In collaboration with Fresh toast
A lifestyle with lots of workouts and conscious eating can also cause you to feel tired. Here are some things that can trigger this response.
Living a “healthy” lifestyle can be rewarding, but also downright exhausting. To live the best life, it is important that we find the right balance, giving ourselves breaks and not sticking to things obsessively.
While you may do it all right: exercise constantly, sleep eight hours every night, eat lots of vegetables and healthy foods, you may find yourself exhausted. CNN made a list of healthy behaviors that can be exhausting and even harmful when addressed too strictly. Here are 5 of the most important:
Cutting out all carbs
Carbohydrates are often associated with many calories and are usually the first thing to follow when following a diet. While some carbs contain a lot of calories, they are also helpful in keeping you hydrated and energetic. “For every gram of carbohydrate stored in the body, there are approximately 2 to 3 grams of water retained,” explained dietitian Elizabeth DeRobertis. Water retention is critical to maintaining energy, which is why it’s important to continue consuming high-fiber carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, and grains. And if you didn’t already know, refined carbs, such as pizza crust, white bread, and chips, aren’t the same as oatmeal, quinoa, and whole-grain pasta. One carbohydrate will drain your energy, while the other will nourish you. Can you guess which is which?
Eat too many carbohydrates
The opposite is also true: eating too many carbs can make people feel lethargic and slow, even when it comes to healthy variety. These elements tend to turn into sugar once digested, which causes our bodies to produce more insulin, leaving you tired even if what you eat was a mixture of fruit, beans and other healthy carbohydrates.
RELATED: Are you hungry before going to bed? Here’s what you can do about it
Feeding is a trial and error process; when consuming new foods or new combinations, watch how you feel afterwards.
Eat an incomplete diet
Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or carnivorous, you may not get enough vitamins and minerals. While many people think that it is mainly vegans and vegetarians who do not have iron and B12, the truth is that many people have trouble absorbing these nutrients. Since B12 is found naturally in soil (not meat), it’s a good idea to supplement it if you think it may be deficient. Similarly, people who eat a high-meat diet may still be iron-deficient. If you are not feeling well, go for a blood test to find out if you are missing vitamins and, if necessary, take a supplement.
Working too hard
RELATED: Here’s how working too much can lead to weight gain
If you adopt a new lifestyle that includes a lot of exercise, you may also feel exhausted for a variety of reasons. Maybe you’re working out too much or not consuming the right amount of calories to support your daily activity. Watch how you feel and think about reducing your workouts or eating more carbs if you feel your body is not feeling rested and comfortable.
Eliminate too many calories
Fasting and reducing meals and snacks can affect your daily feeling. Instead of feeling hungry, you may also experience a lot of sleep and exhaustion. If you tend to feel slow at a certain time of day, try eating a healthy snack, with enough carbs, protein, and fiber, and watch how you feel afterwards. This strict monitoring of your body may be tributary at first, but it will help you better understand how your body works and how to create a diet and lifestyle that is personal to you and gives you the results you need. It is still important to eat when you are hungry to maintain this accelerated metabolism.
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