Getting more energy

I’ve been thinking a lot about energy lately. Energy is the key to so many things in life. When I have energy, I get more done, I have more fun with the kids, I’m a better person.

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And yet, I spend so much time feel tired and lethargic.

But it’s simple right – all I have to get right is sleep, diet and exercise. But still I struggle. I go to bed too late, I go for the easy meal or snack instead of the healthy option, I stuff around on the computer instead of getting active.

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But as I learn what’s good for my body and my energy, I take steps to  make the improvements I need.

I’ve talked previously about the baby steps I’ve taken to improve my health. The baby steps approach isn’t working for me. I’ve made small changes, and I’m sure they’ve had an impact, but not enough. I need a big change to turn things around.

Today I’m kick-starting a healthy eating plan. I’ve done a hard-core “detox” before, and though I don’t believe a lot of the claims of detoxes, it did cure me of my sugar/chocolate cravings and I had heaps of energy at the end.

That was before kids. Doing it with two small children just sounds crazy. So this week, I’m doing a watered down version – really just a back to basics diet of fruit, vegetables, brown rice and chicken, with lots of water to drink. No coffee, no chocolate, no wine.

What then? I’m hoping once I’ve cleared the slate with my diet, my energy levels will improve and I’ll be motivated to stick with a healthier diet. And exercising will become easier. And everything will just fall into place.

Change is hard, so I’m looking for ideas on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle after this kickstart. Thankfully, right when I need it, the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle (affiliate link) is for sale (for less than 2 more days).

ebooksplusecoursesplusbonuses

This is a great selection of eBooks and courses to help you live a healthier life. Not everything will be relevant to you, but it’s still great value. Let’s have a look at what’s included:

UHLB-food

  • 42 Simple & Healthy Dinners by Brandy Ferguson, Emma Swanston, and Stacy Karen @ 42 Days to Fit ($4.99)
  • Crazy for Kale: Glow from the Inside Out with 40 Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Recipes by Hallie Klecker @ Daily Bites ($5.99)
  • Easy. Homemade. (2nd Edition) by Mandi Ehman @ Life Your Way ($5.99)
  • Everyday Nourishing Food by Kimi Harris @ The Nourishing Gourmet ($4.99)
  • From Scratch: Easy Recipes for Traditionally Prepared Whole-Food Dishes by Shaye Elliott @ The Elliott Homestead ($9.99)
  • Real Food Recipes for Weight Loss by Jami Boys @ An Oregon Cottage ($2.99)
  • Simple. Healthy. Tasty. – Breakfast by Tammie Nelson @ Simple. Healthy. Tasty. ($6.95)
  • Smoothie Secrets Revealed: A Guide to Enhance Your Health by Elyse Wagner @ My Kitchen Shrink ($19.99)
  • The 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge eGuide by Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner @ Simple Green Smoothies ($15.00)
  • The Everything Beans Book by Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship ($8.95)
  • The Granola Book by AlinaJoy Dubois @ Good Old Days Farm ($7.99)
  • Whole Foods for the Everyday Cook: Over 100 Natural Recipes for Everyday Cooking by Christy Greer @ Whole Foods on a Budget and Jessica Aveni @ Natural Health and Prevention ($6.99)
  • Will Forage For Soup: Gourmet Soup From Wild Greens by Amanda Rose, Ph.D. and Jeanie Rose @ Fresh Bites Daily ($6.97)

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  • Feast! Real Food, Reflections, and Simple Living for the Christian Year by Daniel and Haley Stewart @ Carrots for Michaelmas ($7.99)
  • Healthy Thanksgiving 101: A Grain-Free Meal Plan by Dr. Meghan Birt @ Just Enjoy Food ($8.99)
  • Nourishing Cookies for a Healthy Holiday: 10 Naturally Sweetened Holiday Cookie Recipes by Diana Bauman @ My Humble Kitchen ($4.99)
  • Real Food and Health Magazine: November/December 2013 by Heather Lionelle @ Real Food and Health ($4.99)
  • Simply Salads by Season by Kristen Michaelis @ Food Renegade ($17.95)

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  • All Natural Living: 75 Non-Toxic Recipes for Home & Beauty by Robin Konie @ Thank Your Body ($2.99)
  • A Simply Homemade Clean by Lisa Barthuly @ His Homestead Originals ($12.95)
  • Clean & Simple: 7 Inexpensive Ingredients, 12 Green Cleaning Recipes That Work by Stephanie Langford @ Keeper of the Home ($2.99)
  • DIY Natural Household Cleaners by Matt and Betsy Jabs @ DIY Natural ($9.99)
  • The Super Simple Guide to Decluttering and Deep Cleaning by Sandy Kreps @ Modern*Simplicity ($2.99)

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  • A Practical Guide to Children’s Health by Kate Tietje @ Modern Alternative Mama ($17.95)
  • Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by Erin Odom @ The Humbled Homemaker ($12.50)
  • Crash Course in Natural Parenting by Karli Von Herbulis @ Feed Me Mama ($4.99)
  • First Bites and Beyond by Kristen Burgess @ Natural Birth and Baby Care.com ($30.00)
  • Kids Eat Real Food: How to Raise Kids Who LOVE Real Food by Vanessa Pruitt @ Natural Family Today ($16.99)
  • The Happy Housewife’s Guide to Dealing with Picky Eaters by Toni Anderson @ The Happy Housewife

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  • 7 Day Real Food Challenge: Winter Menu by Roxanne King @ The Holistic Mama ($19.00)
  • 22 Days to a Fresh Start by Tiffany @ Don’t Waste the Crumbs ($1.99)
  • How to Become a Better Home Cook by Lindsay Moe @ The Live-In Kitchen ($7.00)
  • Making Organic Food Affordable: A Step-by-Step Approach for Lowering Your Costs by 50% or More by Tara Wagner @ Sustainable Baby Steps ($18.00)
  • Meal Planning Made Easy by Kelly Smith @ The Nourishing Home ($7.95)
  • Meals ePlanner by Jennifer Tankersley @ ListPlanIt ($5.00)
  • Money Saving Mom’s Guide to Freezer Cooking by Crystal Paine @ Money Saving Mom® ($2.99)
  • Recipe Binder Printables by Laura Smith @ IHeartPlanners ($10.00)

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  • 31 Days of Gluten Free Meals by Erin Chase @ $5 Dinners ($1.99)
  • Allergy-Free Cooking by Wardeh Harmon @ GNOWFGLINS ($20.00)
  • Allergy Friendly Comfort Food: 40 Delicious Recipes Made Without Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, or Soy by Kelly Roenicke @ The Pretty Bee ($3.99)
  • Beyond Broth: Nourishing Homemade Paleo Soups by Dr. Jill Tieman @ Real Food Forager ($9.95)
  • Gluten Free 30 Day Meal Plan by Amy Roskelley @ Super Healthy Kids ($9.99)
  • Gluten Free & Grain Free Breads, Batters and Doughs by Halle Cottis @ Whole Lifestyle Nutrition ($24.95)
  • Grain-Free Goodies: Favorite Grain-Free & Sugar-Free Recipes From Our Kitchen to Yours by Trisha Gilkerson @ Intoxicated on Life ($4.95)
  • Grain Free Grab-n-Go: Recipes for Portable Meals on the Go! by Hayley Barisa Ryczek @ Health Starts in the Kitchen ($9.97)
  • Grain-Free Meal Plans Freezer Cooking Guide by Cara Comini @ Health, Home, & Happiness ($18.00)
  • Keeping it Real: Gluten Free Recipes the Whole Family Will Love by Jessica Espinoza @ Delicious Obsessions ($6.99)
  • The Breakfast Bread Bible by Raia Todd @ Raia’s Recipes ($2.99)
  • The Nourished Kitchen Guide to Grain-Free & Dairy-Free Baking, Sweets and Treats by Jennifer McGruther @ Nourished Kitchen ($27.00)
  • Well Fed 2: More Paleo Recipes For People Who Love To Eat by Melissa Joulwan @ The Clothes Make The Girl ($9.95)

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  • Natural Homestead by Jill Winger @ The Prairie Homestead ($24.95)
  • Oh Lardy’s Guide To Keeping Backyard Chickens by Kelly Liston and Tamara Mannelly @ Oh Lardy! ($9.99)
  • The Art of Gardening: Building Your Soil by Susan Vinskofski @ learningandyearning ($18.00)
  • The Gardening Notebook by Angi Schneider @ SchneiderPeeps ($9.95)
  • The Healthy Chicken Cookbook by Lisa Steele @ Fresh Eggs Daily ($6.99)
  • The Urban Chicken by Heather Harris @ The Homesteading Hippy ($3.99)

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  • 42 Days to Fit by Brandy Ferguson, Emma Swanston, and Stacy Karen @ 42 Days to Fit ($4.99)
  • Belly Lovin’: What You Can Do About Your Diastasis Recti by Danielle N. Baethge @ It’s a Love/Love Thing ($5.00)
  • Get Up & Go! Fun Ideas for Getting Fit as a Family by Jennifer Flanders @ Loving Life at Home ($9.95)

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    • Beginner’s Guide to Natural Hair Care by Becky Marie @ For This Season ($4.99)
    • DIY Face Masks and Scrubs: Natural & Nourishing Homemade Skin Care by Stacy Karen @ A Delightful Home ($5.99)
    • Easy Beauty Recipes by Kelly McNelis @ New Leaf Wellness ($5.99)
    • My Buttered Life: Gift Giving Edition by Renee Harris @ MadeOn Skin Care ($5.00)
    • Natural Soap Making: Cold Process Soap Basics & Recipes by Jan Berry @ The Nerdy Farm Wife ($9.99)

  • Can I Get A Pickle Without Yellow 5, Please? by Sarah Nichols, M.Ed @ Simple Life Abundant Life ($3.99)
  • DIY Natural Remedies by Nina Nelson @ Shalom Mama ($12.95)
  • Essentials of Essential Oils: How to Use Essential Oils for Beginners by Rachel Ramey @ Titus 2 Homemaker ($2.99)
  • Herbal Preparations and Applications by Natalie B. Vickery @ The Family Herbalist ($9.99)
  • Repelled by Hilary Kimes Bernstein @ Accidentally Green ($1.99)
  • The Eczema Cure by Emily Bartlett @ Holistic Squid ($29.95)
  • The Nourished Metabolism by Elizabeth Walling @ The Nourished Life ($30.00)
  • The Postpartum Herbal Guide by Laura Schuerwegen @ Authentic Parenting ($3.99)
  • Traditional Remedies for Modern Families by Sarah Pope @ The Healthy Home Economist ($9.99)

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  • 5×5 Fitness Challenge from Fit2B by Beth Learn @ Fit2B studio ($10.00)
  • Essential Oils & Natural Health by Jessie Hawkins @ Vintage Remedies ($95.00)
  • Grocery Savings Made Simple: A Real Mom’s Guide by Shannon Brown @ Growing Slower ($37.00)
  • Let’s Do This! Getting Ahead in Your Real Food Kitchen by Laura Coppinger @ Heavenly Homemakers ($5.00)
  • Making Herbs Simple: Volume 1 and Volume 2 Video Downloads by Shoshanna Easling @ Bulk Herb Store Blog ($14.95 each)
  • MamaBaby Birthing by Kristen Burgess @ Natural Birth and Baby Care.com ($97.00)
  • Real Food Cleansing Guide eBook & Webinar by Lisa Grace Byrne, MPH @ WellGrounded Life ($29.00)

Click here for more info or to buy now.

This bundle is available only until 11:59 p.m. (US EST) on Monday, September 15th.

Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. Read the fine print about this bundle and read the answers to frequently asked questions about the bundle.