How to make sure coffee and energy drinks don't become the boss of you...

I gave up caffeine for good about a month and a half ago due to my anxiety, and since then life hasn't been nearly as bad as I thought it would be! I was never much into coffee, usually only opting to drink a cup of black as a pre workout. However, there wasn't a monster energy drink that I could pass up. Never-the-less, going cold turkey wasn't too gruesome. After about one day my body regulated and a week later I felt just fine. That is until I needed to muster the energy for some low motivation workouts. You see, one of the ways I leveraged energy drinks was to give myself a pre-workout energy boost when I didn't feel like working out. With a little extra help from an energy drink, I could push through my workout. I needed to figure something out. That's when a friend of mine suggested I look into Maca Root.

Alternative No. 1 : Maca Root Powder to the Rescue

The proclaimed benefits of maca root powder are plenty and include improved energy, improved stamina, increased libido, and mood stabilization. I tried it for myself, and it worked. I just added a little powder to my protein shake and voila. The powder adds a bit of a nutty flavor to your drink. I'm a fan. Naturally, maca root isn't the only option, it's just something I recently stumbled across, and I wanted to share.

Alternative No. 2 : Eat More Protein for the B-12

There's no need to jump on the maca root bandwagon. There may be even more practical changes you can make to your diet for greater energy. For example, lean meats contain B-12 vitamins that assist in the metabolizing your food which means that your body is more easily able to convert your food into energy.

Alternative No. 3 : Take B-12 Supplements if Meat Isn't Your Thing

If you're not much of a meat eater, are strictly vegetarian or vegan supplementing your diet with B-12 supplements is helpful. Since you're not getting B-12 naturally through quality meats, B -12 tablets can help with what you're missing.

Alternative No. 4 : Don't forget about herbs.

Ginseng, cayenne pepper, and ginger root are all known to improve mental focus and increase your metabolism. You can go totally raw and add them to your juices and smoothies or take them in pill form.