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Bethany is one of the most bubbly and vivacious people I have ever known. When we met, she was raising two kids and a husband, worked full-time and still managed to teach water aerobics to seniors and volunteer at the Humane Society. I asked her to join me for lunch one day in the hopes of finding out the secret to her unrivaled energy.

At the restaurant, I scarfed down my three cheese lasagna as my co-worker enjoyed her grilled salmon and mixed vegetables. Though we never broached the subject over that meal, she must have read my mind. The next day when I dragged myself into the office there was a neatly-bound notebook on my desk with a note attached with five words that would change my life: HERE'S HOW I DO IT!

As I leafed through the pages, I found reprinted articles along with hand written notes that detailed all sorts of tips and tricks for getting the most out of life. Immediately my attention was drawn to an entire section dedicated solely to eating that she cleverly titled "Don't eat your life away" How could a woman with so much energy never drink a single cup of coffee when I could barely make it out of my house without at least two? What I learned is that the secret to energy lies not in a pill or a coffee mug, but in the foods we eat.

Breakfast
There is plenty of research that verifies the morning meal as the most important meal of the day, but all I needed to convince me was a week of doing it myself. Not only should you eat breakfast, equally important is what you eat. Look for choices that are low in sugar and fat but high in complex carbs and protein such as oatmeal and fruit or even scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast.

Water
Dehydration can deplete your energy like nothing else. Staying properly hydrated will not only boost your energy but aid in digestion and possibly even with weight loss.

Nuts & Seeds
Nuts are packed with protein and natural energy boosters combined with loads of other important nutrients. An afternoon snack of trail mix, for example will do more to give you that afternoon pick-me-up than a candy bar and soda, and without the sudden crash an hour later.

Protein
Protein is vital to good health and while a large serving of beef or pork might make you want a nap, a reasonable serving of salmon or lean chicken will fuel your body and give you more endurance throughout the day. When combined with energy-rich complex carbohydrates, protein is particularly powerful.

Fruit
Fruit, both fresh and dried, is an excellent source of energy and nutrition. Steer clear of prepackaged fruit cocktails or anything else that contains added sugar or heavy syrup in favor of the natural sugars and flavor of the real thing.

Fats
It's become a dirty word because of links to heart disease, cholesterol and cancer, but not all fats are created equal. In fact, some fats are actually beneficial to the body and can even reduce the "bad" cholesterol. Extra virgin olive oil is delicious, full of antioxidants can even reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. It is also a concentrated and powerful source of energy.

The lessons I learned from that notebook go far beyond the pages of valuable information it contained. I learned that compassion and concern are not a lost art in today's world. Not only was I able to teach myself to eat better, I also changed the way I look at food, life and the people around me. I haven't seen or heard from Bethany in a while, but I think I might just fire up the grill tonight and have some salmon for dinner. Something tells me she would like that.

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