We all know that we need to keep our brains and bodies nourished and fuelled to keep performing at our best throughout the day. We’re told that having a balanced diet, eating breakfast, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly are all key to keeping your brain and body in a state of happiness. Our brain is like an engine – we need to keep it topped up with the right fuel to keep it going in the same way we need to keep our brain fuelled up with the right food and nutrients for it to perform at our best. When you’ve got a packed day full of tasks to complete, it is easy to go for the convenient but less healthy options.
Fuelling in work is significantly important. A lot of us spend most of our day at work so eating the right foods throughout the day is vital. Being properly fuelled allows you to get the most out of your day and stay present through long meetings and stressful situations. Time and time again I hear of clients getting their 4pm or even 11am slump – who performs well at this time?
Foods filled with sugar such as fizzy drinks, chocolate bars, sweets or white refined foods can negatively affect your mood, concentration and focus by shooting your blood sugars to the roof and bringing you back down whereas foods such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts & seeds all keep your blood sugar balanced.
Why do we need to fuel in the workplace and what can we do?
Balance your blood sugar levels - Beating the 3pm slump is a struggle for a lot of people. Many people will reach for the quick fix – the chocolate bar that will make you feel satisfied for a moment until you’re looking for the next snack to feed your sugar craving. It’s a never-ending cycle that needs to be broken and what’s the solution? Good healthy foods.When your blood sugar levels peak and drop after a sugary meal, so too does your mood, focus and energy. Keep blood sugar levels stable by reducing refined sugar intake, and eating some protein and good fats with your meals and snacks. This will boost your energy, concentration, memory and focus.
Eating the right foods throughout the day keeps your energy levels balanced and allows the brain to maintain mental alertness. This is vital to ensure you’re working successfully in the workplace. Make sure you are getting good quality protein at each meal this will help keep focus and concentration at its optimum.
Eating healthy food boosts moods. Healthy = Happy. And as we all know. Happiness is contagious most of the time. Fuelling your body with the right foods not only bringing benefits to the person eating the food but also to you in terms of positive atmosphere in the workplace. A healthy workplace is a happy workplace!
So get some healthy fats in – 60% of our brain is made of healthy fats. Choose oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon, walnuts, chia and flax seeds.
What would my day look like to help me perform optimally?
Breakfast:
Porridge - just plain oats made with water or milk with a little honey, some berries and crushed seeds will give you the brain boost you need to keep your productivity going all day long.
Eggs – Full of protein – Boiled, poached or scrambled. Add some avocado - This will keep the brain in tip-top condition for the work day ahead.
Lunch:
Chicken and Quinoa salad
Dinner:
Fish Brown Rice and ½ the plate full of vegetables full of colour. Don’t forget that phytonutrient spectrum to get the most nutrients out of your food.
Healthy snacks:
Try some oatcakes with nut butter can be a great substitute to sweets that you will snack on and never feel full
What about when you can’t stay away from something sweet – Make a better choice: Dark chocolate – Cocoa contains tryptophan which elevates your mood. So, If you can’t stay away from chocolate, have a square or two of dark chocolate (over 70%) to keep your sugar levels balanced.
Fuelling the body and the brain allows you to be more productive at work. Healthy food allows for more concentration and focus all day. What you eat affects your productivity hugely. Remember, what you put into your body is what you get out of it!
