Strategies When "Right" Doesn't Feel Like "Enough"

Sometimes you do everything right but still don't feel at your 100%

Sometimes you do everything right – you eat healthy, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly – but you still feel sluggish and drained. And it feels incredibly frustrating, especially when you're working hard and trying to be productive.

You may be asking yourself, what is going on?

Fatigue is a common complaint, affecting people of all ages and backgrounds. It can be a debilitating symptom that can interfere with our daily lives, making it difficult to concentrate, work effectively, or enjoy our hobbies. While there are many potential causes of fatigue, there is one often overlooked factor: blood sugar levels.

This is interesting for you even if you don’t have diabetes.

While many people associate high blood sugar with diabetes, it's important to understand that even those without diabetes can experience fluctuations in blood sugar levels. These fluctuations can have a significant impact on our overall health, particularly our metabolic health.

Metabolic health refers to how well our bodies convert food into energy and use that energy efficiently. It's a complex process influenced by various factors, including blood sugar regulation.

When our blood sugar levels are stable, our bodies can effectively metabolize food and use the energy produced to fuel our cells and organs. However, when blood sugar levels fluctuate, it can disrupt metabolic processes and lead to fatigue, weight gain, and other health problems.

Sugar levels and metabolic flexibility

Metabolic flexibility is the ability of our bodies to efficiently switch between using glucose from carbohydrates and fat for energy. When our bodies are metabolically flexible, we can maintain stable blood sugar levels and avoid the energy crashes associated with low blood sugar.

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of metabolic flexibility as a key health indicator. For example, a study published in the journal "Cell Metabolism" found that individuals with higher levels of metabolic flexibility were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, even if they were overweight or obese. Another study published in the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism" showed that improving metabolic flexibility could help individuals with type 2 diabetes better control their blood sugar levels.

Improving metabolic flexibility

If you were not paying attention to this key health indicator you were ignoring an important area of your health. The good news is that there are strategies you can use to manage your blood sugar and optimize your energy levels for sustained performance and improve your metabolic flexibility.

• Focus on eating enough food: Make sure you are eating enough food in order to not be hungry for 4-5 hours. When we eat a good meal, we will allow our bodies to first use the energy from that meal and then use our stored fat to operate our bodies until the next meal. this is called metabolic flexibility and it’s key to a healthy metabolism and a sustained amount of energy throughout the day.

• Fiber is your friend: Balanced meals will mean that you eat a bit of everything, in the same quantities. But this is not what will help you with your energy levels. You have to make sure most of your meal is based on veggies, protein, and good fats. Then you can have, at the end, a small portion of carbs. This order is important because fiber helps slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing those energy crashes. Including a variety of these fiber-rich foods at every meal can make a significant difference in maintaining stable blood sugar levels.

Lifestyle impacts your metabolic health

• Be mindful of stress: Chronic stress can raise blood sugar levels and disrupt sleep, impacting energy levels further. When stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol which can lead to increased blood sugar production. This can disrupt your body's natural blood sugar regulation mechanisms. Practice stress-management techniques like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing to keep stress in check. Taking breaks throughout the day for activities you enjoy can also help manage stress levels.

• Prioritize sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. When sleep-deprived, your body struggles to regulate hormones that impact blood sugar levels, including insulin and leptin. These hormones play a crucial role in managing blood sugar and feeling energized.

Tracking success

Once you have the topics mentioned above on track, you can go one step forward and completely transform your health and your life.

If you see an improvement in your energy levels by applying the tips mentioned above, your exhaustion is clearly related to blood sugar.

It’s important for you to understand how these levels fluctuate in your body and in order to do so you can monitor your blood sugar levels at home with a continuous glucose monitor.

This can help you identify patterns and adjust your approach accordingly. Perhaps you find certain foods or activities trigger dips in your energy. By monitoring your blood sugar, you can gain valuable insights and tailor your diet and lifestyle choices for optimal energy.

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