5 Food Tricks for Fighting Fatigue

1. Eat the majority of your daily calories between sunrise and sunset.

Here's why:

Food is fuel for your body. Consuming food during the time that you are most active allows a steady flow of energy to your muscles and, most importantly, to your brain. It doesn't make sense to bank the majority of your calories until dinner and beyond, when your body is the least active and your biggest mental challenge is switching TV channels. Not eating enough food during the day can cause fatigue, slow down your ability to perform mental tasks, and make focusing a feat of Olympic proportion.

Here's what to do:

Eat no less than 2/3 of your daily calories before dinner, when your body and mind are starving for fuel.

2. Make your morning meal the breakfast of champions.

Here's why:

After a night's slumber and no noshing, you should "break the fast" with food to restock your body's glucose, or blood sugar, levels. Glucose is the fuel of choice for your brain. The best combination to fuel your brain and body is a breakfast consisting of complex carbohydrates (whole grains, fruit), protein (lean meat and dairy), and some fat (margarine, nuts). This combo will help keep your blood sugar on an even keel, help squelch hunger, and give you the long-lasting energy needed to make it through your hectic morning -- the first leg of your daily race -- until you can refuel at lunch.

Here's what to do:

Try any of these breakfast combinations:

*whole grain cereal and milk and a banana smeared with a little peanut butter
*whole wheat pita pocket stuffed with tomato slices and low-fat cheese, zapped in the microwave
*whole grain oatmeal made with low-fat milk, topped with a sprinkling of chopped dates and walnuts

3. Make sure that you munch on lunch.

Here's why:

Somewhere along the line, lunch time became errand time. Eating became a luxury, and picking up the dry cleaning became a necessity. Grabbing a puny snack from the vending machine for lunch can set off an energy lull later in the afternoon. Worse yet, your afternoon slump will have you yawning through those late-day meetings.

Here's what to do:

Don't skimp on lunch. Make sure your mid-day meal contains whole grains and plenty of veggies for bulk as well as lean protein and fat. This winning combination will provide satiety -- the feeling of fullness. With a satisfying lunch under your belt, you'll be less apt to chow down on the office munchies that are always lying around. Try these quick mid-day meals:

*Stuff a whole grain pita with tons of veggies from the salad bar, some protein-rich tuna or chicken, and light salad dressing.
*Chase a lean roast beef sandwich with a mug of a hearty vegetable soup.
*Roll up a whole wheat flat bread coated with hummus, and topped with chickpeas or kidney beans and layers and layers of veggies.

4. Snack to complete your day.

Here's why:

Your lunch fuel will only last a few hours, so you need to tack on an afternoon snack to feed the last leg of your day. Avoid sugary snacks such as candy and soda, which will give you a burst of fuel but little else.

Here's what to do:

Plan an afternoon snack of nutrient- and carbo-rich turbo fuel, such as:

*a carton of yogurt and a piece of fruit
*a small can of low-sodium veggie juice and a handful of whole grain crackers
*half of a small bagel and an ounce of low-fat cheese

5. Drink more from the water cooler and less from the coffee mug.

Here's why:

Fatigue is one of the early signs of mild dehydration, according to a research article (Kleiner, S. Water: An essential but overlooked nutrient. Journal of The American Dietetic Association, February 1999). "Individuals can easily feel fatigued if they are not drinking nine to 12 cups of decaffeinated beverages daily. Make five of these cups water," says the author, Dr. Susan Kleiner, Affiliate Assistant Professor with the Nutritional Sciences Program at the University of Washington, Seattle and author of "Power Eating," Human Kinetics, 1998.

While caffeine is a stimulant that will perk you up when you are starting to droop, the "lift" is only temporary and wears off several hours later. Another problem with drinking mugs of java all day is that caffeine is also a diuretic, which acts on the body to lose water and could lead to dehydration if taken in excess, according to Dr. Kleiner.

And worse yet, if you are endlessly drinking caffeine-containing beverages in an effort to fight fatigue, you may find yourself "all wound up" when you are ready to turn in. Caffeine can hang around in your body for about three to seven hours, so any caffeine-containing tea, coffee, or soft drinks consumed in the afternoon can still be with you when you climb into bed, resulting in inadequate or restless sleep. The last thing you want when trying to fight fatigue is to start out your day feeling tired.

Here's what to do:

Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Keep your caffeine consumption to a moderate amount, which is no more than about 300 milligrams or the equivalent in two to three cups of coffee. Individuals sensitive to the jolting effects of caffeine should consider consuming even less. If you need to cut back on caffeine, do so gradually to avoid a headache withdrawal.