Moms + caffeine: Part II

After acknowledging the amount of caffeine people rely on to get through their day, I realized it's probably pretty rude to point it out without offering any suggestions of a replacement.

My personal feeling is people are drinking too much caffeine on a regular basis. I know going through withdraw is a crappy, crappy thing, but it's got to be done. And by all means, don't go cold-turkey . I'd start with eliminating 1-3 drinks daily, depending on how many you routinely take.

Start exercising! "But where do I fit that in?" Trust me, I know all about being the cook, the short-order cook, the maid, the chauffeur, the teacher, the seamstress, an engineer, the personal shopper, the assistant, the referee, the coach, yadda, yadda, yadda (did I mention I work from home too?). And yes, it's all done on around 7 hours of sleep a night (which is not always consecutive).

But guess what. If you want something to be part of your life, you have to make it fit. Like exercise. I make exercise fit into my life because it's a priority, so I have time for it. And after the first two weeks of exercising regularly, you will feel an increase in your energy and stamina.

My second suggestion would be to eat more protein throughout the day. I know carbs give you that quick boost, but people tend to overlook the protein. Simple carbs (your white breads, etc.) will give your blood sugar a quick lift, but then your level will go back down at a pretty quick rate. Eat some protein (with a complex carb if you have to) about every 3-4 hours throughout the day. Not a steak per say, but some nuts, a small piece of grilled chicken from last night's dinner, a protein bar, etc.

Drink water! I know water doesn't offer any nutritional value, but your body won't work well if it's not hydrated properly. And yes, I've heard the notion that caffeinated sodas can add to your daily water intake, but I personally don't think your body will work very well if that's all you drink.

I'll also go ahead and mention a good night's sleep. As a mom of three 5 years old and under, I know this is a luxury. But because I know it's a luxury, I plan to be able to sleep for longer than 7 hours. That way when I only get 6-7 hours of sleep but have been in bed for longer (attempting to get more sleep), I'm still rested when I wake up the following morning.

I'd love to hear of any other suggestions that you know of to help us moms stay energized without the caffeine!! (Especially for my own energy needs!) Tell me what you do to have energy throughout the day!