CEO Series - How To Eat When Travelling

Nutrition is incredibly powerful in its ability to change the way you feel and perform daily. The food that you eat can directly impact neurotransmitter release. Using this to your advantage will increase neural clarity and focus, which is the desired effect when required to make the right decisions every hour in business and health.

Below, we outlined my step-by-step action plan to maximise health and performance from a nutritional standpoint for the travelling business executive.

Be Prepared

Before you leave for your trip, you have to be in control of your food, so ensure you have an idea of which foods are right for you and which foods to avoid. Set yourself up with a few guidelines to follow, such as:

Eat often: salmon, eggs, chicken, unlimited vegetables, water

Avoid: Fried foods, pastries, bread, fruit juices and desserts.

Breakfasts are usually very good at hotels, so you should have no problems.

Business Lounge

Many First & Business class lounges have the option to order food a la carte, a perfect opportunity to eat fresh food.

Food once onboard the plane is prone to higher levels of pathogens (foreign bacterial/viral bodies) which can cause gastrointestinal distress.

Eating a meal in the lounge also allows you to eat while your body is in its natural atmospheric environment and in a relaxed state.

Fluid retention, which is a real issue at 36,000 feet, will not be an issue in the lounge. Business-class lounges also tend to provide many options such as grilled meats, salads and vegetables, meaning you do not have to eat bread, croissants and other dense and sub-optimal foods.??

Onboard

Once on board the plane, you can also travel with your snacks to make sure you know what you are eating. I highly recommend dried meat and raw nuts; very compact for travelling and extremely nutrient-dense and high protein.

Hydration

Hydration is of utmost importance while travelling, so you should look to drink water as much as possible. I like to board with plenty of water, using an electrolytes tablet or sachet to help support the body whilst in a pressurised cabin.

Alcohol is known as a diuretic that dehydrates your body, so as much fun as it is to be sipping a whiskey or wine as you recline in your chair, you are going to pay the price when you get off the plane feeling terrible.

The purpose of your travel is a business trip, and the goal is to maximise performance while conducting business, discipline is required.

Fasting

If all of the above points on nutrition are overwhelming and, quite frankly, you are not going to follow them, then I have another option for you. Many of my clients use this strategy with a lot of success. The secret is following it through for the entire duration.

Adopt a ‘food fast’ as soon as you leave the office/house and head to the airport.

Fasting can be extremely beneficial in many cases; you will have more time to yourself, not having to worry about food and less likely to get digestive distress, such as bloating and fluid retention.

Fasting helps to bring your total calorie consumption down for that day, which can be beneficial as many business trips have social engagements that centred around higher levels of high-calorie food & drink consumption.

When You Land

After landing, I recommend staying awake as long as possible to allow your brain to reset the natural circadian rhythm, in part triggered by the sun setting. Your nutrition for the day will be high protein, zero carbohydrates (starches such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, sugars and fruit juices) and including plenty of green salads, vegetables and avocado etc.

In the evening, as your last meal, have a meal rich in carbohydrates. This strategy fits in well when you have a social engagement with clients or business associates. This meal can include rice, potatoes quinoa and fruit for dessert if you have one.

You want to avoid empty calories from fried foods and pieces of bread, so no chips or pizza - always look for healthy nourishing food options.

Increasing carbohydrates at your evening meal will raise the amount of serotonin in your brain, which you will notice after staying clear of carbs all day. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has a calming and relaxing effect on the brain, providing a calming environment in which your brain and nervous system can switch off and sleep peacefully.

You have to take your health into your own hands and control the path it takes. Without guidelines, we have all experienced how badly a business trip can turn out from a lifestyle perspective; the points I have highlighted are straightforward to follow and will supercharge your business trip both inside and outside of the boardroom.?

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Dr. Chris Spearman