Between sugar-laden cereals and white flour bagels, breakfast too often becomes a nutrient-free zone. But an inadequate breakfast can affect your whole day. Our mitochondria depend on the nutrients in whole, healthy foods -- they burn the carbs, fats, and protein and turn them into energy.

The Fix
Eating a wholesome breakfast that contains some protein is crucial. It helps normalize blood sugar levels and provides your body with the fuel it needs early in the day. Noshing on healthy snacks -- like fruit, nuts, or yogurt, not candy or chips -- throughout the day can also help boost energy levels. Skip processed foods, which tend to contain refined carbohydrates that set your body on an energy roller coaster. Instead, choose whole foods like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, eggs, and lean fish and poultry. Foods that are rich in antioxidants and other phytonutrients, such as berries, green tea, and cocoa, can also boost energy.