How To Stay Energized Without Caffeine

Don’t you just love walking through your day like a zombie? Physically tired, can’t focus, irritable? Of course not! But for a lot of us, that’s our reality. Sometimes even with caffeine, we have trouble making it through our day without feeling these things. Surely there is a better way to fix this than reaching for more caffeine. Good news: there are ways to stay energized without caffeine!

Let me throw this out there from the beginning: I love coffee. It is the single most encouraging reason I get up in the morning. Honestly, some mornings I would not make it without my favorite coffee, Mommee Coffee. I would never tell you that coffee is bad or that you shouldn’t drink it. But if you’re not a coffee or caffeine drinker or are wondering how you can stay energized without caffeine, I am here to help! Here are several ways to stay energized without caffeine.

Put good things in your body!

It’s time for an oil change in your car. Do you put high-quality motor oil in or do you just grab some Crisco next time you’re at the grocery store and call it good? Obviously, you would choose the high-quality motor oil because you know your car would cease to work if you didn’t use quality ingredients. The same goes for your body! Putting the right fuel into your body on a daily basis is key to staying energized without caffeine.

Eat more healthy fats

Believe it or not, eating healthy fats like dark chocolate, avocado, tree nuts/nut butter, coconut oil, and grass-fed butter are super effective at energizing your body. Which makes sense when you learn that our brains are mostly made up of fat (at least 60%). When we don’t eat enough fat in our diet, our brains are deprived and can feel tired and lethargic. So go ahead, indulge in a little bit of dark chocolate (like you need an excuse).

Looking for practical ways to incorporate more healthy fats into your diet? Check out this blog post for some helpful tips.

Drink more water and less sugar and caffeine

Just like your brain needs fat to function properly, your body needs water to operate at an optimal level. The adult human body is at least 60% water and without enough water, your body will feel super sluggish and fatigued. This is known as dehydration and can occur when you drink too much caffeine and sugary drinks (so stay away!).

Drinking at least a gallon of water a day will flush out toxins, help curb those sugar cravings, and keep your body functioning properly. If you’re having trouble getting all of your water in, try squeezing fresh lemon in your water or try coconut water instead. Just give your body some water!

Eat more plant-based foods

It’s no coincidence that the top ten superfoods are plant-based. Foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are the most jam-packed with nutrients in the world. So it stands to reason that if you eat more of these nutrient-dense foods you will be more energized naturally. If your body needs quality fuel to perform at its best, it makes sense to put more plant-based foods in your body!

Reduce carb intake

Eating simple carbs may give you a quick energy boost, but you’re only harming your body in the long run. Carbohydrates are broken down into sugar that your body uses for energy. This is all well and good until your body doesn’t use all of this energy and it stores it as fat.

Avoid junk food

How many times have you indulged in a drive-thru burger and fries at lunch or a donut (or two) in the breakroom and felt horrible afterward? That’s because junk food does nothing good for your body. It has little to no nutritional value and often does your body more harm than good. Your body needs whole foods with lots of nutrients to help you stay energized without caffeine.

Move your body!

While it may sound crazy that expending energy will help you stay energized, it’s true! It gets your heart rate up, your blood pumping, and your endorphins flowing. Endorphins are a chemical that triggers happiness in your brain (who doesn’t want more of that??) and helps reduce stress. When you have more happiness and less stress in your life, you will naturally be more energized.

Exercising in the morning is also a very effective energy booster. It helps you clear your mind and get mentally prepared for the day. Moving your body daily improves the quality of sleep which will help you stay energized throughout your day.

Sleep

Make sure you move your body to your bed and get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep. Sleep is a key part of keeping your body running smoothly and staying energized. Throughout the night, your body releases hormones that repair cells and control your body’s use of energy. Sounds pretty important right?

You should also wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Yes, you read that right- no more sleeping in a few hours on the weekend. Getting up at the same time every day will keep you in a routine which will help you get more quality sleep. Better sleep equals more energy. Don’t skip it!

It’s simple: take care of your body and it will take care of you. Staying energized without caffeine is not an impossible dream.