Beat the Afternoon Slump - Ask a Nutritionist

Transcript: 

Brandy: Hello and welcome to Dishing Up Nutrition's midweek segment called “Ask a Nutritionist”. My name is Brandy Buro. I'm a Licensed and Registered Dietitian here at Nutritional Weight & Wellness. It is our mission to help you understand the connection between what you eat and how you feel, and today I'm going to tackle a very common struggle that I think we've all experienced before: that dreaded afternoon energy crash or that afternoon slump.

So I think you probably know what I'm talking about. It's two or 3:00 PM, your focus starts to fade. Your energy just takes a nose dive. You might even be nodding off at your desk or if you're like one of my clients, literally falling asleep in the car while you're waiting to pick up your kids from school.

Oh my gosh. And you might be grabbing another cup of coffee or maybe looking for a little sweet treat. Maybe the pastry from the break room, really anything just to push through those last few hours of your workday until you get home and maybe collapse on the couch. Ugh. How frustrating. So much to do.

But not enough energy to do it. Well, here's the good news: that afternoon slump is not something that you have to just push through or deal with on a daily basis or accept as normal. There's so much that we can do through nutrition and other lifestyle strategies to help you feel energized throughout the whole day.

So in today's episode, I'm going to help unpack why that crash tends to happen, and more importantly, ways that you can prevent that afternoon crash or overcome it naturally. So I'm going to be diving into three key areas that I find have a very powerful role in boosting energy throughout the day. So that's going to involve how do we balance our blood sugar, stay hydrated and how can we incorporate some light movement throughout the day?

These are going to be some simple, actionable steps that you can incorporate now to support steady energy throughout the day without relying on caffeine or sugar just to get by. So if you're ready to feel energized and focused, let's get started.

Blood sugar balance boosts & sustains energy

So I do want to get started first with blood sugar balance. We've talked about this a lot on the show before, so you might be familiar with this concept, but our energy levels correlate very well with our blood sugar levels. Blood sugar is usually part of the story anytime I'm talking to one of my clients about how to boost energy and especially just keep themselves energized throughout that afternoon slump.

A quick refresher about blood sugar control and how this relates to energy: Your blood sugar levels are constantly shifting throughout the day, mostly in response to the foods that you eat, or in some cases what you're not eating. But the big swings in blood sugar levels, either blood sugars that are soaring too high or low blood sugars are going to cause significant fluctuations in your energy level.

So I'm kind of referring to that blood sugar rollercoaster that you've probably heard us talk about before. Big spikes in blood sugar, usually after a very high carb or sugary meal, are often followed by a dramatic blood sugar crash or a very low blood sugar level.

And those low blood sugar levels are what tanks our energy and makes us feel super sluggish. So I liken this to the feeling you might get after that big Thanksgiving dinner where you just really need to lay down and take a nap sometimes. Those low blood sugars could also be a result of not eating enough or not eating often enough.

Think you know, skipping meals or going long periods without having something to eat, so that blood sugar crash after a high carb meal or skipping meals altogether could land you with that low blood sugar and low energy levels. So our goal for sustained energy throughout the day is to avoid those big spikes so that we can prevent those big crashes, but also make sure that we're fueling our body often enough to keep our energy levels stable.

So let's try to tie this all back into our goal of preventing that afternoon energy crash. We want to maintain stable energy throughout the whole day by never getting on that blood sugar rollercoaster in the first place. And that all begins with what you are eating in the morning. So yes, we're talking about breakfast.

Breakfast is going to help set you up for success for the rest of the day, including the afternoon, and it's going to help establish that stable. Even keel blood sugar pattern, that rolling hill's blood sugar pattern versus the chaotic rollercoaster pattern that leads to those blood sugar crashes.

So let's talk about what the best blood sugar balancing breakfast should look like. Well we do want a good amount of protein and a little bit of healthy fat and some carbohydrates to give us some energy, but we want those carbs to be from real food that have a good amount of fiber in them. So we're talking vegetables, fruit, whole grains, maybe even beans and legumes, eating all three of these things together, protein, a little bit of fat and fiber-rich carbohydrates very quickly stabilizes your blood sugar.

But it's also going to help you feel satisfied and energized for a few hours. So one scenario that I do see often in my practice is, you know, people getting in the habit of skipping breakfast all together and by the time they finally sit down for that first meal, they're so hungry that they tend to gravitate towards higher carb meal options, and they may be more prone to overeating or just eating really large portions of those foods, and that sends them on that blood sugar rollercoaster headed straight towards a spike;

With a blood sugar crash following, you know, 30 minutes to an hour later. So in this scenario, your blood sugar's already starting off pretty low. When you wake up, you don't have much fuel in the tank, and it's just going to continue to get lower. So by the time you're eating again, that low blood sugar is kind of making the call in what you choose to eat.

Or in some cases you are eating breakfast, but that breakfast is a little off balance. Maybe it's trending towards the carb heavy side. Maybe it's a big bowl of cereal or oatmeal, or it's a pastry with a flavored latte. These higher carb breakfast examples are also going to send you on that blood sugar rollercoaster and cause issues with your energy level later in the day.

So let's talk about what would be a better choice for breakfast. Something that I've been making for myself this week that's been working really well. I've been doing an a scramble with two or three eggs and a little chicken sausage or ham, and I have some great leftover roasted butternut squash and sauteed kale. So I just heat that up in a pan, put my scrambled eggs in there, and I've got a really amazing breakfast.

Another option would be maybe a smoothie where you've got some good protein powder with a little bit of healthy fat with canned coconut milk, or maybe a couple tablespoons of peanut butter. Throw in three quarters of a cup of frozen berries and maybe a handful of spinach. There, we have that protein, fiber, healthy fat combination that's going to help you feel satisfied and get your blood sugar off to a good start;

Leading into you feeling levelheaded and a little more confident in making that good choice for lunch. So that smoothie or that egg scramble, those are both great examples of a blood sugar balancing breakfast that's just going to help you feel a little more level-headed and energized. And then by the time lunch rolls around, you are better equipped to make another wise choice for lunch because you're not so famished, you are going to be taking a little more control over what you decide.

Blood sugar is not driving the bus at this point, and when it comes to lunch, we still need to prioritize a balanced meal that's going to help keep our blood sugar balanced throughout the rest of the afternoon. So we want to be really careful about the carbohydrates that we choose and continue to incorporate some good quality protein and healthy fat in there as well.

Too many carbohydrates, especially processed carbohydrates like bread, pasta, or chips or even large portions of starchier carbs like potatoes or fruit could still spike that blood sugar and very quickly lead to a blood sugar crash, 30 minutes to, you know, an hour later. So let me give you a few examples of some common lunch choices that could be derailing your blood sugar levels and causing that energy crash later.

So think sub sandwich with a bag of chips and maybe even a soda or one or two slices of pizza with a soda or something that's quite popular lately are those burrito bowls or burritos loaded with white rice, maybe a flour tortilla, not a ton of protein, maybe even a side of tortilla chips. And of course, that burger and fries, classic combo, all of these examples are very high in processed carbohydrates that will increase your blood sugar quite rapidly, and that is just bad news for blood sugar control in the afternoon.

So instead, what would help with energy would be a better balance of protein, healthy fat, and a modest serving of carbohydrates. This is going to help you feel stable; protein and fat, help you feel full and satisfied. Vegetables with a good amount of fiber provide some carbohydrates, but they won't spike your blood sugar and it's going to give you plenty to eat.

A small portion of starchier carbs, like maybe half a cup of roasted squash or sweet potato or even half of a cup of fruit gives you a little boost of energy without weighing you down. So let me just paint the picture a little bit, give you some clear examples of what you could have for lunch that could give you a little energy, but not lead to that crash that we're trying to avoid.

Maybe it's a bowl of beef chili that you made with some beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and then you could top that off with half of an avocado or a few tablespoons of sour cream. Really delicious and filling, but again, great energy.

Or something that I've made a lot lately is a Mediterranean Bowl where I have some cauliflower rice with a half a cup of quinoa. Add in some mixed greens, peppers, cucumber, tomato, and then I top that with some seasoned meatballs or chicken shawarma and a lemon olive oil vinegarette. Really delicious.

Or it could be leftover stir fry with some chicken or beef. A variety of vegetables like broccoli, carrots, peppers, mushrooms served with a half a cup of brown rice. Simple, delicious. And that is going to help energize you for the rest of the day.

Hydration: another key factor in energy level

For many people can totally turn things around, but there's one other factor that I find makes a huge difference in energy level and that is hydration. The role hydration and how much water you drink throughout the day is going to be a big game changer for your energy levels. Dehydration or not drinking enough water can really tank your energy, and that's because your brain needs to be hydrated to function properly. When you are dehydrated, your brain literally shrinks.

So I, you can imagine how that's going to translate to your mental energy, cognition, and focus. So how much water should you be drinking? Well, the rule of thumb is take your body weight, divide it by two, and that is how many ounces of water you should be aiming for every day. So most people do really well if they're drinking, you know, somewhere around 80 to a hundred, 120 ounces a day depending on who you are and, your activity level and even, you know, how much you're respirating.

If you, If you have a job where you're talking a lot, you might need a little bit more. Some people even benefit from adding an electrolyte, especially if you are somebody that sweats a lot. So that's always something that can help maintain good hydration.

Be mindful about caffeine consumption (& what’s being added to coffee or tea)

And you know, we can't talk about hydration without talking about caffeine. You know, caffeine as a diuretic could cause fluid loss and be dehydrating if you consume too much caffeine. So we also have to be really mindful about how much caffeine you drink and also what's going in that cup of coffee or tea.

So while we're talking about hydration, I think we should also take a moment to talk about caffeine intake. Caffeine is a diuretic which causes fluid loss through the urine. So if you are drinking too much caffeine, that can contribute to dehydration, especially if you are not drinking any water alongside that.

So being mindful of how much caffeine you drink. But also what is going in that caffeine? What is going in that cup of coffee or that cup of tea? Because that can have a big impact on your blood sugar levels.

So what I'm talking about is perhaps adding honey or sugar or even maple syrup to your coffee or tea, or if you're going to the coffee shop and getting a flavored latte just loaded with flavored syrup. So these are all examples of, you know, added sugar that is absolutely going to spike your blood sugar and set you up for that energy crash later on in the day.

So if you are drinking a caffeinated beverage like coffee or tea, I suggest limiting it to one or two cups. So really like 16 ounces a day of plain coffee or tea, maybe with some heavy whipping cream or canned coconut milk along in that. And then making sure you are drinking water along with that. Start your day with a glass of water before you have that cup of coffee so that we are keeping that hydration balance as a priority.

The benefits of movement

Now the last factor that I want to discuss is movement. Moving your body even just a little bit can make a big difference in your attention, your focus and your energy levels throughout the whole day, especially in the afternoon. When you're sitting for long periods of time, that's going to slow your circulation down and it's going to slow the blood flow to your brain, which can impair your focus and reduce your energy.

So even just taking a short walk after a meal or periodically through the day just to improve circulation and get that blood flow back up to the brain can make a huge difference in how you feel. Even just standing up for a few minutes, every hour can be a pretty effective way to do that, to help you feel a little more alert and energized.

I highly recommend taking a 10 to 15 minute walk after you eat, especially lunch, because that can also help prevent a blood sugar spike and prevent some of those blood sugar crashes that we often experience when we're feeling that energy slump.

So here are just a few ideas of how you can build in more movement into your day if it isn't just like a standard, you know walk around the block. One little trick that I do and some of my clients do is, you know, think of your bathroom break as an opportunity to get a few more steps in. Take the long route to the bathroom, use the restroom that's upstairs or downstairs just to get a little more movement in.

And as long as you're up, maybe take another lap around the office or a walk around the block, or if you're at home, maybe go up and down the stairs a couple times just to get a few minutes of movement. A standing desk is a great way just to stand up, you know, engage your muscles, or some of my clients have even invested in a walking pad for their desk, which is another great way to get some movement throughout their workday without interrupting your workflow.

And if indoor space is limited and maybe, you know, the weather isn't amazing and going for a walk outside isn't ideal, you could even do a few air squats, 10 to 20 air squats or lunges, anything, just to kind of engage those muscles and move your body, get the blood flowing. If you do have pets at home, I'm sure they would love you even more if you gave them an extra walk in the afternoon. It's going to enrich their life and yours, so why not?

Recap

So let's just recap some of those key strategies to prevent or overcome that afternoon energy slump. First off, we want to avoid getting on that blood sugar rollercoaster and the energy crash that comes with it by starting your day with a balanced breakfast. That's going to lead into a well-balanced, energizing lunch. So a blood sugar balancing energizing meal should include a little bit of animal-based protein like chicken, eggs, fish, maybe even a Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with a little bit of healthy fat.

Maybe it's a handful of nuts, a half of an avocado, a couple tablespoons of peanut butter or some olive oil. And then we want fiber rich vegetables as your carbohydrate. So if you are kind of stuck on what to make for breakfast or lunch, we have a lot of ideas for you. We've got plenty of free recipes on our website, weightandwellness.com, including a great chili recipe that everybody's been really enjoying lately now that it's soup season. So head to the website if you need more ideas.

Next up, we want to prioritize hydration. We have to stay hydrated to support our brain function and our focus. Your goal for water intake is half your body weight in ounces and be mindful of your caffeine use. Too much caffeine can be dehydrating and could be a hidden source of added sugar, which is going to cause another blood sugar spike and an energy crash.

Lastly, move your body. Even just a little bit throughout the day is going to improve your circulation and blood flow to the brain. And that's really going to work wonders for your, your attention and your focus. Try to move five minutes every hour if possible, and if you can take a short walk or do some air squats after a meal, and that can dramatically reduce the potential for a blood sugar spike and the aftermath that is a blood sugar and energy crash.

Just these few small adjustments can make a huge difference in overcoming that energy slump in the afternoon. But if you try these tips and you're still struggling, there may be something more at play here, and if you need some help figuring that out, we are here for you at Nutritional Weight & Wellness.

We can help you pinpoint the strategies that are going to make the biggest impact for you. To get started, I recommend visiting our website, weight and wellness.com for more resources about how to stabilize blood sugar control, how to plan healthy meals. You could also enroll in one of our classes

 Enroll in a Nutrition Class

Or get started with one-on-one nutrition counseling.

Schedule Nutrition Counseling

You know, so many of the clients that I have met with get these nutrition counseling sessions covered at no cost, depending on their insurance plan. So it's definitely worth investigating to see if that's something that you could take advantage of. Well, thanks so much for listening today.

It's been really fun for me to think through how to overcome an energy crash through simple nutrition strategies, and if this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend or leave us a review so we can help even more people make that connection between what they eat and how they feel. And if you have a question that you'd like us to answer, let us know. You can join the Dishing Up Nutrition Facebook group and post your question there, or you can call us and leave us a voicemail at 952-641-5233. Well, thanks so much for listening today. Have a great day.

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