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09 Jul 2007 07:13 AM

E is for Energy

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

Calories are a unit of energy that provides fuel for your body and that we consume in our food. Calories are things we count and things we burn - but what we need them for is pure and simple: energy. The human body gets energy from two major sources: food and sleep.

If you don't eat properly, chances are you sleep a great deal. You can generate a false sense of energy from drinking caffeine or eating sugary products - but that energy is often short-lived and the crash is considerable afterwards.

Outside of eating and sleeping, exercise is the next best way to generate personal energy. I'm not kidding. If you exercise regularly, chances are you won't need caffeinated drinks as much, you'll likely eat healthier, more nutritious choices and you'll sleep deeper and more comfortably. All of these things combined provide you with an energy boost.

One of the major reasons I enjoy working out first thing in the morning is that exercising in the morning gives me an energy boost that lasts all day long. For example, spend one week getting up every morning at 6 a.m. and drink one cup of coffee prior to diving into your work for the day. By 8 a.m., you'll be yawning, reaching for something sugary and likely more coffee.

If you get up at 6 a.m. and do thirty minutes of cardio followed by fifteen minutes of strength training prior to getting started on your day - chances are you'll still be drinking water and likely reaching for fruit, toast or something healthier than a sugar laden donut.

The energy generated from the morning workout and diet habits will sustain you until lunch time when you eat a good lunch and that energy will then sustain you until evening. Overall, exercising in the morning means more energy throughout the day from a healthy source - not one that's linked to raised blood pressure or obesity.

E is for exercise and energy - and isn't that something you want everyday?

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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