Introducing Five Simple Habits making it easier to have 10/10 Energy all day and every day
Is this you?
I have a busy life.
I’m rushing from business meetings to school pick-ups.
I have tons of appointments and social activities.
I find it hard to make sure I’m eating properly.
I have some simple strategies to help you…….
Over my next few articles I’d like to share FIVE SIMPLE HABITS – foundational to having HIGH-FLYING ENERGY:
- Eating regularly – every 4-5 hours (3 meals and 2 snacks (if required per day))
- Powering energy with protein
- Plate balance at every meal
- Being hydrated
- Introducing easy movement and activity every day
These FIVE SIMPLE HABITS are all based on LOW GL eating which is a popular method of eating, to help balance blood sugar levels and promote energy, weight loss and hormonal balance.
The great thing about LOW GL eating is it’s all about applying simple principles and habits wherever you are living, working or socialising.
Basically you choose LOW GL carbohydrate foods, apply PLATE BALANCE at each meal/snack and eat at the timed intervals.
- ¼ plate protein
- ¼ plate LOW GL carbohydrate
- ½ plate vegetables (non root) and salads
- GL stands for Glycaemic Load. This follows on from the GI diet of a few years ago. GI stands for Glycaemic Index, which is a way of ranking foods; those with a high GI rating are high in glucose.
- The Low GL method is more practical and useful. When you consider GL (glycaemic load), you look at the amount of glucose in a portion of food. It is more important to know what’s in one portion of food rather than where something is ranked on an index, a tool which is less practical.
- Balancing blood sugar involves delivering the right amount of glucose for immediate energy requirements and avoiding the “carbohydrate rollercoaster” which is all too easy to find yourself on.
- It is also important to ensure wherever possible that you’re eating fresh, non-processed food. If you do choose a ready meal, check the labels and pick the one with the lowest sugar or glucose.
- It’s recommended that you eat three meals and (if required) two snacks every day. When you are in a position of blood sugar balance often snacks are not required. There are ways in which you may consider the number of GL units in carbohydrate foods whilst you’re learning about low GL.
(remember ¼ plate only)
Wholegrain varieties of bread, rice, pasta
Non-root vegetables and salads
Low sugar fruits e.g. berries
White bread, rice, pasta
Root vegetables e.g. potatoes, carrots, beetroot
Tropical fruits e.g. bananas, pineapple, mango, grapes
Cakes, Biscuits
Alcohol
Anything sugary e.g. sweets or fizzy drinks
TIP: If you are choosing from the higher GL group eat a smaller portion.
It’s not like the High Street Slimming Clubs where you may “save up” and have a “blow out” at the end of a day or week. With LOW GL, I explain to clients it’s a “use it or lose it” situation. The aim is always to be “balancing” at the very next meal.
When you eat any carbohydrate (LOW GL or otherwise), it’s digested and broken down into glucose. Glucose is then absorbed into the bloodstream and taken up by the body’s cells and converted into energy.
Glucose is the body’s preferred source of energy, because it is quick to digest and use up quickly. Protein and fat are also fuel sources that the body can use for energy, but it takes the body longer to process them.
Sometimes, though, we eat more carbohydrate and produce more glucose than we actually need – when this happens the body will store this extra glucose in the liver (this is called glycogen). If the body hasn’t immediately made use of an energy source from a meal, it will tap into the glycogen stores, releasing it as energy.
When the liver has an excess of glycogen, the energy is stored in fat cells. The key, then, is to ensure that you eat just enough carbohydrate for your immediate use, preventing any extra from being stored as fat.
If you have an overload of glucose, created by the consumption of a lot of carbohydrate, the body needs to move this out of the bloodstream and into the cells for storage. The hormone insulin is released, which is responsible for transporting glucose out of the blood stream.
Too much glucose in the blood stream may lead to a higher amount of insulin release. Sometimes insulin may overcompensate and take more glucose out of the bloodstream than it needs to. This may lead to you feeling a bit low and tired, so you eat more carbohydrate, which causes a high followed by another low. This cycle can repeat throughout the day.
KEY POINTS:
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- Consider how much carbohydrate you take in, because it’s best to keep your energy levels even and prevent an insulin rollercoaster (1/4 plate of LOW GL carbohydrates at each meal).
- Consume small amounts of carbohydrate regularly throughout the day and balance your energy (1/4 plate of LOW GL carbohydrates at each meal and 3 meals/2 snacks).
- Eating a LOW GL approach will help to promote energy, weight management and hormonal balance.If there is no extra glucose for the body to use, it’ll tap into your fat stores for energy.
Please look out for more articles from me on THE FIVE SIMPLE HABITS.
INVITATION
I would be like to invite you to join my private Facebook Group – HIGH FLYING ENERGY for Business Leaders.
