To ask what your biggest energy boosters are?! Some mums get so much shit done!

[upsidedown2017]

I'm knackered. All the time. If you have plenty of energy please tell me what you're eating/drinking/sleeping/doing!

I shouldn't feel like this in my 30s should I?

Any suggestions for what I can do to improve things?

[ivykaty44]

No electronic devices two hours before bed

8 hours sleep the same time each night
Routine but flexibility
Exercise early morning every morning

[AveAtqueVale]

The only thing that works for me is going to bed depressingly early. Like by ten at the absolute latest. Cutting out almost all carbs has also helped a lot the last few weeks. I rarely drink alcohol - I might have one drink every couple of months - as I can’t stand the sleepy sluggish feeling it gives me. Also find lists help, getting up early even when I don’t have to, and keeping the house tidy makes me more productive and happy generally. Not always achieved though.

[Sodaface]

Seems everyone thinks the same! I was also going to say

Exercise x5 per week-huge difference for my energy levels!!
Good diet
Water
Bed early three times per week
Coffee x10

Kids that have started sleeping all night!

[FucksakeCuntingFuckingTwats]

Hitting my diary macros and micros (track this on my fitness pal) has made a massive difference as I'm giving my body all the recommended vitamins and nutrients it needs so no deficiencys through diet. Water, 3.5 litres a day. People generally don't drink anywhere near as much as they should. Eating the right amount of calories with no more than an 800 deficit per day if you are dieting. Eating regularly so blood sugars don't crash and then energy. Cut out fizzy drinks and try to eat 80% good food and 20%treats. Also my youngest is now nearly five, so I get sleep. If you have broken sleep that won't help. Generally seven hours is the most I need if I go over that I feel overtired and sluggish.


Get up in the morning and drink a big glass of water because being dehydrated can make you feel sluggish and lacking in energy. Also have a very occasional can of red bull if I'm having a day I'm struggling which tends to be just before my period.

[TheGrumpySquirrel]

@Strokethefurrywall bulletproof coffee is the one with butter in it? Intrigued by your 20 hour fasting! I'm struggling to stick to 16:8 but feel so much better when I do.

Second the no alcohol in the week (not that I stuck to it!) and early nights. I sleep 9:30/10 to 6am every day even weekends. I cannot be productive on less sleep

[upsidedown2017]

Strokehefurrywall - I'm intrigued about fasting for that length of time! I must admit I definitely have the most energy when I barely eat. How much do you eat for main meal? And what do you do when you first wake up? Just lots of water?

[FucksakeCuntingFuckingTwats]

*daily macros and micros not diary.

[Feedmepringles]

Vitamin d spray
Multi vitamin spray .( spray both in your mouth)
Exercise ( need to follow my own advice on this one.but I feel better when I do)
Liquid iron in a glass bottle £10 a bottle ,can't remember the brand name.
Cost a lot of money the bottle of iron and 2 sprays £30 for the lot🙁

[RagingFemininist]

Exercise would just finish me. I feel dreadful after any exercise at all.

What helps is
Good diet and no dairy
VitB12 and vitD
Doing something I’m passionate about (eg at weekends)
REST!!!! Stop doing things when I’m tired and let H get on with it instead.
Going to bed early if I feel like I’m falling asleep at 8.30pm (which happens....)

[theredjellybean]

Exercise
in bed and usually asleep by 9pm,
Lists and organisation.
Lots of coffee

[theredjellybean]

I am another who eats quite small amounts and often fasts for 18hrs...not deliberately, just because I only eat when I am properly hungry.
I feel super sluggish if I eat three times a day

[cathyclown]

To those who use Spatone iron, when do you take it?

I was looking up the "rules" for best absorption, and it is on an empty stomach, no tea, no calcium, no milk for an hour for it to work best. OJ ok though.

Now that would mean waking myself at 3am!

I am being lighthearted here, so I suppose I can take it any time I want, but max absorption is without the above for an hour or so.

Thank you!

[Wishingandwaiting]

Exercise. Lots of it.
Walk everywhere
90% fresh veg and fruit
Alcohol maybe 2-3x a month
Vitamins (D,magnesium and zinc)

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

Sorting out the mental load helps. Write down the 10 things that niggle most. The things you know you really ought to do and do them. You will feel so much better.

Organise stuff eg have a craft box full of stuff for school projects, a pot of change for bring £2 to school for charity days etc. Spare stationary, wrapping paper etc.

This makes a surprising difference - if a task only takes 2 minutes don’t spend 2 mins putting it on your to do list - just do the task straight away.

[oldlaundbooth]

Very boring but I:

Go to bed at 9.30pm (get up at 6am)

Eat really well (loads of veg, not much alcohol, not much sugar. Lotsa cawfee though)

Do a lower carb diet most of the time. Not much bread, pasta or rice. Lentils and squash (butternut), sweet potato as filler uppers, as it were. Protein and fat as snacks I. E hard boiled eggs, peanut butter on rice cakes.

Drink loads of water

Try and exercise every day - walking etc. Don't have time for high intensity stuff really.

I think the keys are don't do stuff that makes you feel shit - so for me it's early nights and no alcohol!

[HandMini]

Fasting 2 days a week - don’t lose that much weight as I eat it back on another days, but massive impact on energy and alertness.

Priorities sleep over all else.

Try not to eat carbs much at all.

Chug loads of water all day.

Walk round the house each evening just DOING in every room so picking up crap, hanging washing, cleaning cats bowl. I do it with a cup of tea and it puts me in the right mindset for bed. I guess it’s literally “putting your house in order”.

[oldlaundbooth]

I'm 35 btw and have two kids

[Soyalatteforme]

Cathyclown I take spatone first thing as I wake up early and can't manage food for a while. I usually eat fruit for breakfast on my journey in to work.

[HaHaHmm]

Vitamin D, iron, and B-vitamin supplements.

[SagelyNodding]

You all forgot guilt and The Fear! Big motivators here!
Seriously though, exercise, a big glass of water first thing in the morning, regular bedtimes, and a healthy diet really do help.

[HaHaHmm]

Also - I couldn't get on with Spatone sachets. I don't like orange juice and it's totally unpalatable without. I take Floradix tablets instead.

[AnnieAnoniMouse]

I'd give you some wise advice if I'd found anything that had worked for me! I'm my own worst enemy too though. Sigh.

[manicinsomniac]

Modafinil

Works though!

[Strokethefurrywall]

@TheGrumpySquirrel and @upsidedown2017 - yes the bulletproof coffee is the one with butter in it. I make it with one tablespoon grassfed unsalted Kerrygold butter and one tablespoon MCT oil (or organic coconut if you can't get MCT and don't mind the coconut taste).
Blend it all up with a stick blender, add some cream if you want and voila. Instant mad energy!

When I first wake up I'll drink a glass of water (generally have to force myself to) and then blend the coffee before I leave for the office. I will then have another bulletproof coffee at work (I bring in the butter/oil and use the blender and coffee here). I will then eat a decent meal when I get home, but have to make sure I eat enough calories because I don't eat processed carbs.
So tonight's dinner will be pork chop, mashed rutabaga and steamed vegetables. I'm generally pretty full after a big plate or seconds, and I don't limit portions, certainly not of vegetables. I eat anytime from after I get home at 5.30pm and 8pm and will snack on almonds to boost calorie intake if I've had a very busy day.

I also struggled with 16:8 and 5:2 when I was eating a standard American diet, because my cravings would never go away. As soon as I cut out processed foods/sugar, I don't crave at all which makes fasting even easier.

That being said, I am 5ft 8" and currently between 125lbs and 128lbs so don't have much, if any weight to lose - I fast for health and and cut out sugar and processed foods for the same reason (Christmas/special occasions excepted of course!) but generally eat until I'm full and everything in my kitchen is cooked in butter

[HateHomework]

• no gluten
  
• double espresso first thing
  
• a supplement called Tyrosine
  
• only natural sugar like honey
  

I work all day come back, do dinner, do homework, put to bed and then login to work again and these are the only things that keep me alive!!!