In the last few days I’ve been struggling with finding energy and motivation to devote to the things that are really important to me. I feel like everything from school work to exercise to blogging to friendships have suffered from this little funk I’ve been stuck in. It seems like I’m sapped of energy all day, every day, and I can’t figure out why, though I have theories.
Last night I watched a documentary called Hungry for Change and it got me thinking about holistic health and beauty from the inside out. After I finished the movie, I took a good look at my lifestyle and I thought about what I could tweak for more positive results.
On one hand, my body is taking its sweet time adjusting back to my Georgia schedule after being in Hawaii for two weeks. I’ve been back for about three weeks now, but my schedule hasn’t had the rigid early mornings that I’m used to, so I’ve gotten by allowing myself to stay up late and sleep in. While this could be perfectly normal for someone else, my body is not used to this kind of schedule, and I can tell it’s craving normalcy. So I’m working on it, but 9 a.m. alarms are still a struggle. Once I can get back into my regular schedule, I think my body will truly settle into nighttime rest.
I also suspect my diet is to blame for my listlessness. I’m not running around eating fried foods all the time, but I also don’t think I get enough daily nutrients from the foods I eat every day. On top of that, I eat a largely vegetarian diet. I’d consider myself a flexitarian, eating more veggie-based meals than meat in general — I could go several days without meat and not think twice, but I won’t turn down a good slice of bacon here and there either. I suspect the lack of meat in my diet could be contributing to my lethargy in the form of a slight iron deficiency. I’m thinking of adding in a daily multivitamin and an iron supplement to my morning regimen.
I’m not looking to go vegan or lose 5 pounds fast; I just want to feel more energized every day. I’d definitely suggest watching Hungry for Change if you are interested in learning more. There are also a few other great documentaries out there, including Fat Sick and Nearly Dead and Food, Inc. — they’re all on Netflix Instant!
What about you? Where do you turn when you feel completely sapped of energy and motivation?
Hungry for Change is such a great documentary. If you have time, check out Forks Over Knives — they’re all about going dairy free and animal protein free (which I disagree with, the animal protein part anyway), but advocate ultra wellness. I think you might enjoy it if you liked Hungry for Change.
Also, if you’re not getting enough animal protein you could be lacking in your B Vitamins, which are very important for energy and metabolism! So maybe try taking those, too? If you’re eating a lot of leafy greens, vegetables and fruit, you’re probably getting a sufficient amount of iron.
Thought I’d give my two cents. As always, it’s a treat reading
At least I think FOK advocates going animal protein free, I can’t quite remember. So don’t hold me to it, haha.
And by B Vitamins, I specifically mean Vitamin B12. I take it if I haven’t had adequate amounts of animal protein.
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