I had not begun to think about how food affects my energy level until relatively recently. When I was little, I ate cravings (candy) and what my mother put on the table. When I was in college, I ate based on what I knew was healthy and what would make me perform better as an athlete (think of the food pyramid). In the few years after college, I ate things that provided sustenance at a low cost (falafel and Chinese takeout).
It was not until relatively recently that I realized how much my energy level was affecting and, in turn, my focus and productivity were affected by my eating habits. I am not an expert on the subject (I am not even an expert in regards to my own body), but here are some observations I have made and habits that I have developed when it comes to eating to maximize productivity:
Mornings: Occasionally (although increasingly) I need a cup of strong coffee in the morning if I have not had a good night's rest and I need to be happy for a meeting. However, most days I drink a cup of black tea (Masala tea to be exact) in the morning, which has less caffeine than coffee. This wakes me up a little, but it doesn't make me nervous like coffee does. Usually, I can't function well without some form of breakfast. I find that something with a little sugar starts me up (personally I like Peanut Butter Captain Crunch).
Lunch is a crucial meal for many people because it is the food that sustains them throughout the afternoon. I know that when I have a great lunch, and especially if it's greasy, I just want to take a nap later and my brain doesn't work for a good hour. What I've been doing lately is eating a medium non-greasy lunch and then having a snack in the middle of the afternoon. This has worked wonders for my energy level in the afternoon.
Afternoons: At night, I enjoy the calming but stimulating effect of decaffeinated tea and try to work on projects that are more relaxing than vigorous ones.
Fluids: if I dehydrate, that makes me sleepy. If you have had caffeine that day, it is particularly important to continue with some fluids because caffeine is a diuretic and causes you to lose water.
Alcohol: Because I have a low tolerance for alcohol, even two or three drinks will make me feel slow the next morning. If I get drunk, I spend half of the next day recovering and the other half in a 20-50% productivity state, so now I avoid alcohol as much as I can. Like caffeine, alcohol is also a diuretic and makes you lose water.
Meat: red meat is harder to digest for us, so our bodies spend more energy to digest it than other foods. This redirected energy makes you feel tired.
Frequency of meals: I have read that smaller and more frequent meals increase your body's metabolism. Therefore, I try not to eat large lunches and dinners, but I will eat snacks to tie me up.
My recent diet has had the effect of reducing lethargic periods and eradicating the desire to take naps. Now, when I eat, I often think about how a particular food / drink will affect my energy level and my mood. Will it tire me? Calm? When I'm lethargic, I try to think about what I can do to get out of it: sometimes a fruit or a glass of water (or even some fresh air) is enough.
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