Not all VAMPIRES vanish with Halloween.
Tue, Nov 27, 2012
I love me some Renee Ross.**
Ahhh people.
It seems we all be TIRED TIRED this time of year.
We’re coming off the Thanksgiving-high. Gearing up for more holidays-to-come. And the lament I most frequently hear is how *exhausted* we all feel.
A National Sleep Foundation survey found over 63% percent of Americans aren’t getting the slumber they need and are leading groggy, tired lives.
While I can’t help you find that elusive extra hour of slumber, I do have a few ideas how we can fight the energy-vampires around us and win.
There are weights which need hoisting.
I have trashy television to watch.
I can’t afford to be drained of energy.
As a result, Im committing to the five healthy habits below in an effort to beat back the vampires and AMP UP MY ENERGY thru 2013.
Join me?
- Make your coven eat breakfast! We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Studies reveal many of us still don’t put this theory into practice. Research also indicates breakfast does more than spark our metabolism—it’s *also* linked with lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Stress is definitely an energy vampire (and heart attack trigger)! Make it fast. Make it simple. Make breakfast part of your morning routine & set your day up for energy-success.
- Hydrate (insert awkward NOT with blood joke, here) It’s easy to forget about hydration when the weather grows cool, however, the majority of our blood is made up of water and becoming dehydrated causes blood to thicken. The result is the heart works harder to pump blood through the body we feel fatigued. There’s continuous debate as to HOW MUCH water we need daily. I tend to go with the fact *most of us* need more than we’re getting. Misfit tip: If you dont rock the water try adding in water-containing foods too such as yogurt, watermelon, oranges, cucumbers and broccoli.
- Cut back on (afternoon) caffeine While it may
cause you to weep openlyfeel counter-intuitive to *skip* the afternoon pick-me-up theres science behind my suggestion. An afternoon latte provides energy for a few hours. The vampire, however, arrives at night. Caffeine remains in the body for three to five hours after ingesting and, if you’re sensitive, for up to twelve. Even if you don’t experience difficulty falling asleep the quality of your rest can beVampiredimpacted by late day caffeine. MizFit tip: Almost all decaffeinated coffee contains a measure of caffeine. Perhaps make this the holiday season you swap even decaf. for a hydrating glass of sparking water with lime?
- BREATHE!!! Ive noticed lately —as I pack and as I work at my desk—I take tiny, shallow baby breaths. My lungs dont fully inflate (which causes me to yawn & only feel worse) so my poor overworked cranium never gets the oxygen it needs to feel awake and alive. In an effort to keep away the energy snatchers with The Dark Gift Ive begun setting reminders to BREATHE. Once an hour I pause & take ten slow, deep, FULL breaths. My breathing breaks are fast—but the impact on my energy level is lingering. Try it. I was a skeptic, too.
- Drive a STAKE through sugar (just in case youre NOT YET on my low processed no sugar bandwagon) Sugar, and I speak from experience, is one of the biggest energy vampires in town. If you’re not ready to surrender the sweets perhaps include fiber with your sugary snacks. It sounds odd but fiber slows the rate of sugar’s entry into the bloodstream. Something as simple as whole grain crackers with your chocolate can mitigate the energy dip & is like SILVER to energy-vampires. Really feeling like a misfit? ROLL THAT FUN SIZED SNICKERS IN SOME CHIA. It’s far tastier than it sounds…
What do you say?
Are you in to EAT (breakfast) DRINK (lottsa H20) BREATHE and be LOW-SUGAR merry with me?
Have you already succeeded in beating away the blood energy suckers & forcing em into the Veil of the Shadows?
Am I the last person on earth who has neither read nor watched a vampire-ANYTHING in her life?
Many thanks to Renee for letting me borrow her Halloween picture. Click her fangs to check out her site.
Tags: energy drains, health habits to increase energy, Ive never read or seen Twilight
LOL at drive a stake through sugar.
I need to do that.
You’ve never seen a Twilight movie?!
I would add to your list stretching.
I know when I get the afternoon slumps it helps energize me.
I’m in. I’m so in. I’m having sleep/stress issues right now and desperately need all the help I can get. My biggest problem is not drinking enough water. I also over-carb because my body wants the quick burst of energy…but I crash all too easily.
It’s automatic, it seems, that when we have too much to do the first thing we sacrifice is self-care. That’s so wrong…it makes it SO much harder to perform at our best.
I’m making a conscious effort to give myself a little extra care for the next couple of months. I know it’ll make all the difference.
Breathe. YES! Stress=shallow breaths. I like to take a couple minutes every hour just to stop and breathe. Relaxes me and brings me back.
Yes…you are the last person on earth who hasn’t seen a vampire movie…ha! (and I think you will survive!)
Some days I just NEED my SUGAR…(like a vampire needs his blood I guess…ha)
although I do believe it has to do with the monthly womanly hormonal thing. Lucky me.
AMEN ON THE SUGAR CRAVINGS (yes ma’am Im shouting
) thats totally why I launched my less processed.
I think it was Dr Barry Sears who first taught me back in the day (90s?) how adding fiber really really mitigates the sugar spikes too.
it works.
not that Id know
Afternoon coffee is my troublemaker, hands down. Ill nix it for you. Maybe. Hopefully. Next year?
I’m def driving a stake through sugar though!!!!
I was kinda surprised the impact it has on our QUALITY of sleep. Caffeine doesnt ‘wind me up” so I thought I be impervious
I had been doing really well with the no sugar / no processed along with you before Thanksgiving. Then I fell into a pecan pie face first and washed it down with Chardonnay.
My bad.
Re-committing to no sugar until Christmas Eve now.
“Not with blood…”
LOL
I need to incorporate all of these tips. Although I may look like a vamp I am not one.
Last night I went to bed early and feel so much better! I’m going to keep it up and end my sugar fetish! Great tips!
I think you missed one: MOVE!
I find that a body at rest stays at rest… and that during the holidays with all the driving and visiting, it’s easy to NOT challenge your body and stay energized. I know in your case that you’re getting plenty of activity, in addition to your regular workouts all that packing and lifting has to be keeping you going… as well as all the adrenalin from the very THOUGHT of moving. But for many of us, this is the season of slacking, and we need to be reminded that it’s not just what we put INTO our body, but what we do with it after we’re done feeding (er… eating) that counts as well.
Sleep is my friend. It’s always a priority for me. When you said energy vampires I was thinking those certain people that have that effect.
I’ve gotten good at getting those out of my life.
LOL Kerri…and not
you and Kate point out two things Ive missed!
SLAYING the toxic peeps from your life and MOVVVVVING.
I’m good with breakfast, rarely have afternoon coffee, and am pretty moderate with my sweets. Water and breathing — which seem so basic — are where I fall short!
I feel like I’ve been struggling with sleep for the better part of the year. I know that it’s largely my own fault – staying up way too late because I’m either wasting time (dumb Internet) or because I wasn’t productive during the day so I try to cram in work. That’s definitely my #1 obstacle. I could also do better about the afternoon coffee and the sugar sugar sugar. Go away energy vampires!!
Yes, i breakfast. Yes, i drink about a gallon of water a day (ever since age 19). Yes, i only have one cup of coffee per day, and it’s in the morning. No, i don’t stop and take deep breaths enough, so i will do that. Yes, i got all processed food out of my diet a few years ago.
My tired is from the cumulative effect of minor heart and lung conditions that work together to sap energy sometimes, as well as low thyroid function. So i will see what the breathing can do to help, thanks for the reminder that even if i do a lot, there’s more i can still incorporate into my arsenal.
I love the tip about adding fiber if you’re going to indulge in a treat. Great idea!
I am one of the never read or seen any of the vampire stuff! I thought I was the only one!
I am doing your stuff & just before I read this I Insatgrammed a pic of breakfast one PLUS I have already had tons of water… AND although I am not on the 30 day thing, I really don’t eat hardly any processed food anyway & low sugar except for my cookie treats! 
I also have my water later in the day…
Trying he BREATHE too! I loved your post from Life Supplemental & I think I need to try that!
Great reminders – I didn’t know that being dehydrated causes the blood to thicken. And on THAT note, I’m not a vampire reader/watcher either…
I’m in!! I do the breakfast thing, the one cup of coffee thing, the hydration thing. The sugar thing…uh…I need to consult with counsel before answering that one….
Love the vampires!!!
I’m behind the curve (happily) on the vampire trend, too, although I used to watch Dark Shadows in my time-wasting youth. Does that count?
What a fun post, Miz.
I am a twilight ADDICT, but not a water addict
Great tips. I am already on board with all of them but the breathing part, which is something I have never given any thought. Now I will!
You’d be proud at my H20 intake…something I’ve been working at recently!
cut back on caffeine? why don’t you just take my firstborn. LOL
Why must it be so much harder to drink water in the winter?! Herbal tea to the rescue
Hydration and cutting caffeine is super important! .. I’m not a twilight fan but I support my friends who are addicts
EW. Our blood thickens!?
I like this. I’ve tried to do most of those in life and it really does helps you deal with life! Having just had a super early bedtime last night to combat the tiredness of life, I can relate. Sometimes, sleep is just the thing. Especially in the winter when it’s cold and gets dark so much earlier. The other things will still be there when you wake up!
YES YES YES it IS that final sentence in your comment, too.
I love the theme you did throughout the post about vamps. I read a long time ago about energy vampires and how they can drain us of all energy and while this isn’t really what you talk about here, I just wanted to legitimize and say that those people REALLY do exist and it’s crazy!
These are some great tips and I definitely do agree with all! Breakfast is ALWAYS a must for me, no matter what – even if it’s just something small. It’s the best change I’ve made in the recent years and it has paid off very well.
I’m going to start trying the hourly deep breathing – great idea!!!
I’m totally over the whole vampire craze – 0 books, 0 movies and 0 plans to change those stats!!!
I’ve been suffering from insomnia for about a week. It sucks! It makes me so run down and grumpy. I’m exercising, drinking water, trying to stay healthy…it’s hard!
Hydration. Ahhh…..I usually drink a gallon a day – but lately it seems like I can’t get enough water. I’m drinking more and more. I’m going to float away soon.
& I need to STOP my afterschool coffees. I’ve been up too late at night.
Yes, yes, yes, yes and YES!
Working on ALL of them!
And I would add cutting back evening use of electronic gadgets.
Email/FB/Twitter all a-pinging make me feel frazzled with their constant ‘answer me now’ calls! And of course, the screens can interfere with sleep when looked at too close to bedtime…
P.S. I ADORE all things vampire. Go ahead, stake me for it!
Love you and Renee!!! And that is some flipping great advice!!! <3
Working on them all! LOVE the photo, and love the vampire analogy. have a great Tuesday Miz C.
I needed that.
Grabbing a cup of tea and some food and back the computer!
I’m on board…with all, except afternoon coffee. This zombie-mom (why does child #1 decide to revert to poor sleep habits just as the new baby starts to sleep better!??!) needs her afternoon pick-me-up. But yes to the others. HAHA =)
Love the list. And the picture!!
I love this. I needed this. I’m Stress-o-rama at work right now … and I’ve forgotten about the fact that holiday preparations need to happen, so THAT’S a mental breakdown waiting to start
Thanks for the tips girl!
Yes I’m in! Definitely. I think I’m doing alright with the eating, drinking, and low-sugar bits, but breathing (which you think would come the most naturally!) is something I could definitely work on.
I think my biggest energy vampire would be red wine…. BE GONE!
I actually set an alarm on my phone to remind me when to start winding down for bed. With 4am wake up calls, I NEED to be in bed no later than 8:30. It gets ugly when I am sleep deprived! I’ve had to learn to make sleep a priority. Life will go on & the world will not end just because I go to bed early!
Excellent suggestions, and I just did some deep breathing which I totally would have forgotten about (again!) were it not for this post!
Moving is stressful, ain’t no way around that, but glad that your grappling with it in a healthy positive way! I tend to panic and lash out at inanimate objects. Not so productive.
sugar has always been my biggest vampire. I go through phases that are better than others, but something hasn’t clicked mentally to totally get me to stop…need to find that key
Breathe has been my new one word mantra for awhile now. I even got an Erica Sara breathe necklace!!
Does that mean you want have some coffee and cookies with me when you are in town? I love a latte and some form of pastry. Can I get a pass?
I’m pretty good at following some of your points Miz. I have breakfast every day and I drink lots of water. I also try not to drink diet coke after lunchtime. I sleep badly anyway, so the last thing I need is some other stimulant.
I’m not so good on the no-sugar thing though.
I am on my third day of no junk food, so guess that’s a start!
Deb
Very nice tips! I always eat breakfast and taking deep breaths throughout the day is essential to not going bizzzzerk!
i’m with YOU miz!!
Sugar kicked my butt tonight. Feel like I am back at square zero with my sugar intake. Was doing so well preholidays, then BOOM! Must get on track with you.
I real pleased to discover this web site on bing, just what I was looking for : D too saved to bookmarks .