13 ways to get more energy so you can power through your workouts, feel more productive, and make the most of each day. No caffeine required.

Whether you’re trying to build muscle, burn fat, or just make it through the workday without pouring your second sixth cup of joe, energy is a big deal. 

We all have energy, but it can feel like the number of options you have to increase energy (drink more coffee, energy drinks like 5-hour energy, drink more coffee) is supremely outnumbered by the number of things that drain your energy. Not to mention, when you start loading up your caffeine intake, the downsides and side effects like jitters, headaches, and dependency, start to outweigh the benefits. In fact, in a paradoxical way, less caffeine makes the caffeine you drink more impactful.

That means finding healthy alternatives to boost energy doesn’t have to become a test of how many mg of caffeine you can tolerate before your body breaks down. In fact, if you’re focused on your wellness, rethinking the healthy alternatives to boost your energy can be life changing. 

And, the best part is that the healthy alternatives that give you the most energy have nothing to do with caffeine alternatives like ginseng, B vitamins, or antioxidants.

When you think of energy, it’s best to understand why you get drained. From work and a lack of sleep, to stress, decision making, and even your workouts, there’s no shortage of lifestyle variables that drain your battery. 

So, to help you power up when you need it most — or, ideally, before you hit empty — you need to find other lifestyle factors to naturally recharge. We found the best experts who know the tips that have endless health benefits, pulled studies, and found 13 ways to get more energy so you can power through your workouts, feel more productive, and make the most of each day. No caffeine required.   

The Best Protein Pancake Recipe EVER: Bacon & Date Protein Pancakes

Don't settle for boring. This recipe will change how you look at protein pancakes. And: There's bacon. (You know you want bacon.)

With his wedding just 6 months away, Brew Fitness Co. client Sam decided to get serious about fat loss. 

There’s nothing quite like a deadline to get your butt in gear. Sam was highly motivated, crushing gym workouts and diving into tracking his food (something that works well for him). 

But, after losing weight initially, Sam’s progress stalled…and stalled. The scale didn’t budge for almost 6 weeks. 

The funny thing? This isn’t abnormal. 

After finishing up three different chest exercises - incline press, bench press and cable flys—I headed toward the chest press machine at my gym. Machine chest press is my final exercise, and hopping on the machine meant that I could wrap up my workout after a long day of work.

To no surprise, it was already taken by a gym-goer and their partner, as many of the machines typically are during peak times. So I decided to ask, “Excuse me, how many sets do you have left?” Usually, if the reply goes something like “I’ve got 30 minutes left” or “Ten more sets,” I'll bounce to another machine before returning. But the person on the chest press machine replied: “Sorry, I just got here.” Flustered, I just said “Okay,” and left.

Look, I get it. You know you’ll feel better if you work out. But maybe your alarm was extra-unwelcome this morning or you’ve had an exhausting day. And you know that with a little bit of a boost, you’re not just more likely to actually feel up to exercising — you’re also more likely to crush that workout.

And that makes a pre-workout pretty appealing, but that quick high comes with some serious lows you need to be aware of.

It’s def possible to have too much caffeine. On top of that, certain situations — like coffee on an empty stomach — can give caffeine a bad rap, even when it’s really the other things at play causing the problems. 

All this said, I’m pro caffeine, just in moderation. Too much caffeine is going to literally jack you up, especially consuming too much at one time. But how much is too much? I’ve got you.

“It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.” – Indiana Jones

Like Indy, you’ve lived a little. 

But, getting older doesn’t mean it’s time to sit on the sidelines. You don’t have to grow weaker and give up what you love. No matter how many miles are on the odometer, you can get older and stronger. 

And this strength can impact your healthy lifespan in powerful ways. As we’ll show you below, getting stronger is associated with better aging and mortality, stronger bones and heart, and improved quality of life. 

The best news? It’s never too late to add strength and experience the benefits of exercise. But if you want to stay fit (get in even better shape) as you age, you need to start thinking about your training differently. 

I know, I know. Everyone is telling you how important sleep is these days. Magazine articles guilt-trip you about how many hours you spend snoozing, news stories report on the number of traffic accidents caused by sleep-exhausted drivers.

But here’s the reality: most of us, at some point or another, will have a hard time getting enough sleep. Whether we’re just too busy to spend enough time in bed or stress causes us to toss and turn all night, no one is guaranteed a good night’s sleep every single night.

So we want to help you. We want to change the way you view sleep: not from a “shame on you if you’re not sleeping great” perspective, but a practical “let’s try to get as much of this stuff as possible” perspective. Try these helpful tools and clean up your sleep hygiene, such as a consistent sleep schedule and begin daytime habits that encourage sleep.

Here are our realistic tips for falling—and staying—asleep.