by Maggie Downs posted in Life

At 6 a.m., when my 3-year-old son is ready to start the day, I can barely drag my old, soggy bones out of bed. I feel like I've just done a half-marathon, but the race hasn't even started. I need a magical energy boost.
How on earth can I summon enough energy to keep up with a spirited toddler when I feel about as lively as an overcooked noodle" I go to bed as early as possible and make healthy life choices, already. But something clearly has to change.
So I decided to be my own test subject and try four different (legal) approaches to boosting my own energy. My hope was that I?d become as nonstop and active as a rabid squirrel ? or at least get out of bed without groaning.  Here's what happened:
WHOLE30
Whole30 is an eating plan that involves stripping your diet of sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, and dairy for 30 days, while emphasizing whole, non-processed foods.
I assumed I would see more of a dramatic shift in my body or in how I felt, but I didn?t. Maybe that?s a testament to my normal routine, which I think is pretty healthy anyway. I didn?t lose any weight, I don?t look any different, and I didn?t gain a surge of energy.
However, by the end of the month, I had a very clear head. There was one day in particular when I was brainstorming some ideas at work, and I couldn?t write down my ideas fast enough. Also my creaky joints felt looser and a little more juicy.
The best side effect of Whole30 is that I prepared for eac...