Whether you’re a full-time parent, a corporate executive, or college student, having a stable mood and energy is ESSENTIAL to making it through the day – WITH your sanity still in tact.
You want to THRIVE, not just SURVIVE.
There are so many factors which influence our stable moods, many of which aren’t talked about regularly.
So I created this little blueprint for you! Think of it as a flexible routine, not a rigid schedule. Like with anything, some structure is good, but too much can be overwhelming and not realistic. Feel free to do what feels good for you: if a walk at a different time of the day works better, great, do it! But note that some of the elements are best done in order, IF possible.
#1 Drink water with electrolytes first thing when you wake up
Yes, BEFORE you drink coffee.
Electrolytes are essential for hydration, especially if you are eating a whole-foods (unprocessed) diet.
Hot tip: a lot of electrolytes are loaded with sugar. LMNT is my favorite, and I love the raspberry flavor.
Bonus: drink your water outside and get some Vitamin D. Most people are vitamin D deficient, but it’s essential for healthy hormones and a stable mood.
#2 Eat breakfast and make it protein-rich
Protein is essential for stable mood and energy because it fills you up and keeps your blood sugar stable. Fewer blood sugar spikes equals more stable energy.
(For blood sugar balancing hacks, check out Glucose Goddess.)
My high protein faves:
-Eggs any way you like them (I love to add cottage cheese either mixed in when I cook the eggs or on top for additional protein. My favorites brands are Good Culture, Kalona, and Green Valley.
-Unsweetened Greek yogurt (can sweet with vanilla monk fruit drops, raw honey, pure maple syrup, or vanilla MCT powder (you can but don’t have to add protein powder to Greek yogurt as the protein content is much higher than non-Greek yogurt)
-Unsweetened non-Greek yogurt – sweeten in the ways listed above and be sure to add protein powder – a few of my favorite ones linked here, here, here, here, here, and here.)
-grass-bed beef sausages – my family loves Teton Waters Ranch
-Smoothie with unsweetened yogurt or kefir, berries, protein powder (see recs above), milk (I use Alexandre’s grass-fed A2 whole milk and would NOT recommend many nut milk substitutes because many are high in sugar and additives. If you want the cleanest almond milk option – check out Malk Organics), and MCT powder
Here are a few smoothie recipes:
#3 If you drink coffee, now’s the time
If you drink coffee, have it with or even AFTER your breakfast. This is especially important if you run anxious. The caffeine in coffee will increase your cortisol which tends to increase anxiety.
If you run anxious, you might also consider limiting or eliminating caffeine.
Personally, I prefer to drink mostly decaf coffee. My typical ratio is 1/3 caffeinated and 2/3 decaf. I use Jose’s Organic Mayan Blend for the caffeinated portion which I buy at Costco and I buy Mommee Coffee on Amazon for the decaf. Both are organic which I highly recommend to reduce glyphosate intake (a known carcinogen and disrupts healthy gut bacteria).
I add organic half and half to my coffee and sometimes add vanilla monk fruit drops.
If you drink coffee and want some good creamer/cream options, check out this reel.
#4 Continue drinking water throughout the morning
A common question is: how much water should I drink?
Aim for half your body weight in ounces as a general rule of thumb.
I always add electrolytes to my water. If you are using LMNT and are curious about how much to use, I go through one packet per day.
#5 Eat lunch – with protein
Not skipping meals is essential for stable mood and energy. We get hangry when our blood sugar drops because we haven’t eaten, so it’s really important to be sure to eat lunch before getting too hungry.
Protein, again, is a must whether you add meat to a salad, tacos, smoothie, protein yogurt (it’s not just for breakfast!), leftovers from the night before (see below for lots of dinner ideas).
#6 Mid-afternoon check-in
Many people feel that their energy plummets in the afternoon. This could be a sign of…
-Are you thirty? Where are you at on your water intake for the day? Always remember – water before snack because sometimes our body signals that we are thirsty but we misinterpret and think we are hungry.
-If your water intake is good, are you hungry? Resist eating fruit by itself, chips, crackers, anything carb heavy WITHOUT also eating protein.
Here are some snack ideas (make ahead):
Banana Pudding (omit the cookie base)
Chocolate Tahini Protein Balls
Ready-made options:
Perfect bars (available at lots of stores including Costco!)
BTR bars
-When’s the last time you’ve moved your body? Get outside. Go for a quick walk (even 10 minutes is awesome!). Do soe stretching or walk around your house if you can’t get outside.
-Have you been on the same task for a while? Sometimes it’s not what’s happening in your body that’s causing the fatigue, but rather that your mind needs to rest, reset, or switch tasks. This is where the walk can be helpful or take a break to prep dinner or even do a quick meditation if that feels good for you.
Try your absolute best to avoid coffee/caffeine at this time as it can disrupt the body’s production of melatonin in the evening and prevent a healthy bedtime.
#7 Eat a protein-rich dinner (yup, you guessed it!)
To prevent late-night snacking and stable overnight/fasting blood sugar, eat a protein-rich dinner.
Here are some ideas:
Cauliflower Bruschetta Chicken
Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo (I use Jovial cassava pasta)
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Sheet pan
Spicy Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Cups
Balsamic Mushroom and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
Baked Honey Balsamic Chicken, Broccoli, and Potatoes
Enchilada Skillet (I use grass-fed ground beef and Siete enchilada sauce)
Egg Roll in a Bowl (I use grass-fed ground beef. For the slaw, I use an organic cabbage and carrot blend and organic kale both from Trader Joe’s)
–> For more recipes that I’ve tried and loved, as well as additional wellness tips, join my email list. Scroll to the bottom of this page to sign up. (No spam, I promise!)
#8 Have a calming bedtime routine
Yes, the day is done, but relaxing the mind and body before bedtime is essential for a good night’s sleep in order to feel fully rested the next day.
Ways to have a calming evening:
-Do a short meditation
-Limit screen time an hour before bedtime (I know you’ve heard this one before but it can help sooo much if you struggle with falling asleep when you’d like) and wear blue-light-blocking glasses
-do a creative/relaxing activity instead: paint/color, read, journal, stretch, reflect on your day (when did you feel joy? when were you challenged? what are you proud of? what would you like to do differently tomorrow?)
-Go through your schedule the next day including planning/prepping meals
–wash and moisturize your face and brush your teeth
BONUS TIP: If you are already doing all of these things and still feel low energy, you might want to consider getting labs run for Vitamin D, iron, and thyroid as they can all impact energy levels.
So many things can influence your energy levels throughout the day. Life is busy and stressful in our modern world, and it’s impossible to reduce all stress and fatigue. However, these tips will help to support your energy levels and mood so that you are best equipped to handle whatever your day brings.
(Darcie Brown Therapy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.)
