Wellness Works (11/02/17): Get Focused, Straighten Up and Turbo-Boost Your Breakfast
Welcome to Wellness Works!
As a nutrition and fitness professional, I’ve created this series to help you achieve a healthful balance between your mind, your body and your fuel. I’ll offer up tips and strategies for mental, physical and nutritional alignment. The way I see it, when those three systems are ready and raring to go, you’ll run your business better than ever!
Your mind
Whether you work from your kitchen, a nearby cafe or in an actual office, staying focused on the project at hand can be challenging. Something more interesting than, say, invoicing, is always just a click, tap or swipe away. Then there’s your friendly neighbor who loves to chat, the quick errand you need to run or the dog who would love a walk …
Here are a few books designed to help build your focus -- both in your professional life and your personal life.
- 100% Focused: 25 Great Ways To Improve Your Focus And Concentration (How To Be 100%)
- Staying Focused In A Hyper World: Book 1; Natural Solutions For ADHD, Memory And Brain Performance
- Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Balance booster:
Too distracted to read these days? Download one of these publications as an audiobook and listen on your break, before bed or during your daily commute.
Your body
For those of us who sit for long periods of time, maintaining good posture and spinal alignment can be a daily struggle. We hunch our back and shoulders, thrust our neck forward -- and wonder why, at the end of the day, we’re filled with aches and pains. Here’s how a few of our community members fight back in the war against constant sitting:
- Janemanthorpe suggests moving throughout the day and taking little activity breaks every 30 minutes
- ShanaNiederman swears by her exercise ball chair
- ParkwayInc recommends a standing desk and bluetooth headset so he can take a break from sitting, even during conference calls
- Cindy-RoxyIns loves her slanted footrest to help keep her back aligned
Balance booster:
Try one of these suggestions for two weeks, then introduce another modification. Track your response to each change and prioritize the one that leaves you feeling better.
Your fuel
I start every morning with a blended drink of the following ingredients:
- 6-12 oz brewed coffee, hot or cold. (My current favorite: cold brew!)
- 1 Tablespoon collagen powder: Collagen is an excellent source of protein. Plus, it gives our skin incredible elasticity -- I think of this as nature’s Botox! It’s also great for our joints, hair, skin and nails.
- 1 Tablespoon Brain Octane Oil (concentrated form of coconut oil): This oil stimulates your brain to help with focus and even helps prevent crashing and cravings. I am most focused and productive the first half of the day because of this ingredient (you can substitute coconut oil if you prefer).
- Unsweetened almond milk or your preferred nut milk or dairy milk (use whatever amount makes your tastebuds the happiest).
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
I use either a Magic Bullet or hand blender to thoroughly blend all the ingredients. The drink looks and tastes like a latte, but it’s a fraction of the cost and much more nutritious! With the protein from the collagen, the fat from the coconut oil and the caffeine from the coffee, it’s all I need until lunch time.
Balance booster:
If you’ve been trying to lose weight, replace your usual breakfast with this drink for one month. I switched to this morning smoothie five months ago. Since then, I’ve dropped more than ten pounds and significantly increased my lean muscle mass … and my focus!
Before you go
QB Community members, I am so excited to share my love and passion for all things wellness! If you have questions about your mind, your body and your fuel, please ask in the comments below. I’ll do my best to answer all your burning questions in an upcoming Wellness Works post.