I am the absolute last person to ever preach about eating healthy. My mind may be healthy, but my body is not. It used to be super common for me to eat a bag of Harbo sour candy peaches for breakfast while sitting at my desk before any students or staff arrived, and then not eat or drink anything again until I got home from school around 5:30. I used to wake up and drink 2 cups of coffee, go all day with no other liquid intake, and then walk into the house – straight to the beer fridge.
No. I’m not healthy. And I will never claim to be. But over the last 2 years I have grown in this area, and am often inspired by the assistant principal I get to work with.
In a fast paced, high stress job, it’s easy to forget about water intake and … well, eating. But, I’ve slowly realized how this type of lifestyle also impacts my mental well-being. And this, folks, is something that IS important to me, and I have always made a priority.
Here’s what I’ve learned, and I’m steadily trying to do better with:
#1 – Protein Intake
Diets higher in protein can support your mental health. Protein contains chemicals called amino acids, which your brain needs to produce chemicals called neurotransmitters. These help to regulate your thoughts and feelings. That’s why when the assistant principal recommended these protein shakes I jumped on it! Well, I mean, not literally. I pondered it. Thought it was a nice idea. And a year later decided to give it a go – as a healthy choice for my husband while he traveled. I realize I’m ridiculous. And stubborn.
Then, my husband came home and told me he loved them. I was intrigued and decided to try it too. He was right. The assistant was right. Gawd, I wish I wasn’t always such a hard sell! They were really gawd damn good! And they have 30 grams of protein, which is pretty impressive for a protein shake.
#2 – Improve My Food Regime
An unhealthy diet causes the body to release too much of a type of stress hormone that can activate enzymes that shouldn't be activated. This activation can cause inflammation, which can negatively affect our cognitive abilities, and make it harder to plan, focus, or remember things. I suppose not eating at all would fit into an unhealthy diet. Blah - Blah - Blah. I’m still not convinced I can make eating fit into my day.
But then I read, a lunch break not only fuels your motivation to power toward the end of the day, it also gives you something to look forward to in the morning. Most people accomplish work best in short bursts with breaks in between, so organizing your schedule around these natural energy peaks will help you be more productive.
Now this I could work with! I knew I couldn’t officially schedule a lunch break, but following the assistant’s lead (yes, she’s amazingly healthy all the way around!) I started packing healthy bento boxes, with finger foods I could look forward to eating throughout the day. I’ve tried a variety of bento boxes, but THIS simple multi-pack is still my favorite to-date. I don’t have to stress about getting it washed right away because there are multiple, and it fits this condiment cup perfectly. There’s nothing better than dipping your finger food!
The most important take-away from all of this is to have a plan and make it a priority. I still slip into my past bad habits from time to time, but I now recognize that I’m choosing to sabotage my best self when I do. When I choose to breeze through the day worrying about everything and everyone else except my own well-being, everyone suffers because (although I’d never want to admit it … remember, I’m stubborn) my mind is not functioning at its best.
Comments