Getting more energy
I find myself running out of energy quite quick in the day and i think it is in relation to how thin I am. I get a good amount of sleep but for some reason I still feel tired in the morning and thought it could be due to diet Any tips on getting through the day easier and more energetic?

Many people often experience a lack of energy, I would guess the problem 'may' fall into either of these two main categories: 1) Physiological dysfunctions e.g. hypothyroidism, kidney, liver and hormones etc 2) Lifestyle problems e.g. diet, sleep, exercise and emotions etc Usually the problem for most people falls into category 2 but it's best to see the GP (doctor) to cancel out category 1, also they may do a blood -*test*-('") to see if you are anaemic or diabetic etc in which case you could then focus on helping to control that specific cause. The other thing you need to be aware of is CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) this is a controversial thing as it doesn't always show up with doctors -*test*-('")s but it is known to be a real problem, usually the causes of this are from category 2 although it's usually a number of various factors rather than one cause which also makes it a little harder to diagnose. What I would suggest in your case if you are just lacking in a bit of energy most days is to focus on making sure you prevent the factors in the lifestyle category and see if this helps first and if not go and speak to your GP. Here’s what I would suggest looking at… If you are quite 'thin' you could probably do with increasing your daily calorie intake, a calorie is a unit of energy (food energy) e.g. 1 g of pure carbohydrate yields about 4 calories of energy (heat), and the recommended intake for an adult male is about 2,500 calories a day. It may be a simple case of just not consuming enough food (energy) each day in your diet. I'll go into diet specifics (types of food) in a minute. How many hours sleep do you get a night on average? Do you stick to a set sleeping pattern i.e. go to bed around 11.30pm each night and get up around 10am? Also make sure you’re not over-sleeping. It could also be due to your motivation and state of mind, how you are feeling can directly have an effect on physiological functions, I used to think it was a load of mummbo jumbo :lol: but mood can effect different chemical reactions in your body as can exercise and smoking etc mainly to do with serotonin levels but there are other factors involved. If you lack drive if you’re not particularly active throughout the day, or you’re slightly depressed, or slightly worried about something etc this can cause you to feel fatigued sometimes without you even realising it e.g. you may be subconsciously stressed and worried about doing exams etc. As just mentioned it’s best to keep as active as possible, regular exercise is one of the best ways to boost energy levels, I wont go into all the scientific reasoning behind it, you can do that research if you wish but exercise has been proven to be one of the best ways to improve energy levels by causing a number of various physiological changes. It sounds strange that doing exercise would give you more energy rather than making you more tired but trust me it does, the body is great when under a little pressure/adversary as it adapts, overcomes and improves to come back stronger. You should aim to do both aerobic and anaerobic exercise weekly, although when you’re tired it’s hard to get motivated to exercise after it you’ll feel much better. Improved Serotonin, -*test*-('")osterone, mood and self esteem, blood flow and nutrient delivery, stronger and more energetic body are just some of the energy pro’s to exercising. How much exercise do you do on a weekly basis at the moment? If you increase activity levels though (energy output), remember to increase energy intake (food). Do you smoke? Smoking is known to cause lacks of energy and all the harmful chemicals in them make you drowsy. Back to diet: As well as making sure your consuming enough calories there are also specific nutrients that a lack of can cause fatigue/tiredness. You should aim to eat a balanced but varied diet, by that I mean vary the foods and thus various nutrients but keep the food sources balance i.e. carbs, protein, fat. You should aim to have around 35% carbs, 32% fruit n veg, 15% dairy, 12% protein and 7% fats within your total daily foods. (If doing intensive strength training up protein slightly). Make sure you mainly eat carbs, base meals on starchy foods and try to eat lots of complex carbs. Fish is a great healthy source of protein. Lower your fat intake if you need to but replace it with other calories, drink lots of water and make sure you don’t skip breakfast. Make sure you’re getting your 5 a day of fruit and veg as they contain essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins. Research has shown high carb-low fat diets improve cognitive function, mood, and energy levels compared to high fat-low carb diets (not to mention the other positive health effects). The main nutrients you should consume that relate to energy levels/tiredness and fatigue are: iron, magnesium, L-carnatine, vitamin b12, vitamin b6, folic acid, Coenzyme Q10 and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids plus more, a good balanced diet can supply all of these. If you are really tired and need a quick boost before a certain task caffeine and other energy drinks can help stimulate/give you extra energy for a short amount of time these are ok if used now and again however in the long run they should be avoided on a regular basis as they are mainly just sugar and caffeine which overall may be bad for energy levels after the temporary boost so I would avoid using them, again a well balanced diet following the gov’s food RDA’s (recommended daily amounts) is best.