Are you feeling overwhelmed with the onslaught of Black Friday deals hitting your inbox and newsfeed today?  WOW.  I have to say that as I sit here sipping my coffee this morning (yes, I still drink coffee!) I am grateful to be done with the rat race pace of retail.

What are your plans today? Are you fighting the crowds?  Trying to start or finish your Christmas shopping?

Here are some tips to keep your energy up throughout the day:

1. Drink your water!  Too many times, when we spend long days at the mall, we skip hydrating so that we can skip bathroom breaks.  Not a good idea.  Our cells need water to create and release energy, and our skin needs water to stay hydrated.  Our brains need water for a clear thought process (much needed as you whip out that VISA one more time!). Basically, our bodies need water to flush the toxins from our systems. The stress of shopping on Black Friday is enough to create a toxic overload in the body.  Pack your water bottle and drink up!
2. Eat protein and fat with every snack that you have!  Protein and fat keep us fuller for longer and help us to avoid those sugar crashes throughout the day.  Your brain also needs fat to function.  Period.  If you want to make good buying decisions, toss some nuts and seeds into a baggie in your purse and munch on them throughout the day.  While you’re at it, chop some veggies and boost your vitamin intake too!
3. Skip the Smoothie bar.  I know, I know.  I always get a protein boost you say.  Consider this,  a small, Strawberry Storm, a high-protein smoothie has 31 grams of sugar!  That’s almost 8 tsp of sugar.  That’s a crash just waiting to happen.  Instead, go for a green juice and have some nuts to slow digestion and keep you full longer.
4. Get some extra B’s in your day!  B vitamins give us energy and are important for many functions in the body.  You’ll find B’s mostly in leafy greens and high-quality grains (even though quinoa isn’t a grain, we’ll consider it one here) Hit a salad bar if you possibly can, adding healthy fats (avocado, eggs, nuts, seeds, olive oil), protein (beans, chicken, eggs) and some healthy grains (rice, quinoa, etc)

The most important thing of all.  Just. Keep. Breathing.