help me get up in the morning!

[tolovemercy]

About 4 weeks ago I started working a few hours in the very, very early morning every day (get up at 4am, leave for work at 4:45, and arrive home before DH leaves for work).

I've been making getting enough sleep a priority (usually 6-7 hours at night, plus an hour in the afternoon when the kids nap). But, I still really need a boost before I leave in the morning and usually when I get home because otherwise I'm super grouchy with the kids . I'm hoping that over time, my body will adjust to the new rhythm, but until then, I really need some...um...assistance in achieving normalcy, lol.

I don't particularly have a problem with coffee from a TF perspective, but I quit drinking it when I went through a long bout of chronic UTIs/kidney stones/pain last winter & spring (perhaps due to a rather excessive coffee habit leading up to it). I initially thought that if I got up early enough, I could make a high-protein breakfast to get me going, but I just can't stomach much that early in the morning. That's also the problem with kombucha--I love it after 9am, but anything earlier is just not doable.

So, that's my dilemma. With coffee off the list, I've actually been resorting to energy drinks , which wake you up but the other garbage in them make me feel like...well, garbage (headaches in the afternoon, yada yada). I need other TF suggestions for my morning!

[TheRobinsons]

Could you stomach a smoothie? Maybe you could take it with you on the way to work and sip on it as you go?

When I have a smoothie for breakfast, I have more energy and feel fuller longer than eggs and bacon.

I make mine with:
banana
kefir (or raw milk and yoghurt)
1 tbs coconut oil
egg yolk
vanilla extract
LSA (linseed, sunflower and almonds ground up)
flaxseed oil
big spoonful of raw honey
(sometimes I put some nutritional yeast in too - this is full of B vitamins which could help you with energy and feeling awake)

We milk our own cow - so I know about getting up early - in summer it is lovely, in winter it is awful!

[mbravebird]

Some sort of super-greens, like spirulina or chlorella? Mix with water, down it, walk out the door?

Water kefir with the supergreens?

[Magelet]

Could you eat something when you get out of bed, which will get you in the mood to eat more before you leave or on your way? Maybe peanut butter with coconut oil and optionally a little honey? I find that the combination of fat and a little natural sugar stokes my appetite sometimes. (Or gives me a lot of energy for the amount of food)

[Koalamom]

What about chia seeds since they are an energy food. But they are aslow release energy food too, so you won't ahve tha kick that it seems like you are looking for.

If you are short on time, you could even just do a super bar like garden of lifes superfood raw bars.

I really like smothies for breakfast. Toast is good too or a cup of raw yogurt. I change things up so I don't get bored. I have soaked cooked grains a few times a week, always different grains. We are having amaranth with almond butter, rasoberries, flaxseed, and a pinch of dandelion greens (for liver support), topped with butter and maple syrup. We may stagger grain breakfasts with smoothies, and grilled egg, cheese, and tomato sandwiches. Some mornings we may have a baked sweet potato, simple but heavenly.

I find that variation is the key. You may find breakfast more motivating if it is something yummy or new each day.

[tolovemercy]

You all are brilliant. I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me even once in the last month--but smoothies are PERFECT. Made one this morning with the few things I had on hand (kefir, pineapple, strawberry), and hope to add to it. Really yummy. And, really felt great! Thanks ladies.

[lindsayjean]

oh man, I had to be out the door at 5am for 2 years when I was working at a particular job. It was HARD at first, but I totally got used to it after a while. I woke up normally at 4:45 though, so I didn't give myself time to make anything to eat, besides I wasn't so hungry that early anyway. And my blender would totally have woken up everyone in our tiny house. So, I just ate when I got to work... something high protein usually.

[samihenter]

energy

my formula:
1.5 tbsp of dried coconut
1 tbsp of flaxseed
0.5 tbsp of nigella sativa
mix these with preferably with kefir or yogurt or honey. it should boost your energy