When you remove caffeine and carbohydrates from your diet for health or weight-loss reasons, you may notice that your energy level drops. Caffeine is a highly addictive substance, and your body will go through withdrawals when you quit. A decrease in your carbohydrate intake may improve your health and weight in the long run, but carbs do provide fuel for your body. With proper lifestyle changes, you can cut out caffeine and carbs while keeping the fatigue at bay.
Step 1
Drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily. Your body is mostly composed of water, and you need a proper amount to function at your peak and stay hydrated. According to the book "Water," even a small amount of dehydration can make you feel tired, clumsy and moody.
Step 2
Engage in moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day. Exercise can improve your energy levels and sense of well-being. Try walking, hiking, gardening or playing with your kids. Your body uses carbohydrates as fuel, so high-intensity exercises like sprinting or weightlifting might leave you fatigued instead.
Step 3
Eat vegetables with no or very few net carbs. Vegetables are loaded with vitamins that provide natural energy. Vegetables containing zero to one net carb per serving include alfalfa sprouts, arugula, bok choy, celery, chicory greens, chives, cucumber, daikon, endive, escarole, iceberg lettuce, parsley, radicchio, radishes and romaine lettuce. A net carb is the number of grams of carbs in food after the carbohydrates in fiber have been subtracted from the entire amount of carbs.
Step 4
Establish a consistent sleep schedule, with seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Most bodies thrive on routine and need a proper amount of sleep to feel rested and energetic.
Step 5
Take a complete daily multivitamin. Even if you eat low-carb vegetables, you may be missing out on some of the nutrients found in higher-carb vegetables and fruit. Also consider taking an herbal supplement such as ginseng or bee pollen.
Things You'll Need
- Water
- Multivitamins
References
- Atkins: Glossary
- "The All-New Atkins Advantage"; Colette Heimowitz; 2007
- "Nutrition"; Paul Insel et al.; 2010
- "Water"; Louise Spilsbury et al.; 2007
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