A common concern, "Why am I crashing in the afternoon?"
Low fat, no fat, low carbs, no carbs? What to do? I had one of many nutrition conversations this week with a newer client. She was stating how tired she gets in the afternoon, so the first question I ask is, “What are you eating?” There could be many factors that contribute to ones fatigue, such as a medical issue or trying to function on 3 hours of sleep, but once those areas are ruled out, we have to take a look at how much food one is taking in. In this case, she was not eating enough healthy carbohydrates and fats along with not eating enough overall. The common response, "I am so confused on what to eat!"
She informed me that she had a fruit smoothie in the morning, grazed on animal crackers, ½ bagel thin with peanut butter, some fruit before 3pm and then dinner. This is a 45-year young woman that is 5’7, 137lbs with 23.2% body fat, which is in the normal range. She does not need to lose weight, but once I heard what she was eating, I knew it was not enough for her body frame.
Her main issue is that she is “afraid” of carbs and fat. Carbohydrates and fats are your two main sources of daily energy and without enough of them, the body is surely going to crash by the late afternoon. The breakdown of recommended carbs, fats and proteins may vary slightly in what you read, but one thing that is for sure is that the percentage of carbohydrates is always the highest. For example, one popular diet suggestion is to have a daily consumption of 40/30/30 combination or 40% carbs, 30% fats and 30% proteins. I suggest at least 50% of your daily calories to be carbohydrates. Your recommended daily calories are determined by your weight, age and activity level. Here is a calculator to see what your minimum level of calories should be per day: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator. If you are not eating the minimum amount of calories, this can also make you sluggish and feel the need to consume caffeine in the afternoon. If you are lightly active, multiply your minimum calories by 1.375, moderately active by 1.55 and very active by 1.725. This will give you an approximate amount of total calories needed based on your physical activity.
Although various resources will recommend slightly different percentages of carbs and fats, the main point is the types of carbohydrates and fats to consume. No matter what the breakdown, carbohydrates encouraged will always be leafy green and fresh colored vegetables, fruit, legumes, beans and whole grains. Fats should be from olive oil, avocados, almonds, fish and fish oils. It is also important to stay away from processed carbohydrates, which have unhealthy sugars and flours along with a lack of nutrients. Unhealthy fats found in fried and processed foods should be eliminated.
Another considerable point to know is the combination of foods are important with the speed they are absorbed into your blood stream. This can have an effect on how soon you feel hungry and your energy levels. When complex carbohydrates (beans, vegetables, grains) or simple carbohydrates (fruit) are absorbed in the presence of other nutrients such as fat, protein or fiber the absorption rate is slowed. This will help in feeling full longer. A few examples of healthy combinations for a snack/meal are cottage cheese and fruit, yogurt and a healthy granola, peanut butter and banana on a whole-wheat sandwich thin, quinoa with black beans and corn or spinach salad with tomatoes and another bean of choice.
The combinations of foods are endless. If you are struggling with finding the right food combinations, contact me for further guidance. Be Well.
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