The Best (and Worst) Foods to Boost Your Energy

All types of food give us energy. Yet, there are some food classes that energize us in ways that we don’t deserve. This is why as a current or aspiring pro cheerleader, you have to be meticulous about what you eat. Because by choosing the best energy-giving meal, you prevent yourself from crashing and craving midday as well as maintain a healthy figure and weight.

So here are four of the best foods you should include in your fitness program and four of the indulgences you should avoid.

The Best Energy Boosting Foods:

1. Oatmeal

Oatmeals are carbohydrates. Yet, they are one of the complex ones. This food type is full of fiber, protein, and other nutrients. It’s slower to digest which controls your craving while providing you with a steady energy supply.

2. Eggs

A single egg has 70 calories with 6 grams of protein. It may sound scary to you due to the calorie count. But you shouldn’t worry, for eggs are perfect for those living an active lifestyle. A single and light workout session will burn more than that 70 calorie count. You’ll also have energy left because there’s still the 6 grams of protein left to consume.

3. Unprocessed Meat

A toned body is highly encouraged to have among pro cheerleaders. With every meat you eat associated with strict exercising, the faster your muscles form. And of course, unprocessed meat is high in protein with less fat. You’ll tire out and feel hungry slower even when you do challenging workouts.

4. Oranges

Oranges are high in vitamin C with antioxidants. You’re not only boosting your immunity if you eat them regularly, but you’re also making yourself energetic for longer hours. This is because the antioxidants found in oranges help in reducing oxidative stress - a condition where you feel fatigued and tired due to the imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body.

The Worst Energy-Giving Food Source

1. Coffee

If there’s one thing that coffee-lovers agree on, it’s being tired all the time. Have you ever noticed that you keep on drinking a mug just to stay awake throughout the day? This is because an avid coffee drinker builds caffeine tolerance over time. Does this paragraph hit home? If yes, then you might want to find another energy-boosting source.

2. Pastries

This food is packed with a lot of fat and refined carbs. While that may sound energy-giving, you should understand that refined carbs are easier to digest. This means you get hungry and tired faster. You’ll want more and more until you gain weight especially if you eat them without a followup workout session.

3. Pasta

I love spaghetti and carbonara, but I don’t love what it does to my body. These carb-rich foods are the same as pastries - they give a short-lived energy boost. Not to mention, pasta undergoes more processing than flour and are stripped most of their nutrients when they were still in grain form. So avoid it unless you’re about to enter a marathon.

4. Fatty and processed meat

If you’re on a keto diet, then go ahead, stuff yourself with bacon, canned meat, and beef jerky. But if you’re not and you can’t keep your hands off the sweets, then stay off these high-fat foods. Did I mention that processed meat has a high count of carbs? Now you know. This is because preservatives contain a lot of sugar too.

Now that you know which foods are best for your workouts, write them down on your next grocery list. Stay fit, stay safe, and have fun over the weekends!

Here are some recipes to try with the best energy giving foods you can find above. I’ve also included tips on how to control your sugar cravings. Be sure to check them out:

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