We are almost at the end of our Healthy Habits Seven Day Challenge with Inner Me! We hope you’re all feeling positive, healthy and happy after your week of adopting new and exciting habits! Today, we’re going to provide you with some helpful and extremely easy ways to boost your energy and vitality as the days get darker and temperatures get colder – because there’s nothing better than feeling energised and motivated to live each day to it’s fullest!

Maca
This super sonic powder is awesome at keeping your energy levels up and it’s a great alternative to caffeine and other stimulants. Originating in Peru, Maca powder has been famous for its ability to boost endurance and energy as well as supporting regular hormone function. According to legend, Maca was popular amongst Inca warriors for increasing strength and stamina before heading into battle. It’s also got the most delicious malty, caramel flavour and you can’t beat a spoonful in your morning porridge for a truly energised day ahead! We love Organic Burst’s Maca Powder!

HIIT
If you’re looking for a workout that’s going to leave a spring in your step, you need to get on board the HIIT band-wagon. Also known as high intensity interval training, this form of exercise is short, tough time effective. The method to this metabolism boosting practice is that you perform an exercise using every last scrap of your energy for 40 seconds, and then completely rest for 20 seconds. We love taking this concept on the spin bike! Warm up for two to three minutes and when you feel your muscles are ready to go, crank up the resistance and peddle as fast as you possible can for 40 seconds. After your time is up lower the resistance back down and rest for 20 seconds. Repeat this 8-10 times and you’ll be good to go! If you’ve done it right you’ll be pretty knackered straight after but when your heart rate gets back down to a steady pace, you’ll feel totally energised and uplifted, and only taking 10 minutes out of your day is an extra bonus!

Catch some Z’s
Getting enough sleep may be a totally obvious tip to achieving greater energy levels and alertness during the day but it sure is a good one! It’s a vital moment during our daily lives when our bodies recharge and reset before the next working day. How can you expect to feel at your optimal health if you don’t give your body enough time to restore it’s self? In 21^st century terms, it’s like expecting your iPhone to retain its battery for days and days without charging it! (Anyone who has an iPhone will know that’s pretty much impossible!). Getting your recommended seven to eight hours snooze time a day will help decrease lethargy and fatigue and amazingly, will help boost immunity and your body’s ability to fight infections!

Matcha Tea
Forget energy drinks and sugary coffee concoctions, green tea is the way to go if you need a super healthy afternoon energy boost! Made from dried and powdered green tea leaves, it’s incredibly potent and packed with antioxidants. Matcha contains two important amino acids called Theophylline and L-theanine. The reason why they are so important is because they work together with the naturally occurring caffeine to give you sustained energy for up to 6 hours. No crazy energy spurts and no zombie crashes either! You can expect to feel a sense of productivity and subtle alertness but without the jitters from regular caffeine hits. It’s a winner in our books!

Cut Out Sugar
Just when you think sugar is evil enough, it gets worse! Apart from causing inflammation in the body, spiking our blood sugar levels and promoting fat storage, sugar can seriously effective our energy, and not in a good way. Sugar is essentially a stress on the body and while your insides are busy trying to process this toxic substance, you can become very tired and lethargic. Although you may initially feel a high, approaching fast behind, will be a sudden “crash” in energy that will leave you feeling moody and grumpy. Time to say goodbye to the sweet stuff!

Inner Me “Energise Me” Supplement
Bursting with essential vitamins and minerals, we always turn to Inner Me’s Energise Me supplement when we need that extra support for our energy levels and metabolism function. Vitamins B6 and B12 are brilliant at converting food to energy, whilst Vitamin D works at maintaining normal muscle function (great for all you gym bunnies). On top of that, Inner Me have also included magnesium, to aid in reducing fatigue and Chromium, to help regulate blood sugar levels which play a huge role in feeling lively and spritely! Fancy getting your hands on our fave supplement? Enter the code “HH20” at the Inner Me checkout for 20% off! Hurry, this offer ends midnight on Sunday!

words by Molly Jennings