CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- See if you can relate to an email I received: "Practically every time I commit to exercise, I fall off the wagon because I don't have the energy to make myself go."

This is a very common reason many find it impossible to remain dedicated to an active lifestyle. Talk about a power outage!

Several things need to happen to feel like exercising before or after work hours. After all, few of us have the luxury of exercising in the middle of the day when energy levels may be higher. These four keys to energy will make or break us:

1. Exercise recovery

2. Sleep

3. Pre-workout fuel

4. Hydration

Exercise recovery

This involves diet and the amount of time between workouts.

Diet: Your body gives you a golden opportunity for about an hour after a workout. During that time, you need to replace the carbs and protein you've expended. If you don't, your muscles won't build as effectively, and you won't replenish your energy stores.

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CindySays: How to prevent a personal power outage