Eat Right. Lead Better.
Here’s a great quote for today:
“When your diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When your diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”
Chew on that for a minute (and yes, pun intended).
Good nutrition so profoundly affects the quality and potential of our daily lives that it impacts virtually every single thing we do.
It’s true for children. It true for adults. It’s true for leaders. And it’s especially true for Leaders of LIGHT.
How Diet Impacts Your Leadership Success
Good nutrition significantly impacts your leadership success in a number of important ways.
1. A healthy diet impacts your cognitive function and clarity.
A nutrient-rich diet provides essential fuel for your brain, which results in clear thinking, sound decision-making, and enhanced problem-solving.
What’s more, an adequate intake of specific nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, for example, can improve your cognitive functioning including learning, memory, and attention span.
2. A healthy diet sustains your energy levels.
Healthy eating ensures a consistent release of energy throughout the day, which prevents energy spikes and crashes.This consistent release of nutrients, in turn, allows you to be attentive, thoughtful, reliable, and rational.
A great diet also allows you to maintain better focus and productivity throughout the day, which results in extraordinary leadership impact.
3. A healthy diet allows you to manage your stress and regulate emotions.
Nutrient-rich foods can help your body regulate stress hormones, which leads to better mood, improved stress resilience, and the ability to manage pressure effectively.
Said another way, good food = good mood.
4. A healthy diet allows you to be a positive role model.
Leaders of LIGHT who prioritize good nutrition can take heart knowing that they are setting a positive example for their teams, thus encouraging a healthier workplace culture and promoting overall well-being among employees.
5. A healthy diet results in better discipline.
It’s true. In fact, research tells us that leaders who make healthy eating a routine experience greater discipline in a whole host of other areas of their lives including daily routines, time-management, and personal organization.
Five Ways to Fuel Your Leadership Success
Fueling your body shouldn’t be hard. That said, here are five ways you can get the job done.
1. Drink more water.
Fact: being dehydrated puts a strain on your body. With an estimated 75 percent of Americans chronically dehydrated, even if you don’t feel thirsty, you need to hydrate. In fact, drinking more water is one of the easiest and highest-impact steps to maintaining your energy and effectiveness.
2. Eat real food.
If you want to improve your leadership effectiveness, we recommend that you include more whole foods in your diet.
In fact, every meal should include at least some “real” food.
You can tell real food from processed food by the number of ingredients it contains. For example, a Pop-Tart contains about 25 different (and mysterious) ingredients. Carrots, broccoli, and apples, on the other hand, all contain just one.
More often than not, the fewer the number of ingredients, the healthier it is for you.
3. Consume mindfully.
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment. It involves focusing on your thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they arise. Essentially, it’s about being fully present in the here and now.
And mindfulness is important if you want to eat well.
In fact, you can practice mindful eating by savoring each bite and paying attention to hunger and fullness cues.
And by all means, avoid multitasking during meals.
If you want to be healthy and effective, you’ll need to step away from your desk and create a dedicated eating environment. If you do this, you will find that this practice not only enhances your overall eating experience but that you digest your food better, which allows you to feel better throughout the day.
4. Snack healthfully.
Not only can having a couple of quick snacks throughout the day make you feel better, but it can also make you a better leader for all the reasons mentioned earlier.
Some examples of healthy and delicious daily snack options include hard-boiled eggs, a combination of mixed nuts and dried fruit, a slice of apple with peanut butter, a serving of cottage cheese, and perhaps a cup of Greek yogurt with berries.
Specifically, each of these snacks provides a mix of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and vitamins, contributing to satiety and overall health.
5. Plan ahead.
It goes without saying that time is perhaps a leader’s most precious resource. Because of this, it’s essential that you plan your meals (and snacks) in advance.
To do this, designate time each week for meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.
Now, I know what you are thinking.
This is a royal pain! Ugh! Ick! No thanks!
However, to get you in a better mindset, it should help you to know that a lot of leaders make grocery shopping a game.
Yes, a game.
Here’s how they go about it.
First, they create their master shopping list.
Then, they set a goal of how fast they think they can get this task done once they hit the grocery store parking lot.
Finally, with their list in hand, they hit the ground running and they focus their efforts on getting in and out of the grocery store in record time.
Try it. It’s seriously fun.
Never forget, good nutrition is not just about physical health. It’s also about making a strategic investment in your leadership effectiveness.
By prioritizing healthy eating habits, not only can you as a Leader of LIGHT enhance your own personal health, but you can also maximize your cognitive abilities, sustain your energy levels, manage your stress more effectively, and inspire your teams to prioritize their own well-being.
Bon appetit!
Until next time.
See LIGHT! Be LIGHT! Spread LIGHT!
Until Next Time...
We’ve picked some articles we think you might like! Click below to read more.
Physical Activity is Linked to Leadership Excellence
This just in: Exercise and physical activity are linked to leadership effectiveness. And get this: According to the Center for Creative Leadership, leaders who are physically fit are considered by their boards, bosses, peers, and direct reports to be more effective leaders than those who aren’t.
The Importance of Setting High Standards
The quality of your leadership will be reflected in the standards you set for yourself.
Eat Right. Lead Better.
Here’s a great quote for today: “When your diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When your diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”
About Lead with Light
Lead with Light is an initiative that aims to equip current and emerging leaders with a reimagined approach to servant leadership.
Our ultimate vision is to grow and develop thousands of Leaders of Light to ignite a movement to see light, be light, and spread light in ways only each can.