Energy Field

In the Era of Macro Counting, Energy Has Become Synonymous With Carbs. But Feeling Your Best and Functioning Optimally Demands a Balanced Diet of Food and Movement.

Blame diet tracking apps and nutrition panels for making us believe that energy is reducible to calories. While glucose from carbohydrate is the most readily usable source of energy for brain and muscle activation, the recipe for optimal energy is a lot more complex. Not only do you need to replace expended kilojoules through regular balanced meals, you also need to consider factors such as caffeine and exercise.

In technical, on-paper terms, energy divides into categories of mechanical, chemical, heat and electrical energy. Yet in human terms, we need to draw on four separate sources of energy according to coauthors of The Power of Full Engagement Loehr and Schwartz. While they’re not readily measurable, emotional energy and spiritual energy demand a balance between outward and inward focus – the balance of which will be determined by personality factors such as degree or extraversion. When emotional energy is chronically depleted, anxiety and depression can cause chronic lethargy. Spiritual energy is also influenced in part by thoughts and behaviours that promote belief in connectedness, congruence and unity – think meditation, walking in nature and value-driven activities such as volunteering.

Underactivity is as detrimental as overactivity since exertion results in increased oxygen delivery to cells. Anyone who’s slept until midday knows too much rest – which expends minimal kilojoules – can result in feeling physically and mentally sluggish.

“Because energy capacity diminishes both with overuse and with underuse, we must balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal,” say Schwartz and Loehr.