Maintaining Your Energy Throughout The Day (NAPSA)—Breakfast: Grande mochalatt. Lunch: Chili cheeseburger with fries and a large Coke. Dinner: Chinese take-out and a glass of water. Does this resemble what you ate today? If so, you may be feeling run-downortired. But making a few changes in your diet—and eating the right foods—can help you feel better. According to Dr. Kris Clark, director of sports nutrition at Penn State University, carbohydraterich foods fuel and energize the cells in your body, which, in turn, can fuel and energize you. Eating such foods for meals and snacks will help boost and maintain energylevels throughout the day. “From warm oatmeal with fruit at breakfast to a tasty pasta dish with vegetables for dinner, carbohydrate-rich foods should be a part of every meal or snack,” advises Clark. “Incorporating carbs into snacks is also easy. Snacking on a few graham crackers or animal crackers is a delicious way to provide much-needed energy to the cells in your body.” Clark also suggests dried fruit—such as dried plums—as a great way to maintain energylevels throughoutthe day. “Dried plums are an energypacked snack full of important nutrients such as potassium, antioxidants and vitamin A that can keep you going through a workout or even a meeting,” said Clark. “They are also portable and con- lV, ve Carbohydrate-rich foods help maintain the body’s energy levels throughoutthe day. venient, fitting easily into briefcases, gym bags, purses or luggage.” Whether at the gym or the office, needing energy is at the top of many people’s health wish list. Choosing high-calorie foods and beverages, rich in carbohydrates and protein, can boost your energy, too. Crackers with peanut butter or a cheese sandwich are two high-protein, good-for-you snacks to supplement meals. Clark also notes the importance of drinking water throughout the day to avoid dehydration. “Even sweating can influence levels of dehydration and, as a result, affect energy levels,” said Clark. “Keeping your hydration levels high are imperative to maintaining high energy levels.” For more information or tips on how to maintain energy levels throughout the day, you can visit www.CaliforniaDriedPlums.org.
