What dietary strategies can boost energy?

Nutrition specialist Sari Greaves discusses a few dietary strategies that can help boost energy. Watch Sari's video for tips and information on healthy diet and nutrition.

Transcript

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So instead of making meat the centerpiece of your meal, make sure vegetables are the centerpiece of your meal. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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When it comes to boosting energy, you want to choose your foods very carefully, and you want to choose a diet schedule that

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fits your personal needs. So for some people, eating small frequent meals is a great way to provide time-released energy

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throughout the day. Now, one point to be careful about with that is you want to make sure they really

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are mini meals. So you're really not looking for anything more than 200 to 300 calories. And make sure those mini meals incorporate

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some healthy protein and some fiber. So perfect example could be whole grain bread

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with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Another good example of pairing protein with fiber could be using nonfat Greek yogurt, which

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is high in protein, 16 grams of protein for just one 8 ounce cup for only like 100 calories.

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And you compare that with some high-fiber food, like ground flaxseed or a whole grain cereal for a gratifying crunch.

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Or just blend in some fruit into that yogurt as well. So the mini meal pattern works great, as I mentioned, but not everybody has time for mini meals.

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So if you're somebody who eats more three square meals a day, take the same concept. But you could just make your meals a little bit larger.

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Fill half your plate with high-fiber, low-calorie vegetables. So instead of making meat the centerpiece of your meal,

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make sure vegetables are the centerpiece of your meal. And also use smaller plates. It's a built-in way for portion control.

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And the volume of high fiber foods is going to fill you up without filling you out. And it's going to give you that time-released energy.

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Make sure you got some protein. I can't tell you how many times people just eat pasta with sauce for a meal. You want to make sure that pastas whole wheat for energy

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and for fiber, and you also want to make sure you get some protein in there. So throw a piece of salmon or some grilled chicken

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or some firm tofu cubes on top. The whole mix factor, what I like to call, is going to be the perfect formula for giving you

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sustained energy throughout the day. So whether it's mini meals or three square meals a day, make sure you have that right combination of healthy sources