Food

[Barinthus]

Every morning before I go to work I eat a delicious apple to help me wake up for the day. It works very well for me and the best thing is it's more healthy than coffee.

However in the afternoon I go into this low energy stump and would like to have something to help perk me up.

Coffee is not acceptable as well as candies or soda. Is there any food out there like this?

My stump started 3 hours ago and I'm still tired

[Sava]

What's wrong with coffee? It has tons of antioxidants!

[chequita guevara]

What about tea? You could get a fruit smoothie, drink some oj, have a Snickers.

[Spiffor]

Fruit juice, especially vitamin juices, taken during lunch. Let them replace your dessert, if you have one (in any case, let them replace whatever sugary drink you could have)

Vitamins don't act as an immediate energizer in my experience, but they allow you to remain fit for extended periods of time while remaining healthy

[Barinthus]

Coffee - I don't want to become caffenine dependent just like my old man and so many others whom simply cannot function without caffeine.

Tea is fine but on an occasional basis due to its lower dosage of caffaine. Snickers is not an option . I'm looking for something I can take on nearly daily basis.

Fruit juice while a good idea do have high amount of sugar, it's nearly if not equally as bad as soda. I shun soda and desserts so fruit juice would be bringing more sugar into my diet :P

I figured if an apple in the morning helps to wake me up, there must be something else out there.

[Spiffor]

Besides, the afternoon stump can be largely affected by what you're eating at lunch. If you're eating foods that are difficult to digerate (heavy foods such as French fries, for examples), your body will divert more energy in the digestion than otherwise.

I haven't observed my own experience with enough discipline to say sure shots, but my general impression is that low fat foods are less tiresome: green veggies, pasta, fruit, rice, white meat.

Another thing is that you can feel tired if you hadn't eaten enough recently. In particular, if your body can't take energy from available sugars. Fast-sugars such as those found in sodas suck in this regard, because they're quickly assimilated into fat. Slow-sugars, however, are a good idea for you to remain awake during the hours after your lunch (you might have a short downtime right after eating them though, due to digestion)

[Sava]

Originally posted by Barinthus
Coffee - I don't want to become caffenine dependent just like my old man and so many others whom simply cannot function without caffeine.

drinking a cup of coffee (or god forbid, TWO) is not going to make you caffeine dependent...

and even if you are, what's wrong with it? you are dependent on water aren't you? you aren dependent on peeing aren't you?

what's wrong with being dependent on things if they are good?

picky eaters

no wonder your energy level fluctuates so much, your body is probably so screwed up because you sound almost like a hypochodriac!

and the sugars in fruit are simple sugars... you really need to learn more about nutrition... simple sugars = good... complex sugars = bad (processed foods)

[Datajack Franit]

Green Tea

[Zopperoni]

You could try muesli bars. It does matter which brand you take, because some are pure sugar-bombs

[mrmitchell]

Dr Pepper at 10, 2, and 4....

I can't think of any substitute. Other than eat more lighter stuff, like Spiffor said.

Sleep more at night, too, if possible

[Spiffor]

In any case, if you have high blood-sugar, I'd advise you to ask a specialist. In general, sugars are good for being energetic* (I include slow sugars such as pasta), but in your particular case, they might be unappropriate. A nutrition specialist would give tips more appropriate to your case.


*I once experienced the lack of energy due to the complete lack of sugar. For 36 hours, I had barely eaten anything, and it was sugar-low meat IIRC. I had a good share of sleep, but I still felt that my brain was functioning at very low capacity - I was unable to focus, and generally felt very tired.
I was dragged at the beer festival, where I ate a fruit+chocolate candy, which was a caricature of "sweet" I felt better almost immediately, and it was noticeable to the outside as well

[Spiffor]

BTW Barinthus, why are you so strict on your diet? Is it because of a medical condition, or is it because you want to lose weight?

[Barinthus]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Besides, the afternoon stump can be largely affected by what you're eating at lunch. If you're eating foods that are difficult to digerate (heavy foods such as French fries, for examples), your body will divert more energy in the digestion than otherwise.

I haven't observed my own experience with enough discipline to say sure shots, but my general impression is that low fat foods are less tiresome: green veggies, pasta, fruit, rice, white meat.

Another thing is that you can feel tired if you hadn't eaten enough recently. In particular, if your body can't take energy from available sugars. Fast-sugars such as those found in sodas suck in this regard, because they're quickly assimilated into fat. Slow-sugars, however, are a good idea for you to remain awake during the hours after your lunch (you might have a short downtime right after eating them though, due to digestion)

Today I had slices of pumpernickel bread with soft cheese spread along with baby tomatoes and basil leaves at lunch at 12:40, the slump started at around 2:15

[Barinthus]

Originally posted by Sava
drinking a cup of coffee (or god forbid, TWO) is not going to make you caffeine dependent...

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough - I was asking about something I could take on nearly daily basis. Personally I love coffee but I drink those occasionally and do not depend on it to perk myself up in the morning.

and even if you are, what's wrong with it? you are dependent on water aren't you? you aren dependent on peeing aren't you?

what's wrong with being dependent on things if they are good?

You have no choice re: water and peeing. You have a choice re: coffee ladened with sugar and fat which I fail to find 'goodness' in. My father is so dependent on coffee he simply cannot function in mornings and is so cranky he's simply unapproachable until he've had his first cup of joe. I don't want that for myself, no thanks, sir.

picky eater

Trust me, I'm quite the opposite. If it's egibile, I have already ate it or want to try it.

and the sugars in fruit are simple sugars... you really need to learn more about nutrition... simple sugars = good... complex sugars = bad (processed foods)

Most processed fruit juice have sugar added to them. I do drink juices but only those that come 'naturally' with their own frutose rather than having outside sugar added.

[Mrs. Tuberski]

Barinthus about mid afternoon I usually have the cheese and peanut butter crackers. This mainly for low blow sugar. That with a few glasses of water i am good for a few hours.