Brain fog is something we’ve all struggled with at one point or another. It’s common during stressful situations or when you aren’t getting enough sleep. But if it’s becoming an everyday occurrence, it’s time to take a long, hard look at your diet. Here’s how to get rid of brain fog once and for all!
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Why do I feel so groggy?
I can’t believe I forgot to get gas again! Now I’m gonna be late…
Thoughts cascading on top of each other, overwhelming and confusing you—there’s a name for that. Brain fog. And it happens to all of us.
And we all try different things to fix it, too.
Maybe you head to the drive-through for a jumbo iced coffee when it strikes. Or you reach for an energy drink or a sugary snack. Or maybe, when those things don’t work, you give in and just take a nap.
And yet when you wake up, you never quite feel refreshed.
But fighting brain fog with caffeine, sugar and processed foods is like taking a pill to cure your headache when you’re dehydrated—it may make the symptoms go away in the short term, but it won’t solve the real, root cause of the problem.
There’s a better (and healthier) way to clear that fog and have more energy—and it all has to do with what you’re eating. (Yes, it really is that simple!)
If you’re a little skeptical, keep reading. We’ll look closer at what causes brain fog and how the food we eat can make it worse (but can also get rid of it completely!). Because chances are, if you are struggling with brain fog, your diet has something to do with it.
What Is Brain Fog?
Brain fog is a term for what happens when you experience a decrease in cognitive performance.
Yup, your brain feels foggy and can’t think as clearly because it isn’t working at full capacity.
When this happens, you might feel tired, lethargic and have trouble finding the right words to describe something. It shows up differently for each person. But the common symptom that everyone experiences is a lack of clarity in their thoughts.
The term brain fog is so accurate. It really does feel like your thoughts are floating in a haze.
It’s very frustrating, especially when other people depend on you.
What causes brain fog?
Now that we know what brain fog is, let’s chat about why you have it in the first place. There are many common causes for this condition including menopause, pregnancy, certain medications and disease.
But, there’s another extremely common reason why your brain isn’t working as well as you’d like: diet.
We hate to tell you, but it is likely as simple as ingesting too much sugar (or foods that turn into sugar).
How to Ditch Carbs and Get Rid of Brain Fog
Carbs and sugar are the biggest culprits of brain fog, and it’s all because of the spikes and crashes they cause.
Have you ever seen the movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop? It’s an exaggerated example of spikes and crashes from blood sugar. When Paul’s blood sugar drops too low, he can’t think; he can barely move. He just wants to sleep. But as soon as he eats candy or Pixie sticks (basically pure sugar), he has so much energy he can tackle the bad guys.
Yeah, it’s like that. But sugar isn’t the superpower in this story; it’s more like the villain.
When we eat food with a lot of sugar in it, our bodies experience a surge of energy. This is especially true when we eat high-glycemic-index carbohydrates from refined sugars and flours.
But then what goes UP must come DOWN, and it inevitably leads to a blood sugar crash that leaves the brain more starved for energy than before.
BAM. Brain fog.
Our bodies need a steady source of energy. Constantly overwhelming it with spikes (and crashes) from sugar will eventually lead to insulin resistance. When that happens, brain fog will be just one of a host of other health issues.
So, what should we eat to avoid (and get rid of) brain fog? Well, you’re in luck because our entire program will change this for you, for good!
Foods to Eat to Eliminate Brain Fog
Ready to banish brain fog? It’s as simple as this:
Eat More Protein and Healthy Fats, aka the Thinlicious™ way!
If you’re feeling low in energy and foggy lately, it’s time to change what you eat!
It may not seem like it would do much, but the benefit is incredible. This can be a great way to give your body and brain some much-needed energy by stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Eating low-carb and high-protein food will help you stop the craving cycle thanks to eliminating the swinging blood sugar levels that lead to quick crashes in energy.
By resetting your metabolism with low-carb food options, you can finally have that focused, energized feeling backed by rock-solid stability.
Protein and healthy fats are essential macronutrients that your body needs in order to function properly.
When you become Thin Adapted, your body will start burning fat for energy instead of carbs. This is why it’s so important to eat enough fat. Your body needs enough fat to carry out basic functions (like thinking clearly).
Protein is important too. It delivers amino acids that build muscle and also provides a longer-lasting source of energy.
How much protein and fat should I eat?
That depends on what phase of your low-carb lifestyle you’re in.
If you are just starting out and learning all the things (or maybe you’re already doing the 28 Day Metabolism Reset), we recommend a macro breakdown of 70%-75% from fat, 20-25% protein and 5-10% carbs.
And lucky for you, we have tons of high-fat and high-protein recipes to help you out!
4 Brain Fog-Bashing Recipes From Thinlicious
Check out the collection of easy recipes in the recipe index. Here are a few of our favorite high-fat and high-protein recipes you should make.
1. Magic High-Protein Bread
Thanks to the egg whites and egg white protein powder, the Thinlicious Magic Bread is a delicious source of protein that you can eat just like sandwich bread.
There are 6.7 grams of protein in each slice, giving you steady energy that won’t make you crash (like white bread does).
2. Sausage Cream Cheese Pinwheels
Enjoy these tasty little pinwheels for breakfast, lunch or even with your dinner. The main ingredients are cream cheese, almond flour and breakfast sausage. It’s a mess-free alternative to biscuits and gravy.
And it fits with your macros too! Each pinwheel has 31 grams of protein and 18 grams of fat.
3. White Florentine Chicken-Crust Pizza
Indulge in pizza without the sugar crash! The white florentine chicken-crust pizza is a low-carb alternative to a cheesy pizza pie. The crust is basically all protein, made with chicken breast, eggs, spices and two types of cheese.
Then, it’s topped with high-fat cheese and your favorite low-carb veggies. There’s a shocking 29.8 grams of protein and 22.6 grams of fat in each slice! One slice will definitely fill you up.
4. Sweet and Savory Breakfast Casserole
Making brunch? This is the perfect breakfast dish to serve to friends and family. Even if they are indulging in carbs, they’ll never guess that this is a low-carb meal!
With 14 grams of fiber, this casserole will keep you fed and full for hours.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! Brain fog might be something almost everyone experiences, but you don’t have to keep suffering from it. Change how you eat and fuel your body with enough protein and healthy fats to clear away murky feelings and leave you with more energy than ever before!
Changing how you eat can be tough, so join the Thinlicious Facebook Community and get the encouragement you need while learning how others are making Thinlicious work for their busy lives. We look forward to seeing you there and hearing your success story next!
Brain Fog Resources
Want to learn even more about brain fog from trusted professionals? Give these resources a try; we highly recommend them.
- Dr. Ryan Lowery, What The Fat Podcast, Episode #129 “Brain Gains”
- The Grain Brain By: Dr. David Perlmutter and Kristin Loberg
- Dr. Danielle Hamilton, Unlock The Sugar Shackles Podcast
Get More Energy!
You can banish brain fog and feel better today! We recommend introducing your body to low-carb eating through the Thinlicious 28 Day Metabolism Reset. This 4-week program is designed to introduce you to the Thin Adapted System and help you retrain how your body burns fuel. Get it HERE.
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