Re-Energizing Your Energy Level

sioux falls, sd

Between work and taking care of the kids and the house, you might be struggling to find enough energy to get everything done.  A lack of energy can not only make you feel groggy, it can also cause you to make poor health decisions.  For instance, eating more junk food or not exercising.

Jeanne Madlener is on a mission--a mission to improve her health.

That's why the Sioux Falls woman now exercises five days a week and watches what she eats more closely.

"I wanted to get healthier. I'm overweight. I have too much salt, and I want to be there for my daughter because it's only her and I," Madlener said.

Madlener is one of a dozen women who is taking part in the Go Red Challenge, which aims to improve heart health. This week, participants are focusing on their energy level.

"When we're tired, we lose our willpower sometimes to make that choice to say no to that quick fix junk food or caffeine that can give us quick energy, but it doesn't always sustain us," Sanford Healthy Lifestyle Coach Shelly Hoefs said.

Instead, Hoefs says working out can actually increase your energy level.

In addition to exercising, you can also improve your energy level by eating healthy, getting enough sleep and thinking positively.

"That emotional wellness is also a big piece. If we can start out our day with that hope of, 'I'm ready for the day.  I have a positive attitude that I can make some things happen in my day,' we can set ourselves up to be more effective," Hoefs said.

Madlener enjoys working out with positive people, which can also help maintain a healthy energy level.

"When we're with positive people, they can build us up and help us keep going. Sometimes those toxic people can draw us down and get us worrying or thinking about things we can't really control," Hoefs said.

Another idea is to exercise at times of the day when you start to feel your energy decreasing.

"That's a time for me to get up and move. I can feel more energized and able to think again," Hoefs said.

Madlener agrees.  As she's increased her workouts, she's also noticed an increase in her energy level.

"I was surprised. One day I said, 'Where is all this energy coming?'" Madlener said.

Energy that Madlener knows will come in handy when she reaches a new milestone in her life: the arrival of her first grandchild this summer.

More tips for increasing your energy level.

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