Health, Wellness and Fitness for People & Pets JUNE 2015 | Page 24
Medical Center in Little Rock. Evans credits oatmeal's energyboosting ability with its soluble
fiber content. Much more than the insoluble fiber in for example wheat bran, the soluble fiber
in oatmeal slows down carbohydrate absorption, thus keeping your blood sugar levels more
constant. Both oat bran and rolled oats are high in soluble fiber, so on mornings when you
don 't feel like eating oatmeal, try oat bran muffins.
Ace Midmorning Meetings
Faced with an interminable meeting, it's all too easy to rely on the doughnutDanishbagel axis:
lowfiber, proteinfree, highrefinedcarb foods that yoyo your glucose levels. Instead, reach for
steadyenergy allies. Here are some suggestions from the experts:
● A peanut butter sandwich ake it with whole wheat bread, and it will have the
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macronutrient mix that will keep your eyes open and your brain humming. That's because the
fiber in the whole wheat and the protein (and fat) in the peanut butter will ration out the
energy over time. "Even if you'd like to add a little jelly, it's going to be absorbed slowly because
of the peanuts, which have fat and fiber, so your blood sugar won't plummet," says Whittle.
Another good option is peanut butter on apple slices. An apple is almost pure carbohydrate,
with simple sugars, but the energy it provides will be metered over time by its own fiber and by
the peanut butter.
● Fruit and cheese
Chop up half an apple (for carbohydrates) and mix it with 1% cottage
cheese (for its protein and some fat), and bring it to work for balanced midmorning
fortification, suggests Whittle. Equally healthy variations are lowfat cheese on whole grain
bread or a small salad with tuna and chopped apples.
Vim In The Afternoon
Lunch should leave you invigorated, not asleep at your workstation. Make these adjustments to come
back strong for the day's second act:
● Take it easy.
Hefty lunches of 1,000 calories or more are proven energy sappers. "Portion size
is key," says Whittle. "Most people overeat at lunch."
● Pass on pure pasta.
Unless you're planning to run a marathon after lunch, it's probably not
a good idea to overemphasize pasta or any other refined carbohydrate at lunchtime.