Fuel For Performance: A Career Athlete’s Guide to Nutrition

During my childhood and much of my adult life, my eating habits swung between two extremes: strict dieting to shed those pesky extra pounds or indulging my inner foodie to satisfy cravings. The idea of food as fuel for my body and mind never crossed my mind. Everything changed, however, when I had to rebuild my strength after the labor of my second child. This period forced me to rethink my relationship with food. This transformative experience made me realize the crucial role nutrition plays in performance.

Over the past years, I have devoured all the information I could find on how nutrition can elevate human performance. As you can imagine, it wasn’t a straightforward journey. With all the noise from the latest nutrition trends and conflicting advice, it became increasingly difficult to know what truly works. That's why I decided to partner with an expert who not only masters the nutrition game but also truly understands the challenges busy leaders face in finding a strategy that fits their lifestyle. This led me to partner with Karen Aroney, the founder of ExecFuel™, to create a roadmap for Career Athletes on how to fuel for success.

It's important to acknowledge that nutrition is highly individualized. What works for one person might not work for another. When it comes to performance nutrition, it’s about finding a strategy that keeps you energized and ready to perform at your best. If you’ve already found a strategy that works for you, congratulations! If not, consider incorporating some of the following Career Athlete guidance into your routine.

1. No Diet Mindset

Athletes don't diet. Why? Because they understand that dieting often results in low energy and sacrificing performance. We've all been there – starting a diet only to find ourselves irritable and distracted. Depriving ourselves of essential nutrients leads to fatigue, irritability, and an inability to feel energized. For Career Athletes, the focus isn't on losing weight or achieving the perfect body, but on fueling the body to maximize energy and performance. Interestingly, a side effect of eating for performance can be improvements in your physical appearance . However, this is never the primary goal. The objective is to harness the power of nutrition to excel in every task we undertake.

2. Mindful Eating

Stress-eating and Fog-eating (i.e. mindlessly consuming food without paying attention to what or how much you're eating) are common struggles for many busy professionals. The pressures of work often lead us to seek comfort in highly processed, sugary foods or to eat without considering the quality or quantity of what we’re consuming. It’s particularly common for busy leaders to take their meals to their desks, eating while working in front of screens to save time. Although they choose what they eat, they often miss valuable cues from their bodies, leading to mindless eating.

As Career Athletes, we break these habits by becoming more mindful of our eating patterns. Recognizing what triggers our emotional eating is the first step. Instead of using food as a coping mechanism, we should face our challenges head-on. Mindful eating means being aware of our food choices and opting for foods that serve our performance rather than derail our progress. This practice helps us tune into our body’s cues, enhancing our awareness of hunger and fullness, and allowing us to make better food choices that truly nourish and sustain us. It's about being intentional with our nutrition, ensuring that what we consume serves our overall goals, enhances our energy, and boosts our focus throughout the day.

3. Hydration

Hydration is often overlooked, but it plays a pivotal role in our performance. Many instances of exhaustion or irritability are due to dehydration. Proper hydration supports every function in our body, from cognitive performance to physical endurance. The ideal amount of hydration depends on various factors, such as physical activity level, climate, and individual characteristics. However, a general guideline for Career Athletes is to aim for half their body weight in pounds in ounces of water daily. Staying hydrated helps maintain energy levels and mental clarity, essential for tackling the day's challenges.

4. Power Plate

Meal prepping can be daunting and, frankly, something I never enjoyed. However, having a simple and effective guide can make all the difference. ExecFuel™ Power Plate concept provides just that. While portions may vary based on individual goals, this serves as a great starting point. As Career Athletes, we structure our meals by filling half of our plate with fiber-rich vegetables, one-fourth with lean protein, and one-fourth with complex carbs. Healthy fats, sauces, or dressings are kept light. This balanced approach ensures we get a variety of nutrients to sustain our energy and focus throughout the day.

5. Energy Snacks

Afternoon slumps and overeating at dinner are common pitfalls for busy leaders. Often, we find ourselves craving a snack between meals, and many of the convenient options are high in sugar and unhealthy fats. While these snacks provide a quick energy boost, they often lead to a subsequent crash, leaving us feeling more tired and less focused. To maintain a steady energy supply throughout the day, Power Snacks are the solution. Designed to keep us energized and focused, spreading out two Power Snacks per day in addition to your main meals can help maintain consistent energy levels. A Power Snack typically combines protein with some carbs, making it perfect for a mid-morning or afternoon boost. These snacks help Career Athletes stay sharp and avoid the pitfalls of fatigue and overeating.

Seeing food as fuel rather than a way of dealing with uncomfortable emotions or stress, or undereating to control your weight, is a powerful mindset shift. The quality of our performance is driven by how we fuel our bodies. As Career Athletes, we prioritize our nutrition to enhance our performance, energy, and focus. By adopting a no-diet mindset, practicing mindful eating, staying hydrated, and following the Power Plate and Power Snack guidelines, we can optimize our nutrition and, consequently, our career success.

Of course, nutrition is highly individualized, and working with an expert can provide tailored strategies that work best for you. This blog should give you a solid starting point to explore performance nutrition.

Ready to elevate your personal and team performance? Book a free Workforce Performance Audit to start your Career Athlete journey. Whether for yourself or your team, let’s fuel our way to success together!