[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hether you’re an entrepreneur, business professional, writer, or technology mogul, chances are you spend a lot of time in an office. At home, at work, it makes no difference.
I can remember back to my college years when I was working out twice a day and at my peak in athletic performance. I was energetic, in amazing shape and ruthless in the kitchen.
Then once life hit me and I started working more, my body changed. Or should I call it morphed into something different.
My eating habits got worse, my workout habits took a plunge and the spare tire around my waist began to inflate.
Not only was I getting fatter, my energy level stunk, my neck was always sore and I was damn near exhausted all day long.
I could feel that having low energy at work was sucking my creative juices.
Does this sound familiar?
Well, it shouldn't be this way. Let’s first take a look at the biggest contributing factors.
And To Think It Couldn't Get Any Worse
Lets face it.
Your nutrition habits stink. I can almost bet that the most damage happens later in the day as stress builds.
The cold hard truth is what you put in your mouth from when you wake up to when you go to bed affects you.
The most obvious outcome is how your nutrition habits effect you physically. Your posture begins to get sloppy, you get chubby in odd places and your mobility declines. Can you touch your toes while standing? On one leg can you bring your other knee to a 45 degree angle past your hip? Or can you get in a full squat with heels on the ground?
Nutrition affects your body composition, energy and your ability to live actively. It effects you physically in so many ways.
Your nutrition habits also effect your mental capacity. Maybe you’ve become very forgetful or you have a sense of blurry thoughts, which is better known as brain fog. Or worst of all your creative thought is no longer available for your use. Your mental capacity has tanked and your brain feels like mush. All caused from your poor diet.
According to a recent study, school aged children (6-12 years of age) were given a micronutrient drink mix, 396 children in Australia and 394 children in Indonesia. The results showed higher scores on tests that measured verbal intelligence and learning and memory after 6 and 12 months in both boys and girls in Australia, but in only girls in Indonesia.
And if finding out that you’re losing your mental capacity wasn’t enough, nutrition effects you emotionally. Have you ever been so hungry you wanted to run through a wall? Or maybe you were so hungry that you snapped at a colleague, employee or spouse. Poor nutrition is an emotional killer. According to a study in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry,
“…the dietary intake pattern of the general population in many Asian and American countries reflects that they are often deficient in many nutrients, especially essential vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. A notable feature of the diets of patients suffering from mental disorders is the severity of deficiency in these nutrients.”
Poor nutrition is also a productivity killer. It's estimated the productivity loss cost employers two to three times the annual healthcare expenses. Plain and simple, if you have low energy at work your productivity will suffer.
But you’re not doomed forever...
The good news is that all the underlying issues from your poor nutrition happens are reversible by correcting these bad habits. This is why I created my nutrition coaching program. I want to increase productivity in the workplace and nutrition is where I start.
You first need to start slow. Don’t overwhelm yourself. It’s the small wins that lead to the greatest victory. Try these simple strategies to make better nutrition choices.
- Don’t store junk food in your desk and avoid the vending machine.
- Have fun cooking delicious meals the night before and pack the leftovers for lunch the next day.
- Avoid unnecessary carbohydrates. You’re not an athlete so stay away from them.
- Eat high quality fat. This will support your energy needs and brain function.
- Eat protein.
- Take a mug full of green juice for throughout the day.
A lot of people somehow translate quality of life to stuffing their face full of junk. But with a sound nutrition plan I will be a badass in my profession, feel great doing it and build long-lasting relationships in the process. And I know you will too.
If you’re always achy, tired and unmotivated your growth as a human being is limited.
If you need further help honing in on your nutrition habits I highly recommend a nutrition coach. They have years of experience and can cater their program to your individualized needs. Time is money and it’ll take you decades to gain the knowledge they’ve acquired. Just let them do the work for you.
Just remember eating healthy isn’t hard, getting started is. [TWEET THIS]