3 Steps to Beating Fatigue and Brain Fog: A Holistic Approach for Women
From Surviving to Thriving
Introduction: A Daily Cycle of Survival Mode
Do you wake up feeling just as tired as when you went to bed? Or maybe your mornings are a blur of coffee and mental checklists, just to get through the day. As women, we’re often juggling multiple roles, and it’s all too easy to feel like we’re in survival mode. Fatigue, brain fog, and a sense of overwhelm can take over. Here are three common struggles many women face when it comes to daily energy and mental clarity:
Low Energy: The dragging, sluggish feeling that starts as soon as the alarm goes off. Mornings become a battle to get moving, and afternoons are a constant fight against fatigue.
Daily Impact: This often means relying on caffeine and sugar to get through the day, making it challenging to keep up with work, family responsibilities, and social obligations. Plans with friends, hobbies, and personal projects might feel out of reach at the end of the day, adding to a sense of frustration or guilt.
Feeling Scatterbrained: Brain fog can creep in quickly—forgetting why you walked into a room, struggling to remember appointments, and feeling mentally scattered.
Daily Impact: Creates difficulty concentrating and remembering details, leading to feelings of inadequacy or annoyance at yourself for forgetting appointments, deadlines, or feeling unable to focus on meaningful tasks. You may find yourself snapping at your children or anyone who interrupts your current task or train of thought. Constant brain fog can reduce your productivity and confidence.
Overwhelm: The sense of always being “on,” feeling like you’re running on fumes, and struggling to keep up. It’s hard to focus, let alone tackle tasks with confidence. This sense of overwhelm touches every part of your life, and you see its impact on personal relationships, professional relationships, and even your relationship with yourself.
Daily Impact: You feel a sense of “drowning” in responsibilities, where the to-do list only seems to grow. Personal time, relaxation, and self-care fall to the wayside, which amplifies fatigue and brain fog, which keeps the metabolic chaos cycle going. You may feel guilty about not doing enough, or burnt out by overextending yourself, contributing to a sense of striving and shame and judgment towards yourself.
Many of us turn to quick fixes: caffeine, energy drinks, fast snacks, and pushing through each day. But relying on these tactics, which are often designed for short-term survival, only leads to a cycle that drains us further and feeds Metabolic Chaos®. What if there was a way to break free from this and reclaim lasting energy and clarity?
In this post, we’ll look at three holistic shifts that can help you move from surviving to truly thriving.
Step 1: Eat More Protein to Fuel Your Body
Our bodies need more than quick sugars or snacks to maintain energy and mental sharpness—protein is key. It provides the building blocks for muscles, hormones, enzymes, and cell structures, as well as a steady source of fuel, balancing blood sugar, and giving you the foundation for sustained energy. In general, you should try to eat 1gram per kilogram body weight of protein every day. If you have a more active lifestyle, are exercising regularly, and lifting weights, this number can be safely increased to roughly 2g/kg protein daily.
Juice Plus Complete Shakes: These are plant-based, whole-food protein options made to provide balanced nutrients, making them convenient for busy mornings or after a workout. The Complete Shakes offer high-quality non-GMO protein with a profile of fiber, vitamins, and minerals to keep you fuller for longer, supporting better energy and focus throughout the day. Here’s a link to a prefilled cart for easy ordering.
Whole Cuts of Meat: Choosing organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed, or wild-caught meat provides higher levels of essential nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and zinc. These support both body and brain health, helping with fatigue, mental clarity, and overall resilience.
Other Protein Sources: Here are some other versatile protein options you can incorporate into meals, snacks, or as simple add-ins throughout the day:
Greek Yogurt: High in protein and probiotics, Greek yogurt can be used in smoothies, parfaits, salad dressings, or eaten on its own with toppings like nuts, seeds, or fruit.
Cottage Cheese: Another protein-packed dairy option, cottage cheese is great mixed with fruit, used as a topping on toast, or blended into savory dishes and dips.
Eggs: Eggs are a complete protein that can be boiled for on-the-go snacks, scrambled into breakfast, or added to salads and grain bowls.
Chickpeas: Chickpeas are excellent in salads, roasted as a crunchy snack, or blended into hummus for a dip that pairs well with veggies and crackers.
Edamame: These young soybeans are high in protein and easy to add to salads, stir-fries, or enjoyed as a snack with a sprinkle of sea salt.
Quinoa: This high-protein grain is versatile in salads, bowls, soups, or as a base for dishes instead of rice. Quinoa works well for both savory and sweet recipes.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds are great sources of protein. They can be added to smoothies, sprinkled on yogurt, or eaten as snacks on their own.
Lentils: Lentils are high in protein and fiber, and they’re perfect in soups, stews, salads, or even as a filling for tacos or wraps.
Tofu and Tempeh: These soy-based proteins are adaptable to nearly any flavor and can be baked, grilled, or stir-fried for meals. They also work well in salads, bowls, or sandwiches.
Tip: Aim to incorporate a protein source into every meal. This simple addition can help you feel more grounded and maintain steady energy throughout the day.
Step 2: Delay Caffeine for Sustained Focus and Energy
For many of us, caffeine is the first thing we reach for in the morning. If you're like me, it's not just for the energy boost, it's a comfort thing. However, drinking coffee or tea right after waking can interfere with natural cortisol production, which is what our bodies use to naturally increase energy levels. Starting the day with hydration and a delayed approach to caffeine can work wonders for mental clarity.
Start with Hydration: Begin your morning with 8oz of water, either room temperature or warm. Add a squeeze of lemon juice for an extra boost of flavor and a dose of antioxidants like Vitamin C, which supports hydration, the liver, and digestion.
Herbal Tea: For those who still need a cozy ritual in the morning, herbal tea is a great substitute for coffee and has health benefits of its own. There are so many caffeine-free herbal teas to choose from, take your pick! Choose one that helps address any of the health needs you have (immune, stress relief, sleep, detoxifying), and choose organic as often as possible to reduce exposure to pesticides.
Wait One Hour for Caffeine: Caffeine taxes the adrenals by stimulating them to produce cortisol. This can contribute to cortisol dysfunction when you are dealing with chronic stress. Allow your body’s natural cortisol levels to rise first by delaying caffeine for an hour. When you do have coffee or tea, pair it with a nourishing breakfast for even blood sugar and energy stability.
Tip: By giving your body a chance to wake up on its own first, you’ll find that your morning energy is more balanced, and you’re less likely to experience caffeine crashes later in the day.
Step 3: Prioritize Rest as a Foundation for Clear Thinking and Resilience
Good rest doesn’t just mean the number of hours of sleep we get—it’s also about setting the stage for quality, restorative sleep. Small adjustments to your nighttime routine can dramatically improve your ability to focus, lower stress levels, and boost your mood the next day. And just in case you need a little extra convincing about how important rest is, it’s included in the 10 commandments! “Sabbath” means rest, not church, synagogue, temple, or mass. Exodus 20:8-11 says, “8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: 9 You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. 11 For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.” God rested, and you should too.
Set the Stage for Rest: Do your best to be in bed by 10pm for optimal restorative sleep. About 30 minutes before bed, turn off screens, close blinds and curtains, and reduce as much background noise as possible. If quiet feels overwhelming, opt for peaceful background sounds like worship music, classical music, or nature sounds. This allows your mind to transition gently to sleep mode.
Create a Nightly Routine: Spend 10 minutes getting ready for bed, whether it’s washing your face, brushing your teeth, or changing into comfortable clothes. Next, take 10 minutes for gentle stretching to release tension in your body, followed by 10 minutes of journaling. Write down thoughts from the day, and finish with something you’re grateful for—this helps to create a sense of peace and calm before sleep.
Tip: A restful night lays the foundation for a thriving day ahead. Embracing this nightly ritual helps to reduce brain fog and emotional overwhelm, allowing you to wake up feeling recharged.
Conclusion: From Surviving to Thriving
These three small but powerful steps—eating more protein, delaying caffeine, and prioritizing rest—work together to help you break free from survival mode. Instead of chasing symptom relief, you’ll be building a lifestyle that supports energy, mental clarity, and resilience from the inside out.
Ready to take this to the next level? Book a free consultation with me today, and let’s work together to create a personalized wellness plan tailored to your needs and goals. You deserve to thrive!
