Eat well this summer, nutritionists advise. How about five mini-meals a day? Anita Manning, of USA Today, reports.
Come summer and the living is ... well, a little sleepy, actually.
The kids are home and rambunctious. Work has not slowed down one bit - whatever happened to the dog days of summer? Frankly, you can tend to flag a little.
But if you go looking for a quick pick-me-up, don't reach for a bowl of ice cream or a caffeinated energy drink.
Instead, go for foods that are packed with nutrients, says author Ellie Krieger, a registered dietitian.
"Research shows that when we feel sluggish and sort of foggy-headed, the foods that can pull us out of that are high in protein and low in concentrated carbohydrates" such as sugar or white bread, she says.
Sugary foods can cause blood sugar to spike briefly, then plunge, leaving you tired and hungry.
The goal, Krieger says, is to keep blood sugar levels even. Eating for energy is "eating consistent meals, and not huge meals. A lot of people don't eat all day, then have a big meal at night. That's the opposite of eating for energy."
Jim White, a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association, recommends eating five mini-meals a day.
"Two snacks, mid-morning and mid-afternoon, are vital," he says, and be sure to include protein, good fats and complex carbohydrates, such as wholegrain foods, which break down slowly and provide steady energy.
His snack suggestions include wholegrain crackers and low-fat cheese, celery and natural peanut butter, hummus and baby carrots, or fruit with Greek yoghurt, which White says is more protein-packed than conventional yoghurt and "is really a power food".
Energy drinks, he says, "give you that spike, but it doesn't work to keep you going during the week. I see a lot of people spike up and crash hard."
Other tips? Get enough sleep and drink lots of fluids, White says.
"The biggest thing is being hydrated - 2% to 3% dehydration can significantly affect energy."
Water, low-calorie drinks and summer fruits can help "hydrate you to be at ultimate peak", he says.
Dietitian Joy Dubost, also an ADA spokeswoman, says exercise is "a natural energy booster.
"It lifts your mood", she says. "You feel better and have more energy."
And don't forget breakfast.
"A lot of people skip breakfast or have an energy drink or coffee in the morning and think that will do it," she says.
Not so. After a long night of sleep, "you're going to be running low and have to refuel. Breakfast in the morning is critical."
Start the day with wholegrain cereal or bread, fruit or eggs, along with a calcium source, such as soy or low-fat milk, she says.
And don't be afraid to sample unfamiliar fruits and vegetables, especially during summer, when fresh produce is readily available.