Managing Your Mood w/Food

[Guest guest]

Eating for Energy: Tips for Managing Your Mood with Food

by Susie Michelle Cortright

author, More Energy for Moms

 

Here's a meal-by-meal guide to eating for energy and managing your

mood with food.

 

Breakfast

 

Eating a good breakfast boosts your concentration and revs your

energy, particularly in the morning when you may need it most. Without

breakfast, you're more likely to make that second pot of coffee by

mid-morning.

 

Instead, keep your blood sugar on an even keel with complex

carbohydrates. Avoid refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and

white sugar. These have a high glycemic index, which can cause spikes

and dips in your blood sugar levels.

 

The right complex carbohydrates provide your brain and muscles with

the steady flow of the energy they need. Grains are great sources of B

vitamins, which aid in the metabolic production of energy. The best

carb choices for breakfast are natural whole-grain breads and cereals.

 

For the best breakfast, add a low-fat protein, such as yogurt, cottage

cheese, or skim milk, and watch your fat intake as well as your meat

consumption (meat takes more energy to digest).

 

Mid-morning snack

 

Turns out, snacking may not be such a bad idea. Eating every few hours

helps your body use nutrients more efficiently. It stimulates your

metabolism, keeps your blood sugar levels steady, reduces stress on

your digestive system, and decreases hunger, which means you'll be

less likely to overeat when mealtime finally rolls around.

 

If you're craving carbs, which many of us do at this time of day,

choose whole-grain bread, cereal, or fruit.

 

Fruits and vegetables deliver a low-fat, high-fiber alternative to the

vending machine choices. Raw carrots and sugar snap peas, for example,

provide a crisp, satisfying crunch and won't zap your energy.

Challenge yourself to eat at least five servings of fruits and

vegetables each day.

 

For maximum energy throughout the day, avoid foods that are laden with

simple sugars, such as cookies, pastries, candy bars, and sodas, which

can bring on erratic blood sugar levels.

 

Instead, try some lean protein (low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese or lean

meat) to help tide you over until lunch.

 

Lunch

 

At midday, go light. Because a hefty helping of carbohydrates can

increase the amount of seratonin in the brain and cause that sleepy

feeling, focus on low-fat protein.

 

Protein can actually raise energy levels by increasing brain chemicals

called catecholamines. Eat a lunch of low-fat cheese, fish, lean meat,

poultry, or tofu.

 

Mid-afternoon snack

 

Choose something that will keep you satisfied until dinner. A little

bit of fat is fine. It gives those carbohydrates and proteins some

staying power. My favorite? All-natural peanut butter and a few

crackers.

 

Before your work-out

 

Carbohydrates are fastest to digest and pack quick energy. Add protein

for staying power, but stay away from fats. They can make you cramp.

 

Dinner

 

The agenda for the evening can dictate what you'll eat for dinner.

Need to stay on overdrive for back-to-school night? Choose low-fat

proteins. If you're in relax mode, indulge a little.

 

Whatever's on the menu, remember the Pie Test. Envision your plate as

a pie. Seventy-five percent of the pie should be filled with fruits,

vegetables, and grains and 25 percent with other foods, such as diary

products and meat.

 

Before bed

 

Before turning in, a carbohydrate-rich snack can supply seratonin to

help you fall asleep. But go easy. Too much food can reduce the

quality of your sleep.

 

Eating for energy is one of the most effective, powerful, and

fast-acting mood-boosters. Try it today and see!

 

Copyright 2003 Susie Cortright

 

This article is excerpted from More Energy for Moms, by Susie

Cortright. Susie is the author of several books for women and founder

of the award-winning Momscape.com, a website designed to help busy

women find balance. Visit http://www.momscape.com

(http://www.momscape.com) today and get Susie's

*f'r'e'e* course-by-email " 6 Days to Less Stress. "

 

***********************************************************************