Life Fit with Laura Lewis: Super charge your life

Being Life Fit is about your total health, including the health of all of your relationships. Life Fit is a journey, not a destination. It is a process of continuous growth: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Check in each Tuesday to Life Fit with Laura Lewis, author of "52 Ways To A Healthy You," as we explore our total life fitness. Then, weigh in with your own thoughts over at Laura's "Life Fit Chat" each Wednesday through Friday for further discussion on the week's topic. For more information visit Laura at www.LauraLewis.com.

Want to clean up your act with a supercharged life? If you are like most Americans, you are constantly trying to find the necessary energy to accomplish everything on your "Life Task" plate. Kids, career, spouse, friends, workout, errands ... the daily operations of life have a way of sucking our energy right out and leaving us depleted. In order to find the energy to check everything off our list each and every day, we typically stock up on caffeine and other energy (read: junk) foods.

Fortunately, there are better--and healthier--ways to energize your body, mind and spirit. And remember, supercharging all three aspects of your life are equally important. Without a sharp, clear mind, your body will still feel sluggish. Without a clear and grounded spirit, your mind and body are unable to realize their full potential. To super charge your life, you must be holistic in your method.

If you want to have energy, rather than have to find energy, follow these five tips for supercharging your life:

1. Have a cuppa chamomile. Non-caffeinated, herbal teas such as chamomile, valerian root, peppermint and ginseng have been widely known for centuries to aid the mind and body in alleviating stress and enriching relaxation. Peppermint and ginseng are wonderful as early morning energy boosts, while chamomile can ease you into a stress-free evening. Green Tea can increase your metabolism which will provide additional energy while at the same serving as a natural fat-burner by destroying free radicals that can cause significant damage to the body and enhance the aging process.
   
2. Move it or lose it. Inactivity is the best way to sabotage our energy. While it may seem like the opposite should be true, sitting at a desk or computer all day an wreak havoc on our energy level. If you do not move your body, you will lose your desire to do so! For many, post-office hours are just as hectic as the 9am-5pm (Which is really a joke, because honestly--who works only 9-5 these days?). If you can't exercise pre-work, take your lunch hour and hit the sidewalk, the gym or even walk the hallways and stairs at your actual office. A quick 30-45 minute exercise routine will not only break up the monotony of the day, but will also give you the boost you need to get through part two of your workday without sneaking off to vending machine for guilt-packed "energy" foods.
   
3. Eco-Size. Challenge yourself to get out of the car and start peddling. One way of keeping myself motivated is to bike around town rather than drive. I bought myself a cute bike with a basket. I love riding "Rosie" in town. The fresh air and waves and nods of neighborly drivers always super charges my attitude while I super charge my energy. And, knowing that I am contributing to one less car on the road in that moment of time always leaves me feeling energized.
4. Endorphin enlightenment. Endorphins are addictive. Endorphins are the wonderful result of exercise. These feel good hormones are secreted in the brain and nervous system and serve to motivate us to exercise more and more. Each time we exercise, our bodies secrete more of this feel good hormone. Endorphins enhance brain functioning and mood--two must-have superchargers!
5. Rainbow bright. Eat a rainbow of colors in order to ensure balanced nutrition. Every meal should include fresh, leafy greens along with a variety or red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables. The more colorful and fresher the food, the more nutrient dense your meals will be and the more energy your food will be providing you!