Being tired in the summer feels leagues different than it does in any other season.
The sun is shining! The sky is blue! The temperature is warm and inviting! And there’s tons to do outside.
Sounds amazing, right?
When you’re ready to seize the day and your body and mind are sharp, yes. When you’re tired and groggy, it can make you feel terrible! There’s so much day you want to make the best of, but seemingly just can’t. I know you know the feeling.
You wake up, look outside, and for some reason, even though you see the rays smiling down at you, you think “Ugh.”
The staff at MV Fitness know that feeling, too.
It can be hard to jump right out of bed ready to teach a cardio class.
Sometimes you need a little help.
Rather than reaching for coffee, we’ve come up with a list of non-caffeinated, natural alternatives that don’t break the bank or involve doing anything you wouldn’t normally do (like sipping on potato water… it works, though).
Citrus, Citrus, Citrus, Citrus
Oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes. The big four when it comes to energizing your mind and body. Just the smell of an orange or lemon can trick your mind into thinking it’s energized.
Because of their high Vitamin C content, citrus fruits help out our immune system while aiding in iron absorption, too.
Lemons, specifically, are natural metabolism boosters and increase mental performance.
Milk
Milk, as you may not know, has electrolytes! Four of them in fact: sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. But not only is milk a great post-workout drink to replenish what was loss during exercise, it also offers protein and energy-revving carbohydrates.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is known as nature’s natural sports drink.
Coconuts have high levels of minerals and potassium, an important energy-producing electrolyte for physical activity.
Water in general
We’ve all been dehydrated before, taken a sip of water and a few minutes later… BAM! The life has been spiked back into you.
Without it, our metabolism can slow down, our moods can alter and energy can be quickly drained. So start with a glass of it every morning!
Green Smoothies!
And last but not least, the green smoothie, with which you are probably all too familiar.
Every health website we ever search always mentions the mystical powers of combining all things green into a blender.
They’re not wrong!
This one isn’t as easy as the others, but if you have these 6 ingredients: kale, spinach, apples, lemons, celery and cucumbers, you can do it!
With possibly every vitamin and nutrient you can think of, this smoothie smacks you in the face with energy and brain power. Leafy greens deliver you a huge source of your B vitamins, which help convert carbs into energy.
B vitamins are also water soluble, so your body can’t store them. It just wants to use them up, so get some of these in your body, people!