It’s 2pm and your state of mind and energy levels are starting to crash hard.  At this point your having a nasty staredown with the clock on your computer screen as you wish for the day to finally end.  You’re trying everything to stay focused without having to reach for the third “Venti Triple Shot of Battery Acid” to give you another jolt of liquid energy.

Does this describe your afternoon?

Low levels of energy is a recurring problem for many people these days.  The worst bout usually hits between 1-4pm in which fatigue kicks in and your productivity suffers.

To avoid these mid-day energy crashes use the following strategies to not only give you more energy, but to help you burn more body fat.

1. EXERCISE REGULARLY

Ok, this is one of those “duh” tips, but it’s true because the primary benefit of regular exercise is increased energy.  I think the biggest misconcenptions is that people feel that exercise has to be work.  In this case, exercise can be any physical activity that you deem enjoyable.  Just simply get out and get moving for at least 15-20 minutes is key.  If you only have five minutes then get up of your chair and do 20 Prisoner Squats and 10-20 Pushups.  I guarantee this will get your blood pumping.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest like I do, or any other part of the world that only gets a solid 3-5 months of sun each year, I urge you to get out for a 15 minute walk and absorb that much needed Vitamin-D.  If you’re boss has a problem with that then tell him or her to call me and I’ll set them straight.  Or you can simply tell them to “Get Over It”

2. WEIGHT TRAIN

Weight training naturally boosts your energy levels by boosting your metabolism as you increase your lean muscle mass.  Adding muscle overall will help your body burn off stubborn body fat.  Incorporating a consistent weight training routine at least three times per week for 5-15 minutes per session will do the trick.  For some sample routines take a look at some of my previous posts.

If you have at least an hour to spare and you enjoy a more social atmosphere then check out a local group weight training class.  The social support will more than likely inspire you and hold you accountable.

3. LEARN A RELAXATION STRATEGY

Yoga breathing exercises and short meditation strategies will help you relax and enhance your energy levels by resetting your mental state.  Many times it’s as simple as de-stressing in order to tap into your natural source of energy of being in the right frame of mind, and it only takes a few minutes to at your desk or home office.

I learned “HA” breathing a few years ago, which is an ancient Hawaiian Huna energy healing technique.

It’s simple to do so stop what you’re doing right now and take a full breath in through the nose making sure that your belly expands, not your chest.  As your belly is filled with air you will then exhale slowly through the mouth with the sound, “Haaa.”  The slow and gradual exhalation of “Haaa” is whispered loudly, and is twice as long as the in-breath.

Perform HA breathing for 5 minutes. Put on some relaxing music if you wish or just sit quietly with your eyes closed and focus on your breath.

After a few days of practicing HA breathing you’ll find that it’s easy to take a step back and incorporate this simple technique when your stressed or feel exhausted.

4.  UNLEASH THE POWER OF PROTEIN

Already heard of the term “Thermic Effect of Food”, aka TEF?  It represents the calories burned in order to process the calories consumed.  Protein has the highest TEF.  For every 100 calories (25 grams) of protein you eat, your body burns 25-30 calories to simply digest and use the protein.

Carbohydrates and Fats don’t even come close at 7% and 3% TEF respectively, so make sure to always add a portion of lean protein to each meal and snack.  It may be the difference of burning off an additional 100-300 calories a day, which will help in losing body fat.

However, this doesn’t mean you have a free ticket to overload on protein calories.  If weight loss is your goal you still need to monitor your calories accordingly.

Incorporate these strategies with consistency during your week and you’ll have more energy both at the office and in other facets of your life.

What are your strategies to increase your energy levels?  Let me know in the comments section.

- Rommel