Q: At around 2pm I can barely keep my head up. A nap is not an option! Any other healthy suggestions?

A: Mid-afternoon malaise is healthy, but it should feel more like drowsiness than total exhaustion. Caffeine can help, but it causes unpleasant side-effects for some. Other options include eating a healthy breakfast and performing regular cardio.

Breakfast sets the dietary tone for the day and provides energy to jump-start your metabolism. But stay away from sluggish high fat foods like croissants and donuts. Instead, eat complex carbs, like oatmeal or bran cereals, and protein, like egg whites and low-fat yogurt. These digest more slowly, allowing you to establish and maintain high energy levels.

Ever thought, “I’m too tired to exercise!” You might be surprised to learn performing regular cardio actually leaves you with more energy, not less. For optimal results, perform 20 minutes three times per week at your target heart rate. Also, mix up your activity if possible between running, biking, hiking, rowing, swimming, skating, aerobics, dance and anything else that gets your blood pumping.

These simple tricks should reset energy levels to calm sailing and away from those dangerous waves. Of course, making sure you sleep enough at night is also important!

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver, B.C. For more info call his office at 604-420-7800 or visit KarpFitness.com. You can also find Karp Fitness on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.