Is this your experience?
- The “can’t get out of bed feeling”
- The grumbling tummy mid morning
- Stifling a yawn in front of a client or your boss
- Lack of concentration which leads you to wasting your afternoon business time and making up for lost time in the evening
You’re not alone! Many people in business live their lives this way. There’s a simple solution to move from TATT (tired all the time) to having 10/10 energy all day and every day by enjoying a simple eating plan and habits to support you.
I’d like to share FIVE SIMPLE HABITS – foundational to having HIGH-FLYING ENERGY:
FIVE SIMPLE HABITS
- Eating regularly – every 4-5 hours (3 meals and 2 snacks (if required per day))
- Powering energy with protein
- Plate balance at every meal
- Being hydrated
- Introducing easy movement and activity every day
Today I’m going to share the benefits of eating protein for energy.
Habit #2: Powering Energy with Protein
Eating protein is an important part of the energy balance equation, yet it is often something people find challenging to do. Sometimes it’s just because we have got so used to a high carbohydrate food plan we just don’t think about the value of protein or how to add it to our meals.
PROTEIN MANTRA for Low GL eating and high-flying energy:
Eat protein with every meal and snack you have
- Protein satiates you, making you feel fuller for longer
- It also slows the absorption of glucose into the blood stream
I’m just focussing on energy here, but it’s important to remember that all foods have more than one function – protein is key for the building and repairing of every cell and tissue in the body.
How much protein?
- For your main meals, the protein should be equal to a 1/4 of your plate, or a palm-sized portion. You may look at your hand and wonder if that’s enough, but don’t forget – we’re all different sizes! If you’re a small person you’re going to need less than a bigger person.
- For snacks, you need only a small portion. Six almonds are an example of an adequate portion.
The guidance here is for blood sugar balancing, for specific guidance on your personalised situation and body composition I’d suggest you consult with a Registered Nutritional Therapist.
There are lots of delicious protein foods: meat, poultry, eggs, fish, beans, nuts and seeds, pulses, vegetarian protein (soya and tofu) or even protein powders can help. They do not contribute to glycaemic load. Dairy foods contain some protein but also fats and sugars.
Protein Powerful Breakfasts
Porridge or Yoghurt or Muesli with berries/fruit – add some nuts or seeds along with non-dairy milk. TIP: have a travel pack of nuts/seeds to boost up hotel breakfasts.
Eggs are a fabulous way to start the day – easy, quick, fast food – scrambled, boiled, poached, omelette. Add some breakfast veggies like mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach or asparagus to get your plate balance. TIP: Have some boiled eggs chilled in the fridge for a quick snack or addition to a meal. Many café bars are selling boiled egg power pots so you may be able to pick one up on your travels.
Smoothies – use an unsweetened protein powder base or add nuts or seeds for a protein punch
Toast toppings – ditch the sugary jam and marmalade and swap with almond nut butter or avocado and smoked salmon or hummus or some crumbled feta cheese with tomatoes (low GL means one slice of whole grain toast).
Starting your day with a Low GL nutrient dense breakfast will fuel you with energy throughout the morning taking you through all your business challenges without the risk of brain fog, yawning, lack of concentration and energy. You wouldn’t drive with any empty fuel tank so why would you do business running on empty?
Beware of the LOW PROTEIN Business Lunch!
A typical office lunch will be a sandwich, a bag of crisps, maybe a chocolate bar and a piece of fruit ….. I’m imagining not a lot of protein there! A more balanced choice would be choose an open sandwich (less bread), add an extra protein portion – buy a portion of cooked meat, cottage cheese, hummus, egg, fish, add a portion of leafy salad. Drop the crisps and chocolate bar (if you eat in balance you may not even miss them). Choose a low GL fruit like berries or an apple or pear or a very small pot of fruit salad, have it with a full fat natural yoghurt.
Maybe a healthier lunch could be a carton of soup. Sounds great but is often based on starchy vegetables with little protein and eaten with bread – you can upgrade this by adding PROTEIN – a small tin of chickpeas, or lentils or beans, or add cooked chopped chicken or meat/fish and a handful of green veggies.
Many of the High Street Deli chains and supermarket sell delicious boxed salads which are fabulous – just check the protein content – does it look like a quarter of protein a plate? If not check the shelves to see what else you can add to your meal to make it balances e.g. many sell “protein pots” which look like small side dishes ideal to make your meal complete. If there’s nothing on offer my default is to have a small handful of nuts or seeds to boost my protein intake.
Have a substantial lunch especially if you know you have a long afternoon and evening ahead.
Remember the key benefits of eating protein with every meal and snacks are:
- Will keep you full for longer – no hunger distractions
- Help to keep your energy levels even – no slumps
A Common Problem: it sometimes takes a while to get used to eating protein, your digestion may be a little sluggish just because it’s not used to digesting the protein foods. Chewing your food will help the digestion process. You’ll start to enjoy feeling fuller for longer. If you can’t face a full portion of eggs or fish then mix up your proteins and have a meze style of meal.
If you’d like some inspiration for healthy fast food check out my free eBook Quick Kitchen Supper Dishes (click on the button to access the ebook).
RECAP: FIVE SIMPLE HABITS to enjoying HIGH FLYING ENERGY
- Eating regularly – every 4-5 hours (3 meals and 2 snacks (if required per day))
- Powering energy with protein
- Plate balance at every meal
- Being hydrated
- Introducing easy movement and activity every day
Please look out for more articles from me on THE FIVE SIMPLE HABITS.
INVITATION
I would be like to invite you to join my private Facebook Group – HIGH FLYING ENERGY for Business Leaders.
