Low energy?!
I use to be a heavy coffee drinker- 4 cups or more a day. And I work 3rd shift. So my eating habits are erratic. I'm trying to cut down on the caffeine and get into a routine of eating 3-5 times a day, instead of all at once.
My diet is a lot of beans, rice, cereal, bread, peanut butter, and sweets. I probably have too much sugar in my diet. I do eat some fresh vegetables and fruits, but it just depends on what I have. While eat mostly vegetarian, I will eat seafood (salmon, shrimp, catfish, tilapia, etc...) about 3 times a week.
Do does anyone have any advice on what to eat that will give me more energy?
Answers: I've felt tired for days. I do work a lot- 60+ hours a week. But I think it is more than that.
I use to be a heavy coffee drinker- 4 cups or more a day. And I work 3rd shift. So my eating habits are erratic. I'm trying to cut down on the caffeine and get into a routine of eating 3-5 times a day, instead of all at once.
My diet is a lot of beans, rice, cereal, bread, peanut butter, and sweets. I probably have too much sugar in my diet. I do eat some fresh vegetables and fruits, but it just depends on what I have. While eat mostly vegetarian, I will eat seafood (salmon, shrimp, catfish, tilapia, etc...) about 3 times a week.
Do does anyone have any advice on what to eat that will give me more energy?
I'd suggest eating lots of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables; they will keep you full and you'll absorb the maximum amount of phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. If your teeth aren't healthy or you can't stand to eat raw vegetables, buy a vegetable steamer and eat them lightly steamed - I'd avoid steaming it in those plastic bags in the microwave since chemicals from the plastic leach themselves into the food.
You should at once regulate your eating to 3 meals a day and 2 snacks or so. Your metabolism might be slow if you don't stick to a few square meals a day. Skipping meals, having one huge meal in place of two, or just grazing on junk all day will slow your metabolism. Your metabolism might be as slow as someone 20 or more years older than you, so no wonder you aren't feeling energetic. As for eating seafood, I'm a vegan, but really, I don't think eating the seafood is making this happen to you, it's probably just the lack of a balanced diet.
Cut out caffeine. Caffeine withdrawals can make you lethargic, tired, bring on headaches. Caffeine is detrimental to your system, the US government classifies it is a drug, and it'll make it harder and harder to function without it - no wonder some people are atrocious before they've had their morning coffee (haha, like my mum).
I would also cut out sweets. You are wreaking havoc by eating them because they mess with your blood sugar levels - a lot of people think that eating candy will make them hyper. Maybe initially, but the simple sugars burn off very quickly and your blood sugar levels spike and plummet, causing your body to become even more lethargic and tired.
Instead of simple carbs (candy, chocolates, sugars, etc.) you should stick to complex carbohydrates, they fuel you for the long haul and they don't affect your blood sugar nowhere near as much. Try whole grain pasta and sprouted grain bread (I am a huge fan of Ezekiel 4:9, I even sometimes have a slice as a snack, it's nutty and mild in flavor and it's a complete source of protein).
Try to eat balanced meals - fill at least half of your plate with fresh, leafy greens, raw vegetables, or lightly steamed vegetables. A quarter of your plate should have a plentiful source of whole grain, and the other quarter should be a source of protein.
To top it off, it sounds like you aren't sleeping regularily! At least try to best as many of these as you can, because you probably can't do much about working 3rd shift.
Try to improve as many of these things as you can in your life. If changing your diet doesn't help, try some of these other things:
1.) Add in some exercise every day. Even some brisk walking for 30 minutes or a bit of yoga has been shown to allieviate stress, depression, and many other things.
2.) Consider that it could be an illness - you'd probably feel much worse if it was mono, but maybe it's depression. Depression symptoms are wide and varied, and it isn't all about feeling sad and suicidal. There might be some sort of chemical imbalance in your brain (I know that it sounds dramatic and far-fetched, but you never know).
Take a lunch box with you to work packed with fruits, carrots, broccoli, V-8 juice, nuts (brazil, almonds,pecans, walnuts,sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds are the most healthy). These give your body energy over a longer period of time without the horrible crash you get from sugary foods. Whenever you feel hungry between meals, grab a handful of whatever is in your lunch box instead of that crap in the vending machine. You will feel better. Whenever you need a little extra boost, grab a cup of hot water and some, green,black,red or white tea to give you that lift with extra antioxidants to boost your energy and immunity.
You might just be low in iron.
Visit your GP and have a blood test and he can tell you what you're lacking and what to eat to fix it. If you're low in iron he'll just give you some tablets that are really good for you and full of iron.
goodluck
The third shift work is probably the biggest problem. I read an article recently that links third shift work with cancer. This is possibly due to the fact that the unnatural schedule messes up your hormones (e.g. melatonin), Try ensuring that when you do sleep that your room is as dark as possible and that your sleep is uninterrupted. Sleep as long as you need.
Also, I notice a lot of starches in your diet (rice, cereal & bread). They can cause a crash, especially if you have a lot of refined sugars. Whole grains are a better choice and take longer to digest. You won't get the rush and crash other starches give you.
Eating seafood is a good idea, giving you a combination of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Perhaps you should eat more nuts. If you can, keep a bag of "dense" foods that keep you sated and won't be digested too easily on your person, so while working you can pull something out. Perhaps you can add eggs and cheese to your diet too.