Question of the Week: I am always tired in the afternoon, what do I do?

Coach Brad,

Help me. I am tired all the time, I got great intentions and make a great start but I just cant muster the will to work out after 12 hrs at work.

Give me an article on recovery methods for high mileage/deconditioned people.

Thanks
Zak

Answer: Good question Zak.

TIP #1
Drink a cup of coffee or something with caffeine. This is the simplest trick to get your body up and moving.

If you don’t like coffee there are many energy chews that have caffeine. Every morning I put Onnit MCT oil in my coffee that gives me fuel to last a chunk of the day.

The MCT is a slow burning fuel that helps me have energy later on in the day.

TIP #2
Get Moving
Just get your body up and moving. The other day I was in a slight mental funk and I drove to a nearby park.

Pulled out my ruck (GORUCK backpack) and added a sand bag and took off on a short hike.

I was only going to go for 20 minutes to get my blood flowing. I ended up going for one hour and felt great after getting a sweat in.

You can do the same thing with yoga or walking. Works great.

TIP #3
Fuel.
Eating cleaner fuel at lunch can make a big difference on how you feel in the mid afternoon.

Do you ever feel bloated and tired after eating a huge lunch with lots of bread and pasta? Your stomach is going into overload trying to digest all of that processed carbs.

Try eating a salad with tuna and fresh veggies on the side.

Tip #4
Stay Hydrated.
When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is drink a glass of water. I don’t drink coffee or juice until I have that water. The same thing throughout the day. Try to drink several glasses of water to help hydrate your muscles and brain and you will think more clearly and your body will respond quicker.

If you don’t like coffee after lunch then add a Original Nuun Energy: Hydrating Electrolyte Tablet to your water bottle. These only have 40 mg of caffeine so they are just enough to give you a lift.