The Business of Eating Healthy: At Home or On The Road

Posted on 28. Dec, 2010 by Natalie in Featured, Inspiration & Motivation, Mind & Body Balance

This is a guest post from Nathalie Lussier, one of the wonderful experts on the Passport to Business Freedom Program that starts on January 1st 2011. Are you on board?

I have a question for you. What is the most precious asset in your business? If you answered your web site, your email list, your customers, your products, or anything other than… you, then I’ve got news. You are your most important business asset, because without you none of it would be possible.

This article is going to help you take good care of yourself, focusing on the body since I know that’s one part of ourselves we don’t always take care of. We may do lots of training: mental, spiritual, emotional, but without the body it all falls apart.

What You Eat is an Important a Business Decision

Believe it or not, what you eat is a business decision just like where you choose to advertise, who you hire, and what your next blog post will be about. This isn’t meant to freak you out or make you obsessive around food.

I just want to reframe the way you look at food because you’re a business person and that means you’ve got a lot on the line when you’re thinking of sneaking a bite of that unhealthy stuff.

Here are some simple tips for eating right, that will practically guarantee you’ve got more energy to run your business:

1. Eat something green at every meal if possible. (And green jell-o doesn’t count!) I’m talking green leafs like lettuce, spinach, or kale. I’m also talking about things like string beans, broccoli, and cabbage. Load up on the greens for lots of fiber and alkalinity!
2. When eating meat or starches, keep them separate. This helps you digest your food better and avoids issues like bloating, constipation, and heart burn.
   Here’s how it works: if you’re having meat or dairy, eat it with vegetables only. If you’re having starches like bread, pasta, potatoes, then eat these with vegetables and not with meat. Lots of dishes include both meat and starch and this can cause a tummy traffic jam and that afternoon slump that takes your productivity for a nose dive.
3. Drink lots of water. Keep caffeine to a minimum, and offset it with alkaline foods like greens and veggies.

Fitness Isn’t “Nice-to-Have,” It’s a Must Have

When it comes to your body, food is only half the equation. The other half is movement. Chances are you spend lots of time in front of a computer sitting at a desk. That means you’re not getting the exercise your body craves.

When you exercise you release feel-good chemicals that help you concentrate, and I know I personally get some of my best ideas when I’m taking a walk or exercising. There’s something about being present in your body that allows your creativity to emerge.

If you’re not as fit as you’d like, do what it takes to get there. For some people the only way to exercise is to sign up for a class where people are keeping you accountable. You could also get an accountability buddy, or track the number of times you exercise in a week if that helps motivate you.

When You’re on the Go

If you’re traveling or away from your regular routines, you need to be extra vigilant. It’s easy to shrug off your healthy diet or stop your regular exercise schedule when you’re on the go. But this is the time you need to be careful because travel usually brings with it new germs. You can also get run down more easily if you don’t sleep well, which can lead to lower immune system function.

So when you’re traveling take extra precautions to stop by at local markets and grocery stores to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies for snacks. Nuts and health bars are also great to take on planes, trains, or automobiles.

Don’t get caught in a delay without any food because it will make you overindulge once you do get access to food, not to mention that no one likes feeling starved.

I’d also recommend you take a page out of Natalie’s book and wake up a little early to hit the gym in your hotel. You can also pack a pair of light running shoes for a morning run to ensure you’re firing on all cylinders.

Whatever you do: remember that you are your most prized business asset. Schedule some exercise, eat well, and get adequate sleep. You’ll see massive results in your business over time, and people will ask what your secret is. You’ll know where to send them.

Nathalie Lussier is a Software Engineer turned business owner, known as the Raw Foods Witch. She turned down a career on Wall Street to help people eat more fruits and veggies, and now blogs about making healthy lifestyle choices easier for busy people like you. From curing cravings, to designing a web presence with social media and videos, she is making her mark on the world one carrot at a time.

Nathalie is the featured expert in the Passport to Business Freedom program on:

How to Maximise Health & Productivity Strategies to Magically Boost Your Bottom Line. Learn more.

Related posts:

• How to Gain More Energy to Run Your Business by Being Fit & Healthy
• What Makes A Woman Successful In Business?
• Get Your Passport to Business Freedom And Let Your Business Take Off in 2011

Tags: balance, body, business, eating healthy, food, health, healthy, Nathalie Lussier, Passport to Business Freedom, taking care of yourself, travel, women in business, work life balance