Your body’s energy levels probably have a lot more to do with your ability to slim down than you think. They probably affect your weight loss in more ways than you realize too. And it’s certainly not only about having too little energy to do any extra activities.
In fact, the idea of energy being only for extra activities is part of the problem. Even if you did absolutely nothing all day; didn’t even lift your little finger, you’d probably still burn more than half of the calories you burn on a day of normal activity.
3 Different Types Energy Crisis
First, what we’re talking about here is not an ongoing ‘energy crisis’ in your body, or chronic fatigue, which can have a number of diagnosable causes from a wide variety of diseases and ailments.
Instead, we’re talking about the occasional and/or temporary drops in energy most people experience. These can include the afternoon slump that makes many of us just want to lie down for a nap, to the longer-lasting lethargy that can set in for days, weeks, even months.
The three main physical issues that can bring on a lack of energy include:
1. Issues with Your Adrenal System
You hear a lot about thrill seekers in search of the next adrenalin rush. But adrenalin isn’t just about getting a natural ‘high’. It actually gives us the day-to-day energy we need to function normally.
2. High Insulin Production
The insulin released by your pancreas into your blood stream facilitates the conversion of blood sugar into the energy your body needs. When too much insulin is produced by your body fairly rapidly, it reduces you blood sugar levels to the point where you lose energy.
3. Too Little Nutrition
When your body is denied the vitamins and nutrients it needs, it decides to reduce its energy needs to make sure it has enough energy left to maintain basic functions for as long as possible. And that makes you feel tired.
Examples of What can Cause Each Type of Energy Crisis
There are other causes of drops in your energy levels, including extra activity, too little sleep and stress. But they can all be reversed by directly addressing the cause. For example, if your energy levels are low because you got too little sleep, then start getting more sleep and your energy levels will return.
1. What Can Cause an Adrenal Issue
Coffee!!! The caffeine in coffee is our ‘upper’ of choice. Both Canada and The U.S.A are among the top 10 coffee-consuming countries in the world. But we’re not about to tell you that coffee, or the caffeine in it, is bad for you. Unless you drink more than a couple cups at a time.
Caffeine gives you the ‘wake-me-up’ you need in part by stimulating the production of adrenalin. But too much caffeine can literally cause your adrenal system to temporarily stop working. And then you have an energy crisis.
2. What can Cause an Insulin Issue
You might be way ahead of us on this one. But eating or drinking a lot of anything with a high sugar content triggers a burst of insulin production, which saps your blood sugar and causes you to crash.
3. What can Cause a Nutrition Issue
This one might seem fairy straight forward, but the reality is very complex. When you eat foods that are low in vitamins and nutrients, like many processed foods and sugary and/or salty snacks, your body can have two main reactions.
First, because it hasn’t received the energy it needs it can keep sending hunger signals even after you’ve eaten, which can lead to overeating. Second, under prolonged nutrient depravation, like during a crash weight-loss diet, your body can actually lower its energy requirements to adjust to the new level of food and energy its getting. It’s this last scenario that can make you feel lethargic for as lng as your body isn’t getting the energy it needs.
Interestingly, most of the causes of your energy crises are also related to increased weight and/or difficulty in losing weight.
So if you take steps to eat healthier to avoid the dropouts in your energy, you’ll also be taking major steps towards healthy weight loss. If you’d like to learn more about how to take advantage of this healthy one-two punch, call or visit your local Herbal One Centre and talk to a nutrition consultant who will be happy to help you get started.