How to Make Homemade Stamina Boosters

We've all been there: After a long, exhausting day at work or school, we still have to find the energy to stay up writing a paper, go out dancing with friends or spend a long romantic evening with a significant other. Many people believe that pots and pots of coffee or a high-sugar energy drink are the fix they need, but both of these options will just leave you jittery, anxious and unable to perform. The best solution is to combine smaller amounts of caffeine with foods high in stamina-boosting vitamins and minerals. Follow this plan before your big evening, and you'll have the sustained energy you need to have a great time.

Things You'll Need

• 1 8-ounce serving of regular coffee
• Alarm clock
• 1 chicken breast cut into thin strips
• Premade fajita seasoning
• 1 cup sliced bell peppers
• 1/2 cup sliced onions
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 2-3 corn tortillas
• Medium skillet
• Spatula
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 Tbs. peanut butter
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1 small banana
• 2-3 ice cubes
• Blender

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Instructions

Coffee and a Nap: Surprising Bedfellows

• 1

  Drink an 8 ounce cup of coffee, prepared how you like it. If you enjoy your coffee with sugar, limit yourself to one teaspoon.

• 2

  Immediately after drinking your coffee, set your alarm clock for thirty minutes, turn off the lights, silence any personal electronic devices and lie down for a short nap. Even if you are unable to fall asleep, just close your eyes and relax. Since it takes about 25 minutes for the caffeine in coffee to take effect, this time will be spent allowing your brain to rest.

• 3

  When the thirty minutes have elapsed, get up and splash your face with cold water several times. Turn on the lights or, if it is still daylight, open the blinds. The cold water and the light will tell your brain that it is time to be active.

Eat a Stamina-Boosting Meal: Easy Chicken Fajitas

• 4

  Set a skillet on medium-high heat and add the olive oil.

• 5

  Sprinkle the chicken strips with the fajita seasonings, add the strips to the pan, and sauté for about 7 minutes. Add the bell peppers and onions to the pan and continue to sauté for 5 more minutes, until the chicken is cooked thoroughly and the vegetables are tender-crisp. Remove from heat.

• 6

  Heat up 2-3 corn tortillas by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 10-15 seconds.

• 7

  Enjoy your fajitas with salsa, fresh cilantro, and reduced-fat sour cream or cheese.

• 8

  This meal is ideal because it is easy to prepare and is high in protein, niacin, vitamin C, and complex carbohydrates, all of which increase and sustain energy.

Later in the Evening: The Pick-Me-Up Peanut Power Smoothie

• 9

  In a blender combine the skim milk, peanut butter, honey, banana, and ice cubes. You may add 1 teaspoon of instant coffee to the smoothie if you feel you need the extra boost although this will effect the taste of the smoothie.

• 10

  Blend on high until smooth. Enjoy immediately.

• 11

  If you are not at home or do not have access to a blender, you may visit a smoothie shop for a pick-me-up. Just be sure to have a small size smoothie and ask that they keep the added sugars to a minimum. Too much sugar will cause you to crash long before the night is over. Bananas, peanut butter and berries are ideal energy-boosting smoothie ingredients because they taste great and contain lots of B vitamins, vitamin C and potassium.