How to Supercharge your Energy Levels

>more weight all day long. When the overweight
Your energy levels will depend on several factors,climbs a flight of stairs, do yard work, or even
including genetics, nutrition, sleep habits, andjust carrying the garbage can to the curb, they're
emotional stress. Some of these you have noalso carrying that excess weight, making almost
control over But there is one VERY importanteverything they do more exhausting.
factor that you do have control over and that isBetter-conditioned muscles make every task that
your ability to take part in physical exercise.much easier, regardless of body weight. When
Need a source of vast power and energy?you exercise, your ability to use muscle fibers is
Look no further than your gym.increased. So you require less effort to perform
The link between physical fitness and energy is soany physical task.
strong, that doctors have lately been prescribingA strong body also has a stronger immune
exercise as treatment for chronic fatigue,system. Being sick drains us of energy, and
depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), andexercise, by boosting immunity, staves off illness.
insomnia, for instance.Recent research has shed light on why the strong
If sufferers of the most stubborn kind of fatiguemay get sick less often and recuperate faster
can be energized with exercise, imagine what canwhen they do get sick: exercise increases the
do for those of us who experience ordinary,activity of natural killer cells in the bloodstream.
every-day fatigue.* Less Stress *
* Feel Great At Mid-Afternoon *A great deal of research supports that weight
Your brain thrives on oxygen. Blood transportslifting is one of the most effective means of
oxygen to the brain, so the greater blood flow tobattling depression and stress. One of the main
the brain, the greater the oxygen supply the brainfatiguing factors of depression and stress is lack
has. As you increase your heartbeat with aof sleep. In a recent Stanford University study,
vigorous workout, more blood surges through theformerly sedentary insomniacs who began to
brain, more oxygen gets absorbed by your brainexercise fell asleep 15 minutes faster and were
cells, and you feel more mentally alert andable to sleep an hour longer than they had before
energetic.becoming active.
Experts point out another long-term* Boost Brain Fitness *
cause-and-effect relationship between exerciseTo this point, we've been talking about the benefit
and blood flow to the brain: as you continueof exercise on mental energy. But is it possible
exercising, the number of capillaries (small bloodthat being in shape might translate to even
vessels between your arteries and veins)greater mental benefits, such as increased
throughout your body will grow. More blood flowintelligence, creativity, memory, or reasoning
through your "pipes" means more oxygen will beability? It's very possible.
supplied where you need it.Studies show that both factors of mental
Regular exercise also keeps the pipes clear andstimulation and exercise were contributing to the
circulation healthy by preventing atherosclerosisincrease of the brain's learning centers in different
(buildup of plaque). Regular exercise can actuallyways. Mental stimulation results in more synapses
REVERSE atherosclerosis when combined with a(the little gaps between brain nerve cells that
healthy nutrition plan. When you haveenable them to communicate with one another),
atherosclerosis in check, your brain is virtuallywhile exercise increases the number of capillaries
guaranteed for the rest of your life.in the cerebellum and cerebral cortex (two areas
Blood also carries glucose, the simple sugar that'sof the brain crucial to intelligence.)
the primary fuel source for your entire nervous* Take a Walk *
system of which the brain is the commandMedical research results could hardly be clearer:
center. Glucose's production starts the metabolismTaking a walk is one of the best ways to take
of carbohydrates. Various enzymes, plus yourcharge of your health. A study in the Journal of
body's ability to use glucose to produce ATP, thethe American Medical Association (February 11,
more important energy chemical in the body,1998) showed that walking briskly for half an hour
control this production. When you exercise, youjust six times a month cut the risk of premature
increase the level of those enzymes and theirdeath in men and women by 44 percent. A study
activity.in the New England Journal of Medicine (January 8,
In other words, when you exercise regularly, you1997) reported that men 61 to 81 years old
boost your enzymes, resulting in more glucose,sharply reduced their risk of death from all
and your body is more efficient in using thecauses, including cancer and heart disease, by
glucose. You get a larger supply of ATP, whichwalking two miles a day. Other research has
helps fight off the mid-afternoon energy drop-off.shown similar results for women.
* Increase Metabolism *Recent studies have concluded that moderate
It's no secret that strength trainers are firmeramounts of exercise - including walking, jogging or
and stronger than sedentary folks. How could itusing a treadmill for one hour, four to five times a
be otherwise?week - can turn back the aging clock 30 years
Resistance exercise builds muscle, pure and simple.for middle aged men.
The more muscle you have, the higher yourConsistency is probably the most important part
metabolism, and the more calories you burn evenof your workout. The more committed you are
at rest.to walking all or most days of the week, the
So why does "strong and toned" equate to morehealthier you'll be. Remember that short walks are
energy?better then none at all. Health, like life, is a
For starters, heavy people have to lug aroundjourney. All you have to do is take the first step.