I love donuts. How about you? There is nothing like biting into a cream-filled delight with my morning coffee. When I was 20, I could do this with no ill effects. But not anymore.
The older you get, the fewer calories you need to generate the necessary blood glucose, or sugar energy, your body and brain need to function. Unfortunately, we’re immersed in food-related temptations these days, whether it’s the sweets in the break room, the pop-up suggestions on our screens or the endless delectable treats in the supermarket. When it comes to dragging through the day, succumbing to these temptations could be one of the big reasons. Isn’t that frustrating? We eat to enjoy. We eat to feel better. Frankly, we eat out of habit.
When I’ve asked those who seem to maintain their energy and focus throughout the day, however, I find that almost universally they have a developed an energy-conscious routine they stick to, day in and day out. This doesn’t mean that they don’t indulge at times. But they are conscious of when they do.
They have also programmed themselves to resist these temptations by removing them from the environment, avoiding those aisles in the supermarket and using mental associations to dissuade them from reaching for that juicy, fat-filled, sugar-coated treat. When I was in college, I purchased the candy for an on-campus concession. That meant I spent 30 minutes inside the candy distributor once per week. Talk about systematic desensitization! That cured me of my desire for candy from an early age.
Then there’s those donuts. A number of years ago, my good friend Brian, used the term “gut-bomb” in reference to the donut he was watching me eat. Along with being a firefighter and paramedic and an ice and rock climber, Brian is one of the most physically fit people I know. His gut-bomb comment felt like a punch in MY gut. He wasn’t being judgmental, just making a joke. But it created such an ugly visual in my head that from there on I just stopped eating donuts and their sugar-coated cousins.
I’m no dietician. But I have become a keen observer of how my body performs based on the food I eat and the exercise regimen I am committed to. Those who are able to manage and overcome feelings of overwhelm are committed to physically healthy routines. They recognize the interconnection between our physical and emotional states. So, what is one little change you can make in your daily eating that will help boost your energy? Don’t give up a bunch of stuff at once. That will just add stress. Just one small adjustment will add some energy and focus to your day.
What do you do to manage the endless food-related temptations around you? We’d all like to know. Put them in the comments below and make sure to subscribe to this channel for more practical ideas just like these. I’m Bob Wendover.