
CC: screenshot

Outside is the key

Why is outside the key to working motivation and loosing weight?

Well, being outside is easy! Step outside your door and there you are, see, easy right?
Anyway, you might push yourself more when you're outside. You'll want to workout. I was reading in my SELF magazine, the April issue, and you're 23 percent more likely to repeat a workout session if it's outside.

Sometimes the view along the way will keep you pumped.

I think working out outside can be more fun! Sometimes a change of scenery can inspire you to workout even more, or work harder than you would running on a treadmill or lifting weights.

Take a break and use your body weight. Your body is the best tool you've been given, take advantage of it. Go for a hike and work your quads and calves. Grab your kettle bell and go out to the lawn or a park somewhere to do some swings.

Being outside will wake you up and give you more energy! If it's a hot day, don't forget to hydrate and pack some snacks with you.

Try it! Give yourself an outside work session, you'll feel refreshed and ready to continue your day.

CUT BACK

So, how many of you may think about dipping those carrots, or celery sticks into some yummy ranch or blue cheese dressing? A nice way to dress up those bland orange sticks huh?

Well, I know that sometimes I do get tired of eating plain tasting carrots and like a dip every now and then. Those vegetables are good right, add that into your daily servings of veggies. But keep in mind that if you dip and eat, you're getting a heap of fat, salt and the terrifying -- calories.

Certain foods you eat make you crave those sugars, fats and salts. Of course the more sugar you consume, the more addicted you will get, and it'll be harder to say no when making a menu selection.

Relief is here, it's possible to stop those crazy menu decisions. You just need to know what you're looking for.

Dopamine is triggered in your brain when eating foods high in fat, sugar and salts, according to Prevention.com 

1.) Ask what some of the ingredients are
2.) if you see sugar substitutes, don't get excited, it's just as bad as regular sugar, if not worse.
3.) If you're grocery shopping, read the nutrition labels. It'll help put your mind in perspective after you see what makes up the food you wanted to put in your body later.

Give it a try, start to detox your body of those chemicals and bad things in it. Decrease your sugar intake and you'll feel more energetic.