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As seen on BCTV May 27th, 2003

Step 1: Getting into a Straight Line State

The first step in achieving a high level of energy is to stabilize your blood sugar level (the level of energy in your system). From the time you wake up until bed time, you want to have a steady, straight line supply of energy to draw from. To achieve a straight line state…

  • Get up and plan to eat breakfast shortly after. Breakfast is considered to be what you eat within the first two hours of waking. For most people, the sooner breakfast is consumed after waking, the better for energy, appetite control and weight maintenance.
  • Ensure the largest portion of food on your plate is fruit and/or vegetables.
  • Ensure you've got both carbohydrate and protein food present in the meal. Just eating fruit or vegetables as a meal is not enough to sustain blood sugar. Aim to include foods from at least three of the four groups of Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
  • Plan to eat every three to four hours during the day. You shouldn't feel like you're constantly eating, but the between-meal snacks are critical. The best choices for snacks are the foods you're the least likely to get in your meals.

Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV's Noon News Hour!

Excerpt from The 80-20 cookbook - Eating for Energy without Deprivation, by Diana Steele and Patricia Chuey

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