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January 5, 2025

How to Recharge Your Energy and Regain Balance — Your Step-By-Step Guide to Feeling Vibrant and Energized

Barely a few days into the new year, and you’re already (or perhaps still) running on fumes?

You’re not alone. A 2023 meta-analysis that examined 91 studies across 3 continents found that 1 in every 5 adults worldwide experience general fatigue lasting up to 6 months.

In the US, 44% of the more than 1,000 adults surveyed by the National Sleep Foundation in 2019 said they felt sleepy between 2 to 4 days every week.

There are many reasons you may feel sluggish or uninspired. Some factors, like health conditions, are beyond your control. But most of the time, there are very small, simple, and achievable lifestyle habits anyone can adopt to feel less depleted.

So, to set you up for a more recharged 2025, we’ve crafted an in-depth “energy guide” that focuses on helping your body maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Small steps to big energy

Below, we identified 5 areas crucial for more vigor in your life: nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep, and hydration.

Fuel your body with smart choices

If you want to get more energy from your meals, there are minor adjustments you can make to help your body maintain healthy, stable blood sugar levels.

Build your meals with MyPlate

For the uninitiated, MyPlate is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and is designed to help Americans eat healthily. MyPlate recommends that you:

Make at least half your grains whole grains: There are 2 types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are short sugar molecule chains. Complex carbs are longer chains. As such, simple carbs are easy for your body to break down, which means they cause a faster rise in your blood glucose levels. So, by making at least half your grains whole grains (which are complex carbs), you’d be keeping your blood glucose — and energy — levels steadier throughout the day.

The table below shows a few simple swaps to boost your whole grain intake.

Meal	Swap in	Swap out
Breakfast	Whole grain or multiseed breads	White bread
	Buckwheat or whole wheat pancakes	Regular white flour pancakes
	Whole grain crispbread	Buttery round crackers
Lunch	Brown rice	White rice
	100% whole grain bread or tortilla/wrap	White bread or tortilla/wrap
	Bulgur, farro, or quinoa salad	Potato salad
Dinner	Barley “risotto”	Regular white rice risotto
	Whole wheat or brown rice pasta	Regular pasta
	Whole grain pizza	Regular pizza

Prioritize lean or low-fat protein sources: Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates. It slows down glucose absorption into the bloodstream. This results in a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels, avoiding sudden spikes and crashes. Beyond that, dietary protein helps preserve and potentially build muscle mass, which increases the body’s capacity to use glucose — benefitting blood sugar levels. However, not all protein sources are “good” choices. Choosing lean or low-fat protein foods is preferable as it could promote healthy weight management (research shows an association between poor glucose regulation and weight gain). The only exception is fatty fish. These are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may support heart health. The American Heart Association recommends eating 2 servings of fish (particularly fatty fish) weekly.

Here are a few simple swaps you could make to increase your intake of lean proteins and fatty fish:

Instead of …	Do this …
Grilling burgers and ribs	Marinate and pan-fry chicken or fatty fish (e.g., salmon, rainbow trout, and cod)
Cooking ground beef	Cook ground turkey
Preparing sandwiches with cold cuts of any kind	Opt for sliced chicken or canned tuna
Frying a steak	Bake a chicken breast or some white fish
Roasting beef, lamb, or ham	Roast a turkey, chicken, or salmon

Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fiber, which could help regulate blood glucose levels. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends consuming about 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed daily.

Here are some of the most fiber-rich fruits and vegetables you could load up on.

Type	What	Fiber content/100 grams
Fruit	Pears	3.1 g
	Strawberries	2 g
	Apples	2.4 g
	Raspberries	6.5 g
	Blueberries	2.4 g
	Blackberries	5.3 g
	Bananas	2.6 g
Vegetables	Carrots	2.8 g
	Beets	2 g
	Brocolli	2.6 g
	Artichoke	5.4 g
	Brussels sprouts	3.8 g
	Kale	4.1 g
	Spinach	2.2 g
	Tomatoes	1.2 g

Minimize processed foods and beverages

Limiting your intake of processed foods and beverages will go a long way in reducing added sugars in your diet.

Because added sugars are digested and absorbed quickly by the body, they could cause your blood sugar levels to spike.

Now, how do you know if a food is processed?

A good indicator is if it comes in a package that has to be ripped open. Think granola bars, potato chips, frozen pizza, etc. There are, of course, some exceptions to the rule.

Some whole, unprocessed foods that are good for your blood sugar — and energy — levels come in packages by necessity. Examples include nuts, eggs, olive oil, and milk.

Look at the length of the ingredient list. If a packaged food contains only a handful of ingredients, it’s probably a reasonable choice.

A helpful skill you could pick up is learning to read food labels. Or, more specifically, the Nutrition Facts panel.

The section most worthy of your attention is added sugar content (helpfully, it’s listed separately from total sugars). While the Daily Value is 50 grams, the American Heart Association recommends keeping your daily added sugar intake to 25 to 36 grams daily:

Men: 9 teaspoons = 36 grams = 150 calories
Women: 6 teaspoons = 25 grams = 100 calories

Move for energy

Physical activity has a positive impact on blood sugar levels (and, in turn, energy levels) by doing 2 things:

In the short term, it induces a rapid increase in glucose uptake rate in the contracting skeletal muscles.

In the long term, it preserves and maintains muscle mass, which plays a key role in storing glucose as glycogen (aiding in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels).

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults should:

Get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both weekly (preferably spread throughout the week)

Add muscle-strengthening activity (such as resistance or weights) at least 2 days weekly

Cardio

Let’s talk about aerobic activity, or cardio, first.

It refers to any repetitive, structured physical activity that requires your body’s metabolic system to use oxygen to produce energy. Examples of cardio exercises you could try include power walking, swimming, boxing, dancing, cycling, hiking, rock climbing, and rowing.

The talk test is a simple way to measure the intensity of your cardio session.

In general, if you’re doing moderate-intensity activity, you can talk but not sing during the activity. On the other hand, if you’re doing vigorous-intensity activity, you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.

Muscle-strengthening activities

Now, let’s move on to muscle-strengthening activities.

This involves any exercise that causes your muscles to contract against external resistance. When building a strength training habit, it is helpful to start with the basics. Consider the body’s foundational motions: hinge, squat, lunge, push, pull, and rotation.

So, if you want a well-rounded, functional workout that helps you in everyday life, you need to touch on all of them.

Here’s a beginner-friendly workout you could do right from home to get you started.

Bodyweight good morning (hinge)

Start with your feet hip-width apart and gently rest your hands on the back of your head.
Maintaining a flat back, push your hips back, allowing your knees to bend slightly, and lower your torso until it is nearly parallel to the ground.
Pause, then slowly rise back to standing.
Repeat for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Bodyweight squat (squat)

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out, arms at your sides, palms in.
Engage your core and keep your chest lifted and back flat as you shift your weight into your heels, push your hips back, and bend your knees to lower into a squat.
Drive through your heels to stand and squeeze your glutes at the top.
Repeat for 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

Step-up (lunge)

Step onto a stool with 1 foot, allowing the trailing foot to hover slightly behind the lead foot.
Hold that balanced position for 3 to 4 seconds before lowering slowly to the ground.
Repeat with the other foot.
Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg.

Modified push-up (push)

Begin in a kneeling position and place your hands on the floor, shoulder-width apart and under your shoulders.
Keep your torso straight as you bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor.
Push back up to the starting position.
Repeat for 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps.

Note: once you can perform this exercise without allowing your back to arch, your butt to rise, or your shoulders to hunch, progress to a standard push-up.

Superman back extension (pull)

Lie with your chest down on the floor, reaching your arms straight out in front of you (as if you were Superman mid-flight).
Squeeze your glutes and lower back to raise your arms, legs, and the top of your chest off the floor.
Hold for a count, then slowly return to the starting position. Don’t drop your arms or legs.
Repeat for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Bodyweight Russian twists (rotation/anti-rotation)

Sit with your knees bent out in front of you, feet flexed, and heels on the floor.
Hold your hands in front of your chest and lean your torso back until you feel your abdominal muscles engage.
Slowly twist your torso from right to left, then left to right. Remember to keep your core tight (and breathe) throughout.
Repeat for 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps.

Sample weekly workout plan

Now, let’s be honest. If you’re new to fitness, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans can feel out of reach. But the good thing is that you don’t have to hit that amount of exercise immediately in your first week of working out.

You can and should start slow.

Exercising doesn’t need to take up a huge amount of your time initially — studies show that walking as little as 2 to 5 minutes after a meal could benefit your blood glucose levels (compared to simply staying stationary).

Ease into it, see how your body responds, and gradually increase the pace or load over time.

Below are sample beginner, intermediate, and advanced workout schedules.

Choose one that best suits your fitness level. Also, know that these sample workouts are only suggestions; feel free to swap out any exercise for an equivalent you’d enjoy more (research suggests that when people do activities they enjoy, they’re more likely to stick with them). For example, swimming instead of cycling.

Beginner weekly workout schedule

Beginner weekly workout schedule
Day 1	Cardio: 5 to 30 minutes, such as: - Post-meal walk - Elliptical machine - Jump rope
Day 2	Full body strength training You can use the bodyweight routine shared above.
Day 3	Rest or gentle stretching
Day 4	Cardio: 5 to 30 minutes; do the same workout you did on Day 1 or a new one
Day 5	Full body strength training You can use the bodyweight routine shared above.
Day 6	Rest or optional cardio You can do something less structured, like hiking or gardening.
Day 7	Rest

Intermediate weekly workout schedule

Intermediate weekly workout schedule
Day 1	Cardio: 30 to 45 minutes, such as: - Swimming - Cycling - Moderate-intensity interval training
Day 2	Upper body strength training, such as: - Bench press (3 sets of 6 to 12 reps) - Barbell row (3 sets of 6 to 12 reps) - Seated overhead dumbbell press (3 sets of 8 to 12 reps) - Dumbbell lateral raise (3 sets of 10 to 15 reps) - Overhead tricep extension (3 sets of 8 to 12 reps) - Bicep cable curl (3 sets of 8 to 12 reps)
Day 3	Lower body strength training, such as: - Barbell squat (3 sets of 6 to 12 reps) - Deadlift (3 sets of 8 to 12 reps) - Leg extension (3 sets of 10 to 12 reps) - Seated leg curl (3 sets of 10 to 12 reps) - Standing calf raises (3 sets of 12 to 15 reps)
Day 4	Rest or gentle stretching
Day 5	Cardio: 30 to 45 minutes; do the same workout you did on Day 1 or a new one
Day 6	Upper body strength training (repeat Day 3)
Day 7	Lower body strength training (repeat Day 4)

Advanced weekly workout schedule

Advanced weekly workout schedule
Day 1	Cardio: 30 to 60 minutes, such as: - High-intensity interval training - Treadmill running - Cycling AND a “push” strength training workout, such as: - Incline bench press (3 sets of 8 to 12 reps) - Dumbbell shoulder press (3 sets of 10 to 12 reps) - Dumbbell lateral raise (3 sets of 12 to 15 reps) - Overhead triceps extension (3 sets of 10 to 12 reps)
Day 2	“Pull” strength training workout, such as: - Barbell deadlift (3 sets of 8 to 12 reps) - Chest-supported dumbbell row (3 sets of 8 to 10 reps) - Lat pulldown (3 sets of 10 to 12 reps) - Cable bicep curl (3 sets of 10 to 15 reps)
Day 3	Cardio: 30 to 60 minutes; do the same workout you did on Day 1 or a new one AND a “legs” strength training workout, such as: - Barbell squat (3 sets of 8 to 12 reps) - Barbell hip thrust (3 sets of 8 to 10 reps) - Dumbbell alternating reverse lunge (3 sets of 10 to 12 reps) - Standing calf raises (3 sets of 15 to 20 reps)
Day 4	Rest or gentle stretching
Day 5	Cardio AND “push” strength training workout (repeat Day 1)
Day 6	“Pull” strength training workout (repeat Day 2)
Day 7	Cardio AND “legs” strength training workout (repeat Day 3)

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Beyond helping your kidneys filter excess glucose from your bloodstream, drinking enough fluids could also modulate hunger — preventing you from overconsuming high-carb, blood-sugar-raising foods.

How much fluids do you need? For adults, the general recommendation from The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is about:

11.5 cups (2.7 liters) daily for women
15.5 cups (3.7 liters) daily for men

That said, your specific hydration needs may differ depending on environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity, and other health conditions. The good news is that you can easily judge your hydration status by peeking into the toilet bowl after you pee:

Urine color	Hydration status
Transparent	You’re overhydrated. Hold off on the fluids for a bit.
Lemonade	This is optimal hydration. Keep doing what you’re doing.
Light beer	Don’t worry, you’re still well-hydrated.
Amber	You could be mildly dehydrated — it's time to drink some fluids!
Burnt orange	Yep, you’re dehydrated. Drink lots of fluids and consider supplementing with electrolytes for enhanced hydration.

Supercharge with Nutrionic™ H2 Energizer

Speaking of hydration … if you want to “hit the nitrous boost” on your energy levels, we’ve got just the thing for you: Nutrionic™ H₂ Energizer. Dropping 1 tablet into water creates hydrogen water that delivers:

Hydration, which, as you’ve learned, basically equals energy in this article

Up to 10+ ppm of molecular hydrogen, the smallest antioxidant capable of crossing into the mitochondria — supporting energy production right where it happens
Up to 80 mg of unbound, bioavailable magnesium ions, cofactors for over 300 enzymes involved in energy production

It’s energy, three-fold! Shop Nutrionic™ H₂ Energizer here.

Your 7-day energy challenge

Ready to feel more alive and awake than you ever have? Then follow this 7-day energy challenge, where we adopt tiny, energy-boosting habits daily to help you feel good.

Nutrionics™ 7-day energy challenge
Day 1	Nutrition: - Get a personalized MyPlate food plan - Start eating more whole grains (begin with just 1 meal) Hydration: - Start paying attention to your urine color - Hydrate with Nutrionic™ H₂ Energizer
Day 2	Nutrition: - Add more lean and low-fat protein sources to your meals Exercise: - Choose a workout plan you’ll enjoy - Start with a post-meal brisk walk (or something more challenging, depending on your fitness level) Hydration: - Keep doing what you did on Day 1
Day 3	Nutrition: - Add more fruits and vegetables to your meals Exercise: - Stick to a consistent workout routine Hydration: - Keep doing what you did on Day 1
Day 4	Nutrition: - Limit your intake of ultra-processed foods; read food labels when grocery shopping to make wise choices Exercise and hydration: - Keeping doing what you did on Day 3
Days 5 to 7	You should be really getting into a groove and experiencing a serious uptick in energy levels at this stage. Keep doing what you’ve been doing!