[Demosthenes]

I've been feeling exhausted lately, and I'm wondering if changing my diet will help. What foods will give me the most energy throughout the day? The easier to make/put together, the better.

I was thinking about granola bars... but they pack a lot of calories. Is trail mix any good?

[Speedy]

I love trail mix. But it too packs a lot of calories, as much if not more than granola bars. (Found this out when DH wanted a low-cal snack)

Have you tried snacks like yogart or low-cal cheese sticks? They always give me a boost when I'm low.

[riffraff]

I would say go for a good ole bowl of porridge for breakfast, slow release carbs keep up your energy without giving you the sugar highs and lows. If you need it a bit sweet stir in a spoonful of honey.

[Demosthenes]

Mmm... I love yogurt and cheese sticks. Not together of course. I'll add them to my grocery list. Thanks Speedy!

riffraff, what brand do you recommend? I've never done porridge before... is it like oatmeal?

[lorihmatthews]

Are you eating a lot of "white stuff" -- white bread, sugar, etc.? Try cutting down on that. I try to avoid eating sandwiches at lunch because the bread is just too much for my system. I try to stick with salads with protein at lunch.

Try eating a mix of protein at every meal -- it will keep you full longer and allow your energy to last longer. If you get hungry, try a handful of nuts.

[spylove22]

Bread and fruit and sugary stuff won't give you lasting energy. You need low glycemic carbs which are digested slowly, won't raise your blood sugar and drop it again. And protein in moderation. Lentils and beans are a good choice, brown rice, yogurt.

[mewlicious]

Cristina suggested this to me and I've found it really helpful. A tablespoon of peanut butter really livens me up for workouts. The fat and protein are good burners to keep me going and it's small enough to not cramp me while I'm working out.

Fats are our energy sources, good fats like olive oil and such aren't evil

[QueenMaa]

You might also want to start taking a supplement too.

[Sweetpea83]

Oatmeal and fat free yogurts always give me tons of energy..also fruit..like apples for example.

[bagaholic85]

for me, the only thing that gives me energy is protein. when im sleepy or feeling out of it, i eat tuna or egg whites and that always helps. carbs (even healthy ones) make me SOOOO sleepy....im surprised so many people mentioned them

[Lady Chinadoll]

Protein - except for Turkey gives me evergy.
Turkey makes me sleepy as do carbs

[riffraff]

Originally Posted by Demosthenes

Mmm... I love yogurt and cheese sticks. Not together of course. I'll add them to my grocery list. Thanks Speedy!

riffraff, what brand do you recommend? I've never done porridge before... is it like oatmeal?

Quakers scots porridge oats is the best, and I guess the US equivalent is oatmeal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mostof_oats.shtml

A good article on the benefits of slow release carbs

http://www.formulaforlife.com.au/asp...ents&page=carb

The NHS is the UK National Health Service (free health care) here they extol the benefits of having porridge for breakfast.

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles...articleId=2176

[DiorKiss]

I was thinking about banana's! They always give me tons of energy immediately.

[Lady Chinadoll]

Quakers scots porridge oats is the best, and I guess the US equivalent is oatmeal.

Thanks :)

[devoted]

liquids work better with me: light orange juice, vanilla chai tea with soy protein, or soy milk. Fiber One bars are just delicious, I recommend them too.