Everyone notices how it’s hard to stay focused after eating a lunch from McDonald’s during your break or crashing after snacking on sugary sweets all day. The connection between the food that you fuel yourself with and performance is high. What we eat does not just give us energy to get through the day but influences our stress levels, focus and ultimately success. So why are we not focusing more on diet to boost our success?

Stress is a big part of everyday life for a lot of people, especially in a busy office with deadlines quickly approaching, where you can feel like there’s not enough time to finish all the work or even eat properly. However, this is where the problem lies: when stress comes in, many tend to neglect proper meals for coffee and energy drinks. However, this could have the opposite effect, causing you to feel more fatigued and less concentrated. But the question is, how do you achieve this?

This guide will explain the significance of nutrition for stress and success, and what to eat to help you succeed.

Mind body connection- nutrition, stress and success

Many think that stress is physical; however, stress is also biochemical. The foods that we eat greatly affect our mood and motivation by affecting the levels of serotonin and dopamine in our bodies. Serotonin controls a wide range of functions, including sleep, appetite, and body temperature; therefore, if you are consuming food that does not feed serotonin levels, you can become fatigued, lose your appetite and find it hard to regulate your body temperature.

Dopamine controls movement, motivation, learning and attention. Both dopamine and serotonin are essential for working and driving success. To do this, you need to incorporate nutritional mindfulness, seeing food as a tool for emotional balance, which leads to less stress due to regulation. When there is less stress, this means that you can focus on performance and achieve higher.

Stress-boosting foods and habits to avoid

There are foods and common habits that can cause more stress, which can reduce success and achievement.

Refined sugars- Refined sugars can create a spike in energy that can feel great in the short term for completing tasks quickly; however, after a short amount of time, they can lead to crashes. Once your energy crashes, you can become irritable and anxious, affecting performance.

Caffeine overload- Although caffeine may help you to stay awake throughout the day, making you feel productive, it can increase cortisol levels. This can increase heart rate, disrupting focus, and leading to stress as concentration levels decrease.

Processed foods- Processed foods irritate the gut, which affects mood regulation. Avoiding these can help you feel healthier, which can increase productivity thus, success.

Skipping meals- Skipping meals and being inconsistent creates blood sugar dips, which can provoke stress responses. Being consistent keeps blood sugar levels constant can help you stay energised and help you concentrate.

Foods to fuel success

Certain foods can actively help to reduce stress and support brain function and cognitive performance. Consuming foods that help to reduce stress and improve performance can boost your mood and motivation, which promotes productivity and clear thinking, increasing the chances of success.

Brain boosters- Foods that help with brain function and thinking are usually rich in omega-3s 3 such as salmon, sardines and any fatty fish. They help to reduce inflammation and improve focus, allowing you to work fluidly and effectively. Also, eggs are a fantastic source of choline, which helps to boost memory and concentration. 

Stress soothers- Dark leafy greens are the best source of magnesium, which supports relaxation and nerve function. Berries such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries contain antioxidants that fight stress-induced damage. Together, these options can help reduce stress and clear your mind so that you can concentrate and optimise work time.

Energy stabilisers- It’s important that you have sufficient energy throughout the day to avoid dips that can cause stress. The best food options for this are whole grains, oats and quinoa, which aid in balancing blood sugar and mood, helping you to feel good so you can work hard a become successful. Nuts and seeds also have the same effect, releasing steady fuel across the day as well as nutrients.

Gut guardians- Yoghurt, fermented foods and kefir, promote gut health, which affects serotonin levels, helping you to feel happier throughout the day. When your mood is uplifted, it’s easier to concentrate and be productive. A common query is where to buy kefir; however, its rise in popularity has made it accessible to most supermarkets and online from specialist retailers.

Stress-less meal blueprint

Now you know foods to avoid and foods that fuel, the question is how to implement them into your daily diet. This example of a day of success includes all the food groups that you need to ensure that you are fueled well, ready for a day of success.

Breakfast- Start your day with a breakfast aimed at destressing whist also giving you fule to sustain until lunch time. Oats with berries and nuts are a great way to intodauce all the most important food groups.If you do like more sweeter breakfasts you can add some dark chocolate chips.

Lunch- Meal prepping lunch the night before or even boxing up left overs is the best way to make sure that youre getting all the nutrience you need the next day, so you dont skip lunch or opt for a fast food alternative. A perfect lunch would be grilled salmon or chickpeas with leafy grean and brown rice.

Snack- A great way to keep energy high throughout the day is to snack on greek yoghurt or a banana with peanut butter.

Dinner- Ending the day with a balanced meal of a brown rice stir-fry with vegetables and tofu or chicken, is the perfect way to ensure that you are fuled at night and into the next day, balancing hormones.

Hydration- Herbal teas and lots of water thought the day boosts hydration.

Final thoughts

Sucess is not just about hard work, its about fuling your body and you mind the right way. When your body is fed well it relieves stress, and boosts mood, allowing you to work hard, focus and strive for success. You dont need to overhaul your whole diet, simple addition can really make a difference!