Always feel tired? You've Got to Spend Energy to Get Energy!

It's a puzzling thought: You've got to spend energy, which you swear you don't have, to get energy.

You have to force yourself to spend energy you swear isn't there - push through the horrible moment and just do it. As a result, your body gets a wake up call saying, "We need more muscle fibers, mitochondria, blood, nerves, coordination, ATP, etc." Without the wake-up call, your body doesn't know you need more infrastructure. So it won't make any. And without the additional infrastructure, physical activity won't ever feel easier.

This paradox that you have to spend energy to get energy - especially when it feels like you have no energy - is one of the main reasons sedentary people quit exercise programs. They cannot fathom a future version of themselves where jogging for two minutes then lifting that weight 12 times is no big deal - much less pleasurable. In their minds, physical activity is freakishly difficult and unbearable - something to be avoided.

Even something as simple as a brisk walk gives you natural energy and also releases endorphins that improve your overall mood, making you feel more inclined to go out and accomplish something that day.

When we exercise, we increase blood flow. This helps deliver more oxygen throughout our bodies. We need that oxygen to create energy.  As more oxygen is being delivered throughout our bodies, more energy is created.  Therefore, after a workout, you are likely to find that you feel much more energetic.

Also, exercise releases endorphins in our bodies.  You don’t want me to go into the chemistry mumbo-jumbo to explain that, so I’ll just say that endorphins released in our bodies will give us a “feel good” sensation.  

"It's now been shown in many studies that once you actually start moving around -- even just getting up off the couch and walking around the room -- the more you will want to move, and, ultimately, the more energy you will feel," says Robert E. Thayer, PhD, a psychology professor at California State University, Long Beach, and author of the book Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood With Food.

"Contrary to popular belief, exercising doesn't make you tired -- it literally creates energy in your body. Your body rises up to meet the challenge for more energy by becoming stronger," says nutritionist Samantha Heller, MS, RD, a nutrition advisor for the Journey for Control diabetes program.

So don't give up!! If you dream of having more energy, you gotta move your butt! Your body will naturally become stronger, more powerful and more energetic!!