Category: Healthy Eating

When your day is crammed full of conference calls, client meetings, and countless emails demanding your attention, knowing how to make a healthy breakfast can ensure that you stay alert and focused throughout the day.

According to registered dietician Meri Raffetto, breakfast is essential for providing the brain with the energy that it needs for sustained concentration and problem-solving.

A healthy breakfast does not have to be time-consuming, but it does have to contain a few essential elements. Let’s take a look at our healthy breakfast proposals!

Executive Summary:

1. Protein

To make sure that you are ready to handle the myriad of issues waiting for you in your inbox, you need to ensure that your brain has adequate amounts of dopamine and norepinephrine to feel alert and energetic.

Protein provides amino acids that are necessary for the production of these neurotransmitters.

Adults should get 10 to 35 percent of their calories from protein. To put that in perspective, 100 grams of protein would supply 20 percent of the calories in a 2,000-calorie diet since each gram of protein contains approximately four calories.

How to Make a Healthy Breakfast That Includes Protein

Egg whites, Greek yogurt, and chicken or turkey sausage are all excellent sources of lean protein. If you prefer to consume your breakfast during your morning commute or at your desk, you can add a spoonful of peanut butter to a smoothie or throw a handful of nuts in a ziplock bag on your way out the door.

To keep your body healthy and prepared for your busy schedule, we have compiled a list of best cookbooks for executives and entrepreneurs. Get great recipes for all work days!

If you are like the majority of managers and executives, there is a good chance that you probably skip or postpone lunch in order to catch up on emails, phone calls, or other tasks.

By including complex carbs in your breakfast, you can avoid fluctuations in your blood sugar level that will send you to the office vending machine for a sugar fix.

The body turns carbohydrates into glucose, which supplies the brain and body with energy. Complex carbohydrates are metabolized slowly, which provides a more stable and sustained blood sugar level.

Pairing carbs and protein together will ensure that you stay full until you finally get the chance to eat lunch.

How to Make a Healthy Breakfast That Includes Complex Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates should comprise approximately 45 to 65 percent of your diet. That would amount to 225 to 325 grams per day if you are eating a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet.

The best breakfast-friendly foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates include fruits, whole-grain bread and cereal, nuts, and seeds.

Are you interested in healthy diets to lose weight and be more productive at work? The following are our favorite healthy diet books for executives and entrepreneurs. Even if you hate diets, consider reading one of these books to make dietary changes in a permanent way without triggering any resistance.

Because of the high stress levels and the fact that they are often tied to a desk for a large portion of the day, managers and executives are at particular risk for health concerns, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

A diet rich in fiber will keep you feeling full so that you will be less likely to overeat or snack, which can reduce your risk of obesity and diabetes. Fiber also helps improve cardiovascular health by lowering cholesterol levels.

How to Make a Healthy Breakfast That Includes Fiber

Women should strive for 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day. Men should get between 30 and 38 grams of fiber per day.

A serving of fruit, whole-grain bread or cereal, or nuts will give your breakfast a healthy dose of fiber.

4. Healthy Fats

Early morning breakfast meetings, dining with clients, and restaurant meals while traveling for business can add a significant amount of saturated and trans fats to your diet.

While your body needs a certain amount of fat for energy and to help with certain metabolic processes, such as dissolving the essential fat-soluble vitamins, no more than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from these types of fats.

You should focus instead on foods rich in monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and omega-3 fatty acids.

How to Make a Healthy Breakfast That Includes Healthy Fats

Do not be afraid to make the humble egg a centerpiece of your breakfast. If you are concerned about cholesterol, limit your intake to no more than four eggs per week or just use the whites. Nut butter, avocado, and Greek yogurt are also rich in healthy fats.

5. How to Make a Healthy Breakfast When You Are Too Busy to Cook

On days when cooking is not an option, knowing how to make a healthy breakfast that can be prepared ahead of time or consumed on your way to work, such as overnight oats or smoothies, can keep you from munching on the doughnuts in the office breakroom.

Knowing how to make a healthy breakfast is essential for staying on top of your game. For more healthy lifestyle information aimed at executives and managers like you, have a look at this book:

We would also like to hear your tips on how to make a healthy breakfast in the comments below.

If you are in search of executive lunch ideas that are fast and easy but still healthy and satisfying, we have come up with some options that will give you the energy that you will need to remain productive throughout the afternoon.

Executive Summary:

1. Tuna Pouches

It is always helpful to have a few non-perishable lunch items that you can keep in your desk for those days when you are too busy to fix lunch in the morning and leaving the office to grab a bite is not in the cards.

A single-serve packet of tuna contains 12 grams of protein along with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.

Be sure to look for tuna that is packed in water and that has less than 300 grams of sodium.

2. Mini Quesadilias

A quesadilla using low-fat refried or black beans, cheese, and a whole-wheat tortilla will provide you with nearly 18 grams of protein to get you through that mid-afternoon energy slump and keep you focused during those afternoon meetings.

Quesadillas require minimal preparation, so you can prepare them in the morning and keep them warm for lunch by wrapping them in foil and placing them in a baggie.

3. Pickle Sub

For a creative and healthy twist on the traditional sandwich, try a pickle sub. All you need is your favorite pickle cut in half, a slice of cheese, a slice of lunchmeat, and a slice of tomato.

The meat and cheese provide protein and healthy fats for energy while the pickle and tomato provide you with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Are you looking for books with simple and effective diet ideas for executives? Get great recipes and more diet ideas for busy working days!

There are a number of canned soup varieties on the market that are packed with a full serving of vegetables in each serving.

Look for broth-based soups that are in low-sodium and contain a combination beans, carrots, spinach, and other vegetables that will provide protein and fiber.

It is easy to store a few cans of soup at your desk. On extra needful afternoons, this can give you the pick me up you need to carry you through to the end of the day.

5. Baked Sweet Potato With Tuna

A sweet potato clocks in at just 90 calories and is loaded with fiber and antioxidants, which is more than you can say for the potato chips in the office vending machine.

Top your potato with that packet of tuna that you keep in your desk drawer and you have a healthy and filling executive lunch.

What are your go-to healthy office snacks when you need to power through your workday? There are our favorite healthy office snacks to eat in the office. They will help you boost your productivity at work!

One of our favorite lunch options combines the elements of a traditional caprese salad, which provide vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, with tuna for protein.

We suggest using buffalo mozzarella, which is made from the milk of domesticated water buffalo, since it is higher in calcium and protein and lower in cholesterol than mozzarella made from cow’s milk.

7. Boiled Eggs With Lettuce, Cherry Tomatoes, And Avocado

A boiled egg is essentially pure protein and only has 70 calories. Pair your egg with a small avocado salad and you have an easy to prepare lunch that you can eat at your desk.

8. Roasted Chicken And Veggies

Even if you are not that handy in the kitchen, you can probably manage a basic roasted chicken and veggies. The veggies and chicken are roasted at the same time in the same pan, so there’s minimal prep necessary.

Add a cooked grain to round out the meal. You can cook the meal on your day off and repurpose the leftovers all week for your lunch.

9. Chicken And Avocado Roll-Up

One way to use your leftover roast chicken is to place the shredded chicken on a tortilla and top it with avocado or other veggies to create a protein-packed roll-up that will get you through the afternoon crunch time. If you do not cook, you can always use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

Every executive has had “one of those days” where back-to-back meetings or an urgent client matter makes it impossible to get away for lunch and a mountain of paperwork that must be completed by the end of the day means that dinner is not looking too promising either.

Having the right office-friendly healthy snacks on hand can help you avoid the temptation of the vending machine and provide you with the energy and mental focus to get through your day.

The following are our favorite healthy office snacks that you can easily stash in your desk or the break room refrigerator for those hectic workdays when you need a little extra sustenance to get you through and be productive at the workplace.

Executive Summary:

1. Cheese And Crackers

Whole grain or whole wheat crackers topped with various low-fat cheeses can make delicious and filling healthy office snacks. We recommend topping your crackers with goat cheese, which is packed with protein and lower in fat than other cheeses.

Low-fat cream cheese, Laughing Cow, and Babybel cheese wheels are also good healthy food options.

2. Nut Butter

Peanut and almond butter are rich in the healthy fats and protein that you need for a quick energy boost at work. Remember that a serving is about the size of your thumb.

Pair your nut butter with apple slices for fiber for one of our ultimate healthy office snacks.

Do you search for healthy foods based on their effects? Explore our list of proven Foods That Improve Your Memory And Concentration. 7 Top Foods That Keep Executives Focused!

4. Roasted Seaweed

If you are craving something savory, crunchy, and slightly salty for your afternoon snack, skip the potato chips and give roasted seaweed a try.

Seaweed is rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins A, C, E, and K, which makes it one of the most nutrient-dense healthy office snacks on our list.

5. Energy-boosting Smoothies

Smoothies only take a moment to prepare and can be made in an infinite number of variations so that you never get bored.

Look for smoothie recipes that utilize superfoods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

6. Zucchini Parmesan Chips

A 1/2 cup serving of zucchini parmesan chips comes in at just over 100 calories. They also provide a healthy balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber to keep you full and focused.

Although a healthy alternative to potato chips, the parmesan makes these chips seem slightly decadent.

7. Low-fat Cottage Cheese and Fruit

Cottage cheese is unique among our list of healthy office snacks in that it is a complete protein. It is also rich in riboflavin, which the body uses to convert food into energy, and vitamin B12 to support brain function.

Pair with your favorite fruit and you have a healthy snack guaranteed to keep you going through those afternoon meetings.

8. Veggies with Hummus

A serving of 1/3 cup hummus and 1/2 cup of your favorite veggie sticks will provide you with nearly 7 grams of protein.

Hummus is also an excellent source of various B vitamins, vitamin A, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron to benefit everything from nerve function to blood cell production.

9. Low-fat Yogurt and Fruit

Yogurt, especially Greek yogurt, one of the healthy foods to eat every day, is a protein powerhouse.

As a health tip, we recommend opting for plain yogurt and topping it with your favorite fruit instead of the flavored varieties, which can be high in sugar and calories.

10. Turkey and Crackers

Whole grain crackers and a little lean turkey make a perfect office snack. You can even embellish your crackers with a little low-fat cream cheese and a dollop of your favorite preserves for a snack that is savory, sweet, and crunchy.

Bonus Tip

Be sure to check out our Book section for more cookbooks filled with recipes and ideas for healthy office snacks and meals for busy executives.

These healthy office snacks are full of the nutrients that you need to satisfy your snack cravings and boost your productivity at work.

What are your go-to healthy office snacks when you need to power through your workday? Let us know in the comments below.

Having healthy drinks for breakfast can help you stay fresh and breeze through all the commitments at the workplace with ease.

Executive Summary:

Turmeric tea is one of the healthy drinks for breakfast for executives who have to juggle between multiple tasks.

Research aimed at evaluating the effect of turmeric on the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease has proved that this spice has the ability to improve your memory. It can be used on a regular basis to improve brain functions.

So, even if you are working on several projects at the same time, it won’t be difficult for you to remember the details of each project.

Turmeric tea can be prepared by adding about one teaspoonful of turmeric powder in a glass of milk. Allow it to boil for a few minutes, strain it and drink it while it’s still warm.

2. Hot Dark Chocolate for Energy

Hot dark chocolate is considered one of the healthiest drinks for breakfast for the executives who lead an extremely hectic lifestyle. Dark chocolate contains a high amount of caffeine, which acts as a stimulant. It can support the functions of the nervous system and help you stay alert and focused during meetings as well as other tasks.

Dark chocolate provides a rich source of carbohydrates to your body to ensure persistently high levels of energy throughout the day.

Dark Chocolate can help you avoid fatigue at the workplace. It can also prevent reduced concentration levels that usually occurs due to the dip in the energy levels.

Research conducted by the scientists at the British Journal Of Clinical Pharmacology have found that dark chocolate contains a large number of flavonoids that possess antioxidant properties. It can prevent oxidative damage to the vital organs and stimulate the functions of the brain thus improving your cognitive skills.

You can prepare the perfect energy drink for breakfast by adding dark chocolate powder of your choice to a glass of warm milk.

3. Protein Smoothies

A clinical study to evaluate the role of proteins in maintaining health and fitness has shown encouraging results. The intake of proteins is linked to an improved physical performance.

Hence, Protein smoothies are considered healthy drinks for breakfast for active executives whose job involves working under strenuous physical conditions. It can promote the body’s repair processes and help in the faster healing of the injured parts.

Protein smoothies also promote the cognitive skills and improve physical and intellectual productivity at work.

Protein smoothies offer a rich dose of nutrients apart from, of course, the proteins. For example; The blueberry-almond smoothie can provide a natural source of proteins, antioxidants, and fibers while being low in calories.

You can also try orange protein smoothie by adding Greek yogurt rich in proteins, and calcium to a blend of orange.

PUMP UP YOUR PRODUCTIVITY WITH SMOOTHIES NOW!

You can prepare these smoothies quickly by simply grinding the ingredients to make a smooth paste. You can enjoy it immediately.

Alternatively, you can keep it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes and drink it chilled.

4. Green Tea for Your Brain

If your job involves using a lot of creativity, imagination and problem-solving skills, you can begin your day with the healthy drinks for breakfast such as green tea.

Research conducted at the International Journal of Phototherapy And Phytopharmacology has proven that Green tea can produce an encouraging effect on the brain functions.  It can boost your cognitive skills, concertration, and memory.

Green tea can improve your ability to evaluate the project details such as carrying out SWOT (Strengths-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat) analysis by enhancing the logical reasoning skills.

It can also improve your mood and restrain you from being irritable or frustrated even during the challenging situations. This will boost your job performance and help you avoid work-related stress.

These benefits can be derived simply by drinking a cup of green tea for breakfast. All you need to do is let the green tea leaves brew for about 5 minutes in boiling water, strain it, and drink.

5. Juice of High Dose of Vitamin C

Mental stress, weakness, and a low immunity are the side effects of your job. You can avoid these side effect by providing healthy doses of vitamin C to your body.

The immune-enhancing role of vitamin C has been proven during a clinical research conducted at the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism.

You can prepare a vitamin-rich juice by grinding fresh fruits such as oranges, kiwis, and berries. Strain the juice and drink it for breakfast to refresh your senses.

It will also protect your body against the free radical damage and prevent the diseases caused due to oxidative stress such as cancer and autoimmune conditions.

This will help you stay focused on your work and allow you to balance your health as well as career.

Conclusions

A simple step like having a glass of these healthy drinks for breakfast will provide you multiple benefits such as improved brain functions, increased productivity, and enhanced overall health.

Read our post How to Make a Healthy Executive Breakfast to start your business day right or Check out our Healthy Diet Books Section to get more effective diet ideas.

This will allow you to meet your professional commitments and help you achieve success.

GET MORE SIMPLE DIET IDEAS NOW! 

If you know any quick, healthy recipes for breakfast, please leave a comment to share the recipes with us. You will also find several healthy breakfast tips in our cookbook section.

Ideally, you would get out of the office every day by 6 p.m., eat an early dinner, and avoid evening snacking. In reality, you are more likely to be stuck at the office until well after dark working on a presentation due bright and early the next morning.

It leaves you scrambling for a snack that you can eat at your desk or when you finally make it home.

While a large meal or grabbing something from the nearest fast-food restaurant or vending machine will leave you falling asleep in front of your computer or feeling sluggish and mentally foggy the next morning, healthy foods can help you power through your work without leaving you with a “food hangover” the next morning.

The following are our favorite healthy foods to eat at night that are guaranteed to keep your stomach from grumbling while still leaving you feeling refreshed and energetic the next day.

1. Choosing Healthy Nighttime Snacks Over Processed Foods

When you are physically and mentally exhausted after a 12 to 14-hour day at the office, it is tempting to turn to comfort foods, such as chips, a greasy burger, and fries, or even an entire package of cookies. Unfortunately, the saturated fat and high sugar content of these foods can cause you to experience less deep sleep during the night along with more frequent sleep arousals, which can leave you feeling tired and sluggish the next morning. The increased blood sugar may also contribute to an increase in cortisol in your system, which can impair cognition and memory. That is the last thing that you need when faced with a morning full of meetings with clients.

• Healthy Snack Tip

Instead of chips or fries, opt for hummus and a handful of whole-wheat pita chips for a healthy nighttime snack. The protein and healthy fats in the hummus will help you feel full and provide energy while the pita chips will provide a satisfying crunch.

2. Keeping Portion Sizes In Check

Your body still requires calories for energy even during sleep. Your digestive system and metabolism, however, slow down at night as part of your natural circadian rhythm. The effort of digesting a large meal at night can leave you tossing and turning so that your body does not get the healing, restorative sleep that it needs to deal with the mental and physical stress that you face at work. There is also a study that shows that eating a large meal while trying to perform cognitive tasks, such as preparing a report or analyzing complex data, can trigger an immune response in the body that can produce cognitive deficits similar to Alzheimer’s.

• Healthy Snack Tip

If you are eating a meal late at night, select an appetizer or half-size portion. You can also keep snack portions in check by using a bowl or plate instead of eating straight from the package.

3. Choose Easy-to-Digest Foods When Eating Late

Foods that are high in animal protein, highly acidic, or fried take longer for the body to digest and can lead to indigestion and a fitful night’s sleep if eaten too close to bedtime. Instead, opt for foods that are high in water content and plant-based proteins and fats that are easier for the body to process.

• Healthy Snack Tip

Low-fat yogurt, bananas, and apples with peanut butter are healthy options when snacking at night that will not put too much of a burden on your digestive system. If you need something a little more substantial, try a salad topped with a little chicken or tuna.

4. Choose Foods That Will Stabilize Your Blood Sugar

Your body and brain need a steady supply of glucose for fuel. Simple carbohydrates, such as those found in most processed sweets and snack foods, are metabolized very quickly and release a large amount of glucose into the body within a short amount of time. This means that you will get a sudden rush of energy followed by a sudden crash about an hour later. Complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables, are digested slowly, which provides a steady stream of glucose for both short and long-term energy.

• Healthy Snack Tip:

For a healthy nighttime snack on those nights when you get out of the office too late to cook dinner, try some spicy black beans wrapped in a corn or whole-wheat tortilla.

5. Coping With a Sweet Tooth

After a long day of meetings, phone calls, and endless paperwork, you deserve to end your day with something sweet. Instead of reaching for a tub of chocolate ice cream, opt for fresh fruit and yogurt or fruit sorbet flavored with natural sweeteners that are easier to digest but will still satisfy your sweet tooth.

• Healthy Snack Tip

Bananas and cherries are particularly beneficial foods to eat at night since they can help increase your levels of the sleep hormone melatonin so that you fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer.

Interested in more healthy tips?

Now that you know our tips for choosing healthy foods to eat at night, share your favorite late-night snack in the comments below.

The successful executive within you is already aware of the benefits of healthy eating habits. It cannot just help you to avoid diseases and stay fit. Healthy eating habits can also improve your energy, focus, and productivity. On the other hand, improper eating habits can only lead to weight gain and make you feel tired all the time. This can reduce your productivity and even affect the way you respond to stress at the workplace or at home.

With the new year already here, why not spend a few minutes thinking about your diet and health and make some interesting New Year´s Resolutions to change your eating habits? If you are ready for this change, read on to find some interesting New Year´s Resolution ideas for busy executives like you.

You may have heard about this ‘new’ way of eating that has become part of the lifestyles of many celebrities in the western world. Familiar entertainment personalities such as LeBron James, Miley Cyrus, Megan Fox, and Matthew McConaughey have spoken publicly about the benefits of the Paleo diet.

Let’s face the facts. The Paleo diet has been the subject of thousands of online publications. Many articles praise the health benefits of the diet. Others articles report the dangers of this revolutionary way of eating. Quite frankly, all of this conflicting information can be confusing.

To help you sort through the maze of Paleo diet information, this post will provide you with the essential facts about this diet. By the end of this post, you will understand the components of the Paleo diet as well as the benefits and possible drawbacks of committing to this diet. You will be able to make an informed decision about which parts of the program to incorporate and the parts to leave behind.

1. The Paleo Diet Explained

Popularized in 2002 by a professor named Dr. Loren Cordain, the Paleo diet is based on the foods that our hunter-gather ancestors ate during the Paleolithic Era. This food includes healthy amounts of lean meats, saturated fats, vegetables, nuts and fruits that are low in sugar.

According to Dr. Cordain, the Paleo diet mimics prehistoric eating habits and helps people avoid the onset of modern diseases. Aliments such as high blood pressure, cancer, Parkinson’s, depression, Alzheimer’s, infertility, acne, and diabetes can be eliminated with a Paleo lifestyle.

Although Dr. Cordain is responsible for igniting the modern Paleo movement, he did not develop the idea. In January 1985, S. Boyd Eaton and Melvin Konner published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine that provided insight into Paleolithic nutrition. This article is entitled “Paleolithic Nutrition: A Consideration of Its Nature and Current Implications”. This report marked the beginning of a new way of thinking about the types of foods we consume.

 2. Paleo Diet: Fact or Fiction

The Paleo diet has legions of fans who swear by its benefits. However, this diet is not without its critics who attack its assertions. One of the most interesting arguments against the Paleo diet is a lecture by Professor Mark Zuk. Professor Zuk is the author of “Paleophantasy”.

Here are a few key highlights of additional anti-Paleo arguments:

 2.1.  The Assumption that Humans Stopped Evolving 40,000 Years Ago Is False.

According to John Hawks of the University of Wisconsin, human beings are constantly evolving and adapting. As a result, humans have developed the tolerance to eat foods that were not eaten during the Paleolithic Era such as milk and nuts.

 2.2. Consuming Too Much Meat Can Contribute to the Development of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer.

The cavemen in the Paleolithic Era ate meat that was not chemically-laden. The meat that is eaten today is less healthy than the meat that was eaten by cavemen.

2.3. There Are No Conclusive Studies that Show the Effects of the Paleo Diet.

Many historians believe that cavemen had a short lifespan during the Paleolithic Era. The only real evidence of longevity that is linked to diet comes from Sardinia (Italy) and Okinawa (Japan). However, the diets of the people who resided in these regions do not include a Paleo lifestyle.

2.4. Consuming Healthy Amounts of Whole Grains Provides Fuel for Your Brain.

These power foods contain healthy amounts of glucose that keep you mentally alert and focused throughout the day.

2.5. Dairy Contains Nutrients that Help Your Body Combat Stress.

Dairy is an excellent source of Vitamin D. Many recent studies show the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and mental disorders.

These scientific arguments offer different opinions of the drawbacks of this diet. Paleo diet is probably not the best option for business executives. The lifestyle difference between the cavemen and the business people is obvious.

3. How to Adopt a Paleo Lifestyle

The Paleo diet must have some benefits because many people have changed their bodies by eating in this manner. The proof is in the testimonies of the people who have experienced amazing benefits from incorporating it into their daily routines. This diet can be easily added to your lifestyle. In order to experience success and optimal health from the Paleo diet, here are some things you can do.

– Eliminate foods with high amounts of sugars from your diet. This includes soda, fruit juice, candy, and cakes. These foods contribute to heart disease and diabetes.

– Avoid processed foods. Canned and packaged foods are often low in fiber and high in refined carbohydrates.

– Eat fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Everyone knows that they are low-calorie sources of vitamins, nutrients, and dietary fiber.

– Get active. Your body and mind require at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day.

An important thing to remember is every person is different. The Paleo diet does not have to be an ‘all or nothing proposition’. You can transition into a Paleo lifestyle by applying the parts that make sense for your lifestyle.

Do you have another opinion about the Paleo diet? Feel free to share your comments with us!