# The Afternoon Slump...



## ChrissyB (Oct 16, 2010)

...is a real downer.
I hate that time of the afternoon, usually around 3.30 to 4.30 for me, when my energy just wanes to nothing. It's the busiest time of the afternoon, picking kids up from school, homework, getting dinner started, all that stuff...but some afternoons I really struggle to stay alert.

So aside from reaching for coffee or coke, cos if I drink that late in the arvo I'll be up all night...or chocolate which is just a quick sugar rush then a crash...what are your hints for the afternoon slump?

Just a bit of background info...I get up at 6am, I eat heaps of fruit and vegetables and wholegrain foods, brown rice, all that kind of stuff, usually have a sandwhich and fruit for lunch, and as talked about in the other thread, I do get on the treadmill everyday. I'm not doing anything new or different. But srsly, I could just about go to bed and curl up for hours and hours. Which obviously i can't.


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## soapbuddy (Oct 16, 2010)

I slowly eat a spoon with some peanut butter for some energy.


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## nattynoo (Oct 16, 2010)

Oh I feel your pain Chrissy.
I suffer from cronic fatique.
No solution for you but a sympathetic ear is here.
Life here is crazy with kids & committments. I could fall asleep right here right now.


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## IanT (Oct 16, 2010)

soapbuddy said:
			
		

> I slowly eat a spoon with some peanut butter for some energy.



omg I was just going to say the same thing!! Peanut Butter is the answer to all your problems (and even better when its all hot and melty over a nice bowl of homemade vanilla icecream...)

Who said theres anything wrong with an afternoon nap!!!??!?! looove my afternoon schnoooz!

Also, meditating is great too  feel reeeeal refreshed after 30 mins of sitting under a nice tree and listening to your body...


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## ChrissyB (Oct 17, 2010)

I'll give the peanut butter a go...thanks for the tip! Never would have thought of that.

Nattynoo...I had glandular fever last christmas...and I am sure that chronic fatigue was a lovely little gift it left me with.


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## nattynoo (Oct 17, 2010)

No doubt Chrissy.
I don't know how i came to develope it but sometimes I'm really good then all of a sudden I'm ruined again.
Meditation does work good for me & I always try to make sure i get plenty of quality sleep.


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## krissy (Oct 17, 2010)

i have been doing the same thing lately Chrissy, i am going to try the peanut butter too.

i just joined a gym because i thought maybe i needed to be more active so hopefully that will help to. good luck with your energy!


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## ChrissyB (Oct 17, 2010)

I'd like to check back and see how you are going with it Nattynoo and Krissy.


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## krissy (Oct 17, 2010)

lol, today the slump hit and i forgot about the peanut butter. will try to remember tomorrow...
i'd like to know how it works out for y'all too


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## IanT (Oct 17, 2010)

If you do forget the PB, try an apple or any other fruit, apples are very high in "quick" carbs, (fructose etc....) and they go right to the blood stream pretty much for a quick pick me up... my faaaaavorite snack of all time for mid-day is sliced apples, pb and some raw honey MMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMM cant beat it !!!!


krissy- when you join the gym??? just curious!?!?!


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## Hazel (Oct 17, 2010)

I like sliced pear topped with 1/4 cup cottage cheese and sprinkled with granola. It's yummy and gives me a pick up.


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## IanT (Oct 17, 2010)

Hazel said:
			
		

> I like sliced pear topped with 1/4 cup cottage cheese and sprinkled with granola. It's yummy and gives me a pick up.




ooooOOoOoooO now that sounds goooooood.... now ....next question... got a good crunchy granola recipe!?!?! ive never tried cottage cheese lol... call me weird but the chunkiness reminds me of bleu chease which is uuuughghghghghghghhhhhhh


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## Tabitha (Oct 17, 2010)

It sounds like you are not taking in enough calories. Find a good calorie generator online & see if the number of calories you take in on an average day match what go out. my_calorie-counter.com is a good one. You eneter everything you put in your mouth for 24 hours and every activity for 24 hours including sleeping, driving, surfing the internet, etc. It will also break it down into protiems, carbs, sugars, etc & you will se a chart & you will see you are over in some areas and under in others. It's very eye opening. If you are only taking in 1200 calories in a day but burning 1800, there's your problem. Or maybe you are short on protien, etc.


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## IanT (Oct 17, 2010)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> It sounds like you are not taking in enough calories. Find a good calorie generator online & see if the number of calories you take in on an average day match what go out. my_calorie-counter.com is a good one. You eneter everything you put in your mouth for 24 hours and every activity for 24 hours including sleeping, driving, surfing the internet, etc. It will also break it down into protiems, carbs, sugars, etc & you will se a chart & you will see you are over in some areas and under in others. It's very eye opening. If you are only taking in 1200 calories in a day but burning 1800, there's your problem. Or maybe you are short on protien, etc.




this is veeeery true 

(((((scientific term for what tab said: Determine your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) Basically the amount of calories your body needs to perform the absolute minimal functioning (ie awake with your eyes open and brain operating) (I could give you a long equation blah blah blah but its annoying if your not good at math, and Im not....so heres another handy calculator: http://www.shapeup.org/interactive/rmr1.php)))))


EDIT: also found this in my workout notebook:

Top 20 legumes/Grains: (in order from greatest to least)

*Best Protein sources greater than 20% protein, <20% fat:*

Soybeans, splitpeas, kidney beans, dried whole peas, lima beans, wheat germ, black eyed peas, lentils, black beans, navy beans.

*Best carb sources <50% fat, >70% carbs:*

Brown rice, whole barley, whole buckwheat, foxtail millet, wild rice, whole corn, pearl millet, whole wheat, rolled oats

*... another helpful tip:*

glycogen synthesis after exercise happens in 2 phases:

rapid metabolism for 4-6 hrs after exercise (but most rapid/efficient up to 2 hrs after exercise---in my case it means eat as much as i possibly can without puking for up to 2 hrs post-workout)

then, much slower metabolism for the next 24 hrs.

the maximum amount of carbs you can synthesize in your body for 2 hrs after working out is 225grams on average 



Also, try to plan 3 big meals per day, and 3 snacks in between them, this way you have a constant flow of nutrients coming into your body 





I love anatomy/nutrition/health..isnt it so friggin interesting !?!?!? i feel like i could blab about this forever so gonna stop now lol


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## Hazel (Oct 17, 2010)

IanT said:
			
		

> Hazel said:
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I buy the small curd cottage cheese. (I also love bleu cheese.   ) 

You don't have to use cottage cheese. Any type of cheese that goes well with fruit would work. You could eat an apple with 1 ounce of cheddar if you prefer. I read about combining fruit and protein to boost your metabolism and this was my version of it. It didn't call for granola. I just added this because I like a bit of crunch.    I also like peaches with cottage cheese. 

I usually warm this slightly in the microwave because it seems to really enhance all the flavors. I generally buy Quaker Oats granola. It's more expensive because it doesn't have any cheaper ingredients added. But I have saved links to granola recipes because I keep telling myself that _someday _I'll make my own...uh huh.  :roll:

Check out the links. I'm sure you'll see something you might like to try. 

http://www.post-gazette.com/food/20001012one7.asp
http://www.innatoccidental.com/recipes_granola.htm
http://www.bbonline.com/recipe/preston_nm_recipe2.html


And for everyone...here's a recipe that uses peanut butter and honey!

http://www.bbonline.com/recipe/lafayett ... cipe1.html


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## IanT (Oct 18, 2010)

mmmm you roooock


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## krissy (Oct 18, 2010)

Ian, i only joined last friday.    i am so bad, i can only do about 12 mins on the elliptical and i am done! then i go sit and do 12 mins on a stationary bike. that is all i can do at this point, but i guess it is better than nothing.

i am going to read up on all those calorie things, i think on a normal day i might make it to 900-1000 calories, which i know is not enough to give me energy through out the day, so i am working on eating more too.


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## IanT (Oct 18, 2010)

krissy said:
			
		

> Ian, i only joined last friday.    i am so bad, i can only do about 12 mins on the elliptical and i am done! then i go sit and do 12 mins on a stationary bike. that is all i can do at this point, but i guess it is better than nothing.
> 
> i am going to read up on all those calorie things, i think on a normal day i might make it to 900-1000 calories, which i know is not enough to give me energy through out the day, so i am working on eating more too.



yeah thats def waaaay low! I know for my bodyweight ( i think im at like 129 now?) I need to eat at least 1800 to stay alive! so def get on that!!

dont worry! I felt like i got my arse kicked when i first joined too...just take it slow and challenge yourself to do more every time you go... you will be surprised how fast you build up and get used to it!! 

I couldnt put my arms down for like a week the first time i worked out... couldnt straighten them out, couldnt lift them up... barely could even sleep!!!! it was nuts! but now its like i dont even get sore! lol

it feels soooo good to work out


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## Half Caper Farm (Oct 25, 2010)

soapbuddy said:
			
		

> I slowly eat a spoon with some peanut butter for some energy.



Don't you find the spoon a little hard on your teeth?  Personally, I'd just eat the peanut butter.


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## Lazy Bone (Nov 4, 2010)

My afternoon slump lasts from 7:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Monday - Friday. (I hate my job) My only solution is more coffee and thinking, reading, dreaming about soap.


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## MissMori (Nov 5, 2010)

I used to be almost comatose in the afternoon and changed my eating habits, that didn't help.  Then I cut out all caffeine, helped me to get better sleep at night, but didn't really improve my afternoons.  After years of having undiagnosed hyperparathyroidism, I had 3 parathyroids removed and no longer have the afternoon slump.  If nothing works to improve your afternoon energy, consider having your doctor do labs.  I always thought exhaustion was a way of life, now I know differently.


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## mariflo (Nov 5, 2010)

it's green or white tea and apples for me! It works like a charm.


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## ChrissyB (Nov 11, 2010)

MissMori said:
			
		

> I used to be almost comatose in the afternoon and changed my eating habits, that didn't help.  Then I cut out all caffeine, helped me to get better sleep at night, but didn't really improve my afternoons.  After years of having undiagnosed hyperparathyroidism, I had 3 parathyroids removed and no longer have the afternoon slump.  If nothing works to improve your afternoon energy, consider having your doctor do labs.  I always thought exhaustion was a way of life, now I know differently.



Well, have had a blood work up done by my dr. I have chronic anaemia. To the point that I have to have b12 injections. She also tested my thyroid...bordering on hyperactive. 
I am now taking an iron supplement and need to overhall my food iron intake. I don't eat red meat, so I really need to get serious about doing this right.
I have cut out caffeine altogether...as I don't sleep very well. So I am just drinking green tea instead, which I like. 
Miss Mori, you are absolutely right, I too thought that this exhaustion and fatigue that I was experiencing was "normal", busy with kids, work, house, etc etc...I know that it's up to me to look after myself better and get this sorted.


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## chrisnkelley (Nov 15, 2010)

I feel your pain!  For me what works is to stretch all my muscles out and do a minute or 2 of "fake" jump roping.  I do sugar free whey protein shakes too - that helps a ton.  I use Jay Robb brand.

My slump kicks in about 1 or so tho, but I get up early to work before the kiddies get up and we do school.  Then lunch.  Then I have to get back to work, but I start to feel super tired and just weak.  That's when I drink a shake and do my stretching.  I usually do the stretching a couple/few times a day to make it through.


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## chrisnkelley (Nov 15, 2010)

Didn't see this post before I posted.  Glad you found a reason for it and are getting the supplements you need!  



			
				ChrissyB said:
			
		

> MissMori said:
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