HIGH PERFORMERS BREAKFAST

How you start your day is how you perform today - Steve Nickel 

For years I have always ensured that the food I eat first in the morning is made up of specific nutrients that provide the raw materials for high quality energy and focus. 

It doesn’t matter if you are an elite athlete, a high end executive or stay at home individual. Your brain is the foundation to what determines your energy, your performance and your focus.

In 2011 after I graduated from college and began working in a sports training facility I learned about the methods and principles of Charles Poliquin. The most accomplished strength coach for olympic athletes with training over 800 olympic athletes and attaining a gold medal in 26 different sports. 

A strength coach by heart but a tradesman for optimal performance. It wasn’t just the 4 hours of weight training per week that brought results but what you do outside of those hours that enhances the greatness of the performance. Thus, his research brought him to specialists in the nutrition and neuroscience fields where he studied, specifically for this article, the impact of food and neurotransmitters. 

“The first thing you put in your mouth in the morning…provided it is food…dictates all neurotransmitters for the whole day.”

What are Neurotransmitters 

Neurotransmitters are just chemicals that your nervous system uses to communicate with itself. They relay messages by traveling between cells and attaching to specific receptors on target cells. Each neurotransmitter attaches to a different receptor — for example, dopamine molecules attach to dopamine receptors. When they attach, this triggers action in the target cells. 

Why is this important

Dictating your Neurotransmitter makeup for the day is particularly important if attention span, and concentration are crucial for your performance. By understanding how the brain can influence your productivity you can hack your morning to enhance your success. If I told you that your breakfast of toast and orange juice will decrease your productivity by 10% for that day would you still eat that? What if I told you that has a compounding affect for the following days? I know competitive executives that would ensure that you will be working your final days soon.

Now, if I told you to substitute toast and orange juice with steak, eggs and coffee and you would gain 10% productivity for the day coupled with the compounding affect would you do it? Imagine having the focus and energy to accomplish the work in 4 hours then most accomplish in 8 hours? That is the influence your food has on your overall physical and mental performance. 

What to Eat?

There are two specific neurotransmitters you want to ignite in the morning Dopamine and Acetylcholine and they are responsible for energy, focus and drive. The best way to ignite these two neurotransmitters is through a dose of Lean Animal Protein and Smart Fats. The animal protein allows for a slow and steady rise in blood sugar while the smart fats allow blood sugar to remain stable for a longer period of time. 

If you evaluate the sugary and processed breakfast options closely you will see that they will lead to blood sugar spikes and drops leading to energy fluctuation and impaired stress management thus leading to decrease productivity. 

Research has demonstrated the positive influence a high protein and high fat breakfast has on employee productivity, athlete performance as well as attention patterns in children. 

Breakfast Options for Optimal Performance

Protein Sources (serving sizes vary for individuals)

• Eggs

• Steak

• Ground Beef (Burger Patties or Chopped)

• Salmon

• Chicken Breast

• Lean Turkey

Smart Fat Sources

• Almonds

• Cashews

• Brazil Nuts

• Macadamias

• Pistachios

• Avocado

• Olives

• Olive Oil

• Coconut Oil

• MCT Oil

Allergic to Nuts? *I recommend a serving of low glycemic/low fructose fruits with breakfast. Research has seen an increase of 18% in allergies to tree nuts since 2010.

• Apricot

• Blackberries

• Blueberries

• Grapefruit

• Papaya

• Peach

• Raspberries

• Strawberries

With this new information be sure to increase your level of productivity, energy, focus and motivation towards the goals you want to achieve this year. 

Steven Nickel provides a Tailor-Made Fitness Experience for the individual who wants to acquire high quality results. Providing Exclusive Personal Training, Made to Measure Coaching and Ready to Train Collections. To learn more Inquire Here or write to steven@stevennickel.com