Are you feeling exhausted this winter? Do you want to hide under the duvet and eat all the comfort food? Have you lost all your energy and motivation?
If you find yourself feeling depleted, sluggish and burnt out then it’s time for you to make much needed changes! Letting each day drag by feeling rotten as the days get colder is not going to help your motivation to fuel your body with healthy food. To help get you motivated you want to see and feel results as this will help the momentum to keep going with creating healthier habits, so with that in mind, the best and easiest way to do this is by focusing on the act you do every day – eating.
Food is a part of your daily life, and it can either energise or deplete you. During the winter months it can be harder to keep energy high due to the cold and dark days, and this is why it is important to do the best you can with the tool you have access to daily. Food is a powerful tool, so let’s make the most of it to enhance your mood, body and overall wellbeing.
To feel alert, focused and full of clarity, focus on foods that will energise your mind and body. Eating certain foods will help you to do the daily tasks, work, be a parent, feel motivated to exercise, and most of all feel like the most vibrant version of yourself.
Quick Energy Foods to Add to Your Menu
Boost your energy every single day this winter by adding these foods into your daily diet.
- Greens
This includes foods such as lettuce, spinach, kale, chard, rocket, watercress and greens powders. Green foods are bursting with B vitamins which are great for energy production. Other energy enhancing nutrients include: iron, folate and vitamin C.
- Oats
Oats are a fantastic carbohydrate packed with fibre, copper and vitamin B1 which are excellent for helping to produce energy in the body. Starting the day with oats is a perfect way to boost energy for the morning ahead!
- Sweet potato
An excellent source of carbohydrates, sweet potatoes are a delicious way to add nutrition to the body. Sweet potatoes are bursting with vitamins A and C, both of which are amazing nutrients for helping to boost the immunity which is essential for the winter months to keep you feeling healthy. Having a healthy immune system is important as it will help your body to function optimally which will help energy to produce at its optimal best.
- Chia seeds
Chia seeds are a fantastic source of essential fatty acids, protein and fibre. These nutrients will help your body to feel satiated after a meal which will aid the body to function with high energy.
- Banana
The ultimate fruit! Bananas are a fantastic staple fruit. They are easy to purchase in most supermarkets, a convenient snack and a perfect way to add fibre to meals. Bananas are packed with vitamin B6 which helps the production of red blood cells. One of vitamin B6’s primary roles is to help carry oxygen around the body, and the better it can do this job the more energy the body will have due to the flow of oxygen. Eat bananas regularly to help the body feel energised with oxygen!
- Peanut butter
Peanut butter is drool-worthy delicious creamy goodness, and there is more reason to add this food to your diet! Peanuts are packed with protein, healthy fats, biotin, folate, copper, manganese and vitamin B3. These nutrients combined create a perfect package of energy for the body. Copper plays two key roles in energy production. First, it helps with the incorporation of iron into red blood cells, preventing anaemia. Second, it is involved with the generation of energy from carbohydrates inside of the cells in the body. All the more reason to add peanut butter to banana!
- Quinoa
Quinoa is a magnesium and manganese rich protein food which helps the body to feel energised and satisfied after a meal. Another note-worthy nutrient found in quinoa is phosphorous which is known to help maintain energy supplies in the body.
Example Meal Ideas
- Porridge – Cook oats and chia seeds with water, then top with banana and peanut butter.
- Salad – Add a tonne of fresh greens to a bowl. Add cooked quinoa and sweet potato. Drizzle peanut butter. Mix together.
- Snack – Banana and peanut butter.
Enjoy these delicious healthy foods to feel energetic this winter!
Rebecca is a personal trainer and wellness coach who is passionate about helping women to feel healthy, happy and LOVE life. As a coach with a huge passion for vegan nutrition, holistic health, enjoying exercise and self care, Rebecca is on a mission to help women thrive!
