Eat right, fuel your business: nutrition tips for entrepreneurs

Hands up if UberEats is also your most-used app right now?

And keep your hands up if your tendency to tap “order” directly relates to your business success, too? Closed a big sale: treat yourself to takeout! Worked 14 hours today: it’s takeout time!

But, unfortunately, while eating fast food seems like a good idea in the moment, it can actually have long term impacts that you might not even be aware of. When your diet drops in quality, so too does your ability to work at full potential. 

If you’re skipping micro- and macro-nutrients in your diet, it becomes really hard to work at your best. Your energy levels slump, your concentration wanes, and it becomes so much harder to kick ass 9 to 5.

In the short term, maybe takeout saves you time and energy. But in the long run, it’ll cost you way more than you realize. Here’s why...

3 ways that good food fuels your success

Food feeds your brain

Your brain is always switched on. Even when you’re not working, your brain certainly is. It requires a steady stream of fuel to keep it chugging along. That’s why, when you’re hungry, it’s harder to concentrate or even do some simple tasks. 

What you eat directly affects the function of your brain — good stuff in, good stuff out! Vitamins, minerals, and nutrient-dense food encourage your brain to work at full capacity. Processed or refined foods slow you down.

Foods affect your mood

Not all mood disorders — like depression and anxiety — are caused by what you eat, but your diet can indeed have a huge impact on how you feel. 

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep, appetite, and your mood. 95% of the body’s serotonin is produced in your gastrointestinal tract, which means that your digestive system is an essential player in regulating your emotions.  

The more whole foods you eat, the better your gut works. And the better your gut works, the more serotonin is produced — boosting your overall mood.

Food directly affects your energy levels

That feeling of being “hangry” and tired is all too familiar, especially when you’re busy running your own business. But the foods we choose to nourish ourselves with also have an impact on your energy in the long run. 

Fries are great for busting hunger immediately, but once your body metabolizes the glucose from the fried potato, you’ll feel sluggish and lethargic all over again. That process happens in as quick as an hour, too. 

If you’re looking for hours of energy and inspiration, reach for a meal of complex carbs paired with healthy fats and a natural source of protein instead.

Okay, so what’s this got to do with business?

Eating well and nourishing the body takes more time than ordering takeout — there's no getting around it. And that time investment may feel beyond what you’re able to commit to right now.

But I promise that after just a few days of eating well, you’ll begin to notice the benefits. One hour of meal-prepping nutritious food will save you from hours of lethargy and unfocused work in the future. 

Still not sold on the idea? Here are just some of the things that you can expect to notice within yourself once you start eating right. 

You’ll get more done in less time

Eating the right food will shape your brain into the most efficient and productive version of itself. The sharper your brain is, the more focused you’ll feel. 

Forget needing to rely on four pots of coffee a day, a well-nourished brain will keep you going without the help of caffeine. It’s all about working smarter, not longer.

(And you can still enjoy a few cups of coffee as well)

You’ll find a sustainable work/life balance

Ah, the ever-elusive work/life balance. 

When you’re busy, it’s really easy to fall into a cycle of working too much, running out of time to cook, then eating fast food. And that’s a fast-track to tiredness and brain fog. To make matters worse, the longer it takes to get your work done… the more that cycle continues. 

The best way to break out of this is to commit to improving your nutrition. Before long, your focus and sharpness will return, and you’ll be able to work shorter — more productive — hours each day.

You’ll be more creative

Ideation is essential for any job, even if you don’t work in a “creative” industry per se. 

Eating a balanced and healthy diet will stimulate your brain, making it so much easier to let your creativity flow. Anyone who’s worked in a creative role can tell you that when you’re tired or feeling foggy, it’s a lot harder to think outside the box. Looking after yourself through nutrition will certainly give you the creative edge you might be missing. 

So what's the right diet for business success?

I wish I could give you a magic recipe — one that would overhaul your health and make you the most efficient and creative you’ve ever been, over night. But every body is different. Some people thrive off a low-carb, high-fat diet. While others swear that more protein is the key. 

There is no one diet for everyone. We all have different bodies, different compositions, and will react differently to certain foods, too. 

This is why so many business owners have turned to nutrition coaching. 

There’s so much to know about food and how it affects us, that you’d need to do endless hours of research to wrap your brain around it. A nutrition coach will be able to figure out the best plan for your individual needs and preferences. It’s so much better than a generic meal plan — a nutrition coach will take into account foods you like, foods you hate, specific dietary requirements, and how much time and money you can commit to your nutrition journey.