Building Confidence As a… Writer (3)

Here’s the third installment in a series to help you build confidence as a writer (or anything you want to be).

The first week I talked about doing something for yourself every morning that made you feel good. It doesn’t have to be writing-related.

Last week it was the ever-important tip (particularly for writers) about writing as often as possible. As writers, we write!

This week is the equally important notion/rule/recommendation of eating as healthy as possible.

Our bodies need the proper fuel to help our energy levels stay steady and our minds stay alert. I’m not saying change your diet dramatically, but if you can avoid sugars and refined foods you’ll be on the right track.

Cooking and food prep are at the bottom of ‘Lisa’s Favorite Things To Do’ list, so don’t think I have it all figured out in this area. I do believe breakfast is important and I start the day with Greek yogurt with granola. The particular type of yogurt because it has more protein than others and there are several options to choose from now! (In the winters I switch to steel grain oats with blueberries.)

Protein is the ingredient I strive for at each meal – so for lunches and dinners and snacks I’m looking at chicken breast, eggs, pork chops, wild caught salmon, ham, almonds, beans, steak (now and then), cheese, and a daily protein shake.

High-protein foods include: tofu, oysters, cottage cheese, minced beef, lamb, and swiss cheese. (The items in bold come from a Daily Health Lifestyles article.)

And it is the season for pumpkin seeds – which are a great protein snack option. Yum!

Tips that work for me, and might help you – or give you ideas:

• Keep junk food out of the house so when cravings hit, it isn’t easy to grab a ‘bad’ treat
• Write down everything I eat and drink. There are so many apps, such as MyFitnessPal (I only mention it because it’s the one I use), that after a little work at setting up recipes and selecting most-commonly purchased items, it’s a breeze to record everything – even from restaurants!
  • Benefit to using an app is that it most likely will tell you calorie, protein, sugar, fat and other content so you can keep a strong handle on what you’re eating and drinking
  • You can also have friends connected to your apps — and have them help you stay accountable to eating healthy by giving them the ability to see your food diary.
• Drink a lot of water. I have a 24-oz cup with a lid that I keep full of ice water handy when I’m home. Bottled waters work well in a cooler when I’m out and about during the day.
• Don’t eat after 7PM — or at least stop eating 3 hours before you’re going to bed.

Does your diet need to change at all? Do you notice you have higher focus after eating certain types of foods (or lack of energy after eating junk food)?

 Lisa J. Jackson is an independent writer and editor who enjoys working with businesses of all sizes. She loves researching topics, interviewing experts, and helping companies tell their stories. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.