Energy levels dropping at work? Nutritionist warns about silent health damage from your meal choices

As a daily job-goer, have you ever encountered those mid-afternoon slumps when your energy level suddenly goes into a downward spiral? Even simple assignments like writing an email or attending a meeting seem like a Herculean job. With focus disappearing and yawning becoming frequent, you mostly blame poor sleep or workload for the sluggishness. But chances are that you might be missing the point completely. The real culprit can sometimes be as simple as what you had for lunch, aka not adding enough protein to your meals. No, we are not making the claims, but a Pune-based nutritionist has issued a warning about the same.

Protein options ignored as junk food dominates plates

INFS-certified fitness and nutrition coach Meghna Singh has shared a post on X, explaining how mindless food choices can impact our work, leading to reduced productivity and silent health issues. In the thoughtful write-up, she recounted an incident from a university canteen where she revealed that despite the innumerable protein-packed options available, most people resorted to eating instantly gratifying snacks and junk food.

As per Meghna Singh, the canteen offered a wide spread of protein-rich food items, including chicken and eggs. She herself ordered an omelette and requested a chicken-based dish for her son. However, while waiting for the food to arrive, the health expert observed that out of the 10 people in the queue, none of them chose a protein option. The common picks? Chips, sugary biscuits, vada pav, misal pav and instant noodles. One man, Meghan recalled, consumed two full packets of sugar-coated cookies as if it were an everyday meal habit for him.

Protein intake may be the missing link behind constant fatigue

According to Meghna Singh, although these food preferences might seem ‘harmless’ or a casual snacking affair at first glance, they are the primary cause of rapid energy crashes as quickly as within 2 hours. That’s not all. These food items also make an individual feel hungry in 3 hours, pointed out the fitness coach, which again circles back to feeling tired. In conclusion, Meghna added that selecting protein-filled meals was not ‘complicated’ due to their easy availability, but people choose to munch on junk food like chips and complain that their energy levels are draining or ‘fat loss is hard’.

According to Healthline, some protein-packed items one can incorporate in their dietary regimen are tofu, tempeh, fish, eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, quinoa, legumes and nuts. As per the outlet, an individual with moderate weight should have a meal consisting of 10–35 per cent of their daily calorie needs. However, different people require different amounts depending on their activity level, weight, age, sex, and health status.