RFV it up: feeling fried? We've got super simple ways to get your oomph back-no Red Bull Needed!You start off the year determined to ace every class, go for varsity and score a paying gig. But now your planner is packed, and all you want is a long nap-say, 'til June. Time to rekindle your can-do attitude .... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LIGHTEN YOUR LUNCH You're running late for the bus, so you skip breakfast--and by the time lunch period rolls around, you're ready to stuff yourself silly. Sound familiar? But gorging at lunch can cause a major midday crash. "Make sure you're eating in regular intervals--something small every three or four hours," advises Tara Gidus, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association The American Dietetic Association (ADA) is the United States' largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, with nearly 65,000 members. Approximately 75 % of ADA's members are registered dietitians and about 4 % are dietetic technicians, registered. . And that includes breakfast, no matter how rushed you are in the a.m. "Skipping meals can zap energy." MOVE IT! Sure, a 20-mile run might wear you out. But a little exercise can wake you up. "If I get drowsy, I walk around the block, do push-ups or go up a few flights of stairs," Gidus says. "Just a small bout of exercise will keep you energized." So next time you roll in from school and feel so pooped poop 1 n. 1. An enclosed superstructure at the stern of a ship. 2. A poop deck. tr.v. pooped, poop·ing, poops 1. To break over the stern of (a ship). 2. you just wanna plop plop v. plopped, plop·ping, plops v.intr. 1. To fall with a sound like that of an object falling into water without splashing. 2. , get your blood pumping for a few minutes. You'll be ready to tackle your next task. JUST BREATHE So you really have no choice on this one. But how you breathe affects your energy. The more oxygen you have flowing through your body, the more alert you feel. When you're stressed, your breathing becomes shallow--sapping your strength. Next time you want to hide under the covers, pause and take some deeeeeeep breaths. Or belt out "Shut Up and Drive" with Rihanna. Singing forces you to breathe more deeply. TAKE A WHIFF Hooked on lip balm and bath goodies? Use it to your advantage. Aromatherapy experts say certain smells--like citrus, cinnamon, rosemary, lemon and mint-perk you up. Try an orange-scented shower gel in the morning, slick on peppermint peppermint: see mint. peppermint Strongly aromatic perennial herb (Mentha piperita, mint family), source of a widely used flavouring. Native to Europe and Asia, it has been naturalized in North America. lip gloss, or slather slath·er tr.v. slath·ered, slath·er·ing, slath·ers Informal 1. To use or give great amounts of; lavish: slathered gifts and attention on their only child. 2. a. on some lemon-scented lotion. You can even choose a perfume that'll energize you every time you get a whiff Verb 1. get a whiff - smell strongly and intensely get a noseful smell - inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense (GapScent So Pink has citrus top notes). SNACK SMART When you're bushed, your body craves extra fuel. And while it's tempting to reach for a candy bar--hello, sugar rush!--you'll nod off again in an hour. Instead, Gidus recommends "strategic snacks" that pack protein and fiber. "Protein and fiber delay how quickly your blood sugar rises and falls Rise and Fall redirects here. For the Belgian hardcore band, click here. Rises and falls is a category of the ballroom dance technique that refers to rises and falls of the body of a dancer achieved through actions of knees and feet (ankles). ," she explains. Translation: You get a longterm energy boost instead of a quick buzz. Skip the sweets, and go for nuts, string cheese or yogurt. Yum! STRETCH OUT There's a reason baseball games always have a seventh-inning stretch--sitting still for too long can slow your circulation, which makes you drowsy. Like exercise, stretching gets your blood flowing, and it's way easier to pull off during a boring history class. Try this simple twist to stretch your back muscles: Put your right hand on your desk and your left hand on your chair, then twist your torso to the left. Switch sides and repeat. GET YOUR ZZZ'S Face it--you're less likely to nod off in class if you actually got eight hours of shut-eye the night before. But does that ever happen? Between homework, afterschool stuff and your social life, you're lucky if you doze off before midnight. A recent study found that half of teens don't get enough sleep! But getting eight hours will keep you from drooling drooling the discharge of saliva from the mouth. A normal feature in some breeds of dogs such as St. Bernard, Newfoundland and English bulldog, presumably because of their loose, pendulous lips. on your desk the next day. Besides, when it comes to stay-awake-during-geometry secrets, it doesn't get much simpler than plain old snoozing at night. DRINK UP If you're feeling more sluggish than usual, you may be dehydrated--but don't quench quench, v to cool a hot object rapidly by plunging it into water or oil. quench to put out, extinguish, or suppress; to cool (as hot metal) by immersing in water. your thirst with soda or coffee. Even though both give you an insta-buzz, you're better off hitting the water fountain. "Mang people feel even more tired when them come down off a sugar or caffeine high," Gidus says. "Go for flavored water if you get sick of plain." If you do need a jolt for, say, a late-night study sesh, have a cup of tea. "Tea is OK if it's unsweetened and not strong." SMART SNACKS * DRIED FRUIT * WHOLE-GRAIN CRACKERS AND CHEESE * HUMMUS hum·mus also hum·us or hom·mos n. A smooth thick mixture of mashed chickpeas, tahini, oil, lemon juice, and garlic, used especially as a dip for pita. AND VEGGIES Veggies of Nottingham, also known as Veggies Catering Campaign, is a campaigning group based in Nottingham, England, promoting ethicalbum alternatives to mainstream fast food. * COTTAGE CHEESE AND FRUIT * LIGHT POPCORN * SOY CRACKERS * WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD WITH PB * FRUIT-AND-YOGURT SMOOTHIE smooth·ie also smooth·y n. pl. smooth·ies Slang 1. A person regarded as being assured and artfully ingratiating in manner. 2. A smooth-tongued person. Can't doze off, sleepyhead sleep·y·head n. Informal One who is in need of or groggy from sleep. Noun 1. sleepyhead - a sleepy person ? It's hard to squeeze in enough sleep--especially when your brain is buzzing with the daM's drama. Make the most of bedtime .... * Work out earlier. Since exercise is an energy booster, aim to finish your workout a few hours before you go to bed. * Clear the clutter. It's hard to unwind when you've got textbooks and to-do lists piled all over the place. * Get into a routine. Every night, take a hot bath or turn on your lave CD--it'll signal to your brain that it's time to power down. |
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