As my kids started getting older, I found myself wanting to do more for me. But the exhaustion was real. After the school runs, work, and dinner, I had no energy left. All I wanted to do was collapse on the couch with some snacks and zone out in front of the TV.
I knew this wasn’t the lifestyle I wanted for myself. I needed to make some changes to get my energy back, shed those extra pounds, and feel good in my changing body again.
In this post, I will explain the steps and changes I made to regain control of my health – and you can do the same!
Here’s how to transform your energy, banish exhaustion and brain fog, and start loving your body again, all by making a few simple but powerful changes.
1. Making Every Bite Count
As we enter our late 30s and 40s, our bodies become less forgiving of poor food choices, and we really start to feel how what we eat impacts our energy and well-being.
To maintain steady energy, manage weight, and feel your best, being mindful of what goes on your plate is key.
One important area to focus on is keeping glucose levels stable. When your blood sugar spikes from sugary foods, snacks, or refined carbs, it gives you a quick burst of energy followed by a crash.
This cycle leaves you feeling tired, foggy, and reaching for more snacks to boost your energy.
Simple Ways to Balance Your Nutrition:
- Cut back on sugary foods and snacks: Sugary treats might feel good in the moment, but they’re often the cause of energy crashes. If you’re craving something sweet, have it as a dessert after a meal rather than as a snack.
This way, the food you’ve already eaten helps buffer the spike in blood sugar, keeping energy levels more stable and avoiding cravings later on.
- Avoid ultra-processed foods and cook from scratch when possible: Ultra-processed foods are loaded with added sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial ingredients that can lead to energy crashes, weight gain, and poor health.
Cooking from scratch gives you control over what goes into your meals, helping you avoid these hidden dangers.
Meal prepping is also a game-changer—by preparing food in advance, you can avoid the temptation of unhealthy convenience foods on busy days. Opting for whole, nutrient-dense ingredients will keep your energy steady and your body feeling its best.
- Switch to wholegrains: Choose wholegrains like oats, quinoa, wholewheat pasta, bulgur wheat, or brown rice for a slower release of energy. Complex carbohydrates like these help stabilize blood sugar better than simple carbs like white bread, pasta, or rice.
- Start your day with protein: Begin your mornings with protein to keep you fuller for longer and support muscle health. Think eggs, Greek yogurt, or a protein smoothie. Starting the day with protein can help curb cravings later on.
- Lower carbs, increase protein: Balancing your meals with a higher protein content and fewer refined carbs helps stabilize blood sugar. Aim for at least 30g of protein per main meal to keep you full for longer and prevent blood sugar dips.
- Rethink snacking: For most of us in midlife, snacking isn’t always necessary. If you do feel the need for a snack, opt for something savoury and protein-rich to prevent energy slumps. Sweet snacks will only lead to another crash later on.
2. Intermittent Fasting: The Energy Boost You Need
If you’re looking for a simple yet powerful way to boost your energy and manage your weight, intermittent fasting is definitely worth trying.
It’s not just about cutting calories, but for many, fasting naturally leads to eating less without feeling restricted. This approach gives your body more time between meals to reset and function optimally.
For me, intermittent fasting was a real game changer. It helped me manage what I eat more easily, reduced my overall cravings, and allowed me to feel more in control of my food choices.
There are several ways to incorporate intermittent fasting—ranging from a 12-hour fast to a 20-hour window, or even having just one main meal a day. The key is to gradually extend your fasting window and find what works best for your body and lifestyle.
Why Intermittent Fasting Works:
- Balances glucose and insulin levels: By giving your body longer breaks between meals, intermittent fasting helps stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels, which keeps your energy steady throughout the day and reduces those sudden energy crashes.
- Promotes fat burning: During fasting periods, your body shifts to burning stored fat for fuel. This not only helps with weight management but also keeps you feeling more energized for longer periods.
- Reduces cravings: Fasting helps regulate hunger hormones like ghrelin, naturally decreasing cravings for unhealthy snacks and sugary foods. Over time, you’ll notice that you feel less hungry and more satisfied with the meals you do eat.
- Supports cardiovascular health: Fasting has been shown to improve heart health by reducing risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and inflammation, contributing to better overall cardiovascular function.
- Boosts cellular repair and longevity: Extended periods of fasting trigger a process called autophagy, where your body clears out damaged cells and regenerates new ones. This promotes healthy aging, supports your immune system, and may even reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
- Improves mental clarity: Many people report better focus and mental clarity while fasting. Without the constant need to digest food, your body can redirect energy towards brain function, leading to sharper thinking and less brain fog.
Fasting isn’t one-size-fits-all. Start by extending your fasting window gradually, experiment with different timeframes, and listen to your body. Whether it’s 12 hours or 18, find what feels sustainable for you, and enjoy the benefits of more balanced energy, reduced cravings, and better health.
3. Movement: Keep It Simple, but Keep It Consistent
As a mum, finding time to exercise can feel like a luxury, but staying active doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the gym. In fact, consistent movement throughout the day—even just a few minutes at a time—can have a huge impact on your energy, health, and mood. The key is to make it simple and sustainable.
Easy Ways to Move More:
- Five-minute bursts: A quick five-minute workout can make a big difference. Whether it’s squats, a brisk walk, or some stretches, these small moments of movement add up over the day, boosting circulation and energy.
- Tabata or interval training: Short bursts of high-intensity exercise (like Tabata) are an excellent way to get your heart rate up and improve fitness in minimal time. These quick sessions are energizing and can help you burn fat even after you’re done.
- Move after meals: A short walk or light activity after eating aids digestion and helps keep your glucose levels stable, which prevents energy dips and boosts your metabolism.
- Strength training: Building muscle through strength training doesn’t just tone your body; it also boosts your metabolism, helps with fat loss, and increases energy levels by improving overall body function and insulin sensitivity.
Why Exercise Boosts Your Energy:
You might think exercise would leave you feeling exhausted, but in reality, it often has the opposite effect. Here’s why:
- Increased blood flow: Exercise gets your blood pumping, improving circulation, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your cells more efficiently. This translates into better body function and steadier energy throughout the day.
- Stable glucose levels: Physical activity helps regulate your glucose and insulin levels, preventing the spikes and crashes that lead to fatigue and brain fog. This keeps your energy levels more consistent.
- Release of feel-good hormones: When you exercise, your body releases endorphins—often called “feel-good” hormones—that boost your mood and make you feel more energized, not just physically but mentally as well.
- Improved insulin sensitivity: Regular exercise improves your body’s ability to use insulin effectively, which leads to better blood sugar control and sustained energy. This is especially important as we age and our metabolism naturally slows down.
Remember, the goal is consistency, not perfection. Whether you’re squeezing in a few minutes of movement between tasks or taking a brisk walk after meals, every little bit counts and contributes to better energy and overall health.
4. Gut Health: Your Second Brain
Your gut is often called your “second brain” for a reason – it’s deeply connected to your overall health, including digestion, energy levels, and your immune system, with up to 80% of immunity linked to the gut.
Poor gut health can cause bloating, sluggishness, and even brain fog. By nurturing your gut with the right foods, you can boost your energy naturally and feel revitalized.
Tips for a Healthy Gut:
- Avoid ultra-processed foods: These can cause inflammation and disrupt your gut’s balance of bacteria, leading to digestive discomfort and low energy. Prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods to support better digestion and overall health.
- Add fermented foods: Foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt are rich in probiotics, which help grow the good bacteria in your gut, aiding digestion and boosting energy levels.
- Limit artificial sweeteners: While they might seem like a healthy swap, artificial sweeteners can negatively affect the balance of bacteria in your gut. Stick to natural sweeteners or avoid them altogether where possible.
- Eat the rainbow: A wide variety of colourful vegetables provides different nutrients and fibre types that feed your gut bacteria. The more diverse your diet, the more diverse your gut microbiome will be, leading to better digestion, stable energy, and improved overall health.
By nourishing your gut with these simple steps, you’ll not only improve digestion but also enhance your energy and focus, helping you feel more vibrant day-to-day.
5. Sleep is Your Superpower
If you’ve ever had a rough night’s sleep and felt like you were dragging yourself through the next day, you already know how crucial sleep is.
Not getting enough rest can mess with your hunger hormones, making you crave sugary foods and feel even more exhausted.
Prioritizing quality sleep makes a massive difference – not just to your energy and mood, but also to your ability to make healthier choices throughout the day.
After a good night’s sleep, your body repairs itself, your productivity and focus improve, and you have better insulin sensitivity and hormone balance, including key hormones like ghrelin and leptin that regulate hunger and fullness.
Tips for Better Sleep:
- No caffeine after early afternoon: Caffeine can linger in your system for up to 10 hours, so it’s best to avoid it after lunchtime to ensure better sleep.
- No late-night snacks: Eating close to bedtime can interfere with your body’s ability to rest, so try to finish meals at least three hours before hitting the pillow.
- Limit screen time before bed: The blue light from screens disrupts your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Turn off devices at least an hour before bed to help your body wind down.
- Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep: Getting enough rest helps balance your hunger hormones and boosts your energy levels, so make sleep a priority every night.
Building New Habits
The secret to long-term success is consistency. It’s not about making huge changes overnight, but starting with small, manageable steps that you can build on daily.
Whether it’s adding more protein to your breakfast or taking a five-minute walk, these small efforts add up to big results over time.
How to Build New Habits:
- Start small: Focus on one habit at a time. For example, swap out sugary snacks or go for a short walk after dinner. Small, achievable goals are easier to stick with.
- Consistency is key: Even minor changes can lead to significant improvements when you practice them daily. Over time, consistency compounds into lasting transformation.
- Make it easy: Set yourself up for success by removing obstacles. If you want to walk more, leave your trainers by the door. Want to eat healthier? Prep meals ahead of time so it’s easy to grab something nutritious.
- Make it obvious: Create visual cues to remind yourself of your goals. Put a water bottle on your desk to remind you to stay hydrated, or write down your workout plan and keep it visible.
- Make it enjoyable: Find ways to enjoy the process. Choose activities you like, such as a fun fitness class or experimenting with new recipes. When you enjoy the habit, it becomes easier to stick with.
- Keep things fresh: If you’re feeling stuck, shake up your routine. Try new exercises, recipes, or even different hobbies to stay motivated and engaged on your journey.
Loving Your Changing Body
As mums in midlife, our bodies are naturally going through changes—whether it’s weight fluctuations, hormone shifts, or perimenopause. But instead of fighting these changes, it’s all about embracing them and focusing on how you feel, not just how you look.
By doing things like staying active, eating nourishing foods, and prioritizing sleep, you’ll not only boost your energy and manage your weight but also feel more connected to your body.
It’s important to focus on how you feel – whether it’s feeling lighter, more energized, or stronger in your daily activities – rather than obsessing over the numbers on the scale.
Celebrate your progress along the way. Each small step, like adding more whole foods to your meals or making time for short bursts of movement, brings you closer to feeling your best.
Staying active and building strength will help you feel youthful, vibrant, and confident as you move through this phase of life.
Take Charge of Your Health and Energy
Now is the perfect time to refocus on your health and well-being. By making small, sustainable changes to your nutrition, exercise, sleep, and habits, you can regain your energy, banish exhaustion and brain fog, and love your body again.
Embrace the changes, celebrate how far you’ve come, and remember that feeling great is within your reach – you’ve just got to take that first step.
Are you ready to take the first step? Check out my 1 Hour to Take Back Control or 1:1 Coaching Program.
