So many of my clients live life on the go. They’re big shot entrepreneurs, brilliant consultants and next-gen thinkers that are globe-trotting and running to all four corners of the world on the regular. 

One of the biggest challenges I hear about their lifestyle is eating well while logging so much travel. They know all too well how vital a healthy diet and routine is -- especially when they’re working and thinking at such a high level -- but as they’re eating out more and leaving more of their meals to chance, macronutrient intake might get thrown off. This usually means more sugar and carbs and less quality greens and protein. So how can you prepare? Protein bars are usually full of sugar, trail mixes are loaded with gluten and preservatives and even salads are doused in dressings made from who-knows-what. So, for those times when you can’t control your schedule or where your meals are coming from, I came up with this protein bar. 

It’s low glycemic, high protein, and absurdly delicious.  All you need is:

• 1 cup of almond meal
• ½ a cup of coconut flour
• ½ a cup of cashew butter
• 1/3 a cup of dried blueberries (unsweetened)
• ½ a tbs of coconut oil
• ½ a cup of vegan protein powder (I used Sunwarrior Tribe)
• A dash of salt

Mix all of the dry ingredients together with the cashew butter.  Add in the coconut oil and mix until all ingredients are well blended.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and roll out the dough so that it is roughly half an inch thick.  Freeze for 15 minutes. 

Once the mixture is solid, cut into 10 servings.  You can store in an air-tight container in the fridge or individually wrap each one and store in the fridge until you’re ready to take with you. 

If making your own protein bars is too much work for your tight schedule, you can always check out my favorite travel snacks, too! 

Recently, someone asked me to name my favorite hobby. I considered for a moment and then responded, “Sleeping!” You might laugh, but totally I’m serious: My love for sleep is REAL. I’m a huge, unapologetic sleeper and I thoroughly rely on a good nine hours (yes, really) each night in order to feel and be my best. In fact, I would say my ability to get qualitysleep is the single determiner of how healthy, happy, productive, and focused I feel.

Through time, however, I’ve learned that getting great sleep isn’t simply about making the time to sleep; it’s about working to create the right conditions for quality sleep. Ahead, I’m sharing my tips and tricks – most of which are backed up with research. Read on.

Exercise daily

While exercise can stimulate and energize you during the day, research has found that it can help facilitate sound sleep at night. This doesn’t mean exhausting yourself with rigorous, punishing workouts, either. Additional research shows that even engaging in low-impact activities like tai chi  and yoga helped improve participants’ sleep patterns. I prefer to exercise in the first half of my day, for about 45 – 60 minutes. Do anything you can – even power-walking works!

Get cold(er)

Did you know that when we sleep our temperature naturally drops? It happens, in part, because when we enter REM sleep(the gold standard for awesome zzz’s) our body loses some capacity for thermoregulation. Further, this drop in temperature – up to two full degrees! – is a natural way for our body to reserve all-important energy for the coming day.

This is why I’ve found that a slightly cooler room is a great way to prep for a good night’s sleep. Other "chill to sleep" tactics I’ve employed include sticking my feet outside of the covers – an utterly game-changing trick I learned from New York Magazine – and taking a hot bath before bed. You might be scratching your head at the bath thing, but by raising your temperature before bed, you’re setting the stage for it to then drop. I know: Mind. Blown.

Meditate

If meditation seems like a catch-all recommendation for wellness, it's because it is -- it can positively impact nearly every aspect of our lives, including how well we sleep. A recent study showed that participants who in engaged in mindfulness activities over a six week span slept better, had less insomnia, and showed less signs of depression than their control counterparts who didn't participate in similar activities. If you're a total meditation newbie, try checking out our recent poston how to get started. Then get snoozin'.

Ditch stimulants and depressants close to bedtime

Yes, that glass of wine can make you sleepy. But it can also disrupt your ability to enter into REM -- meaning you’re getting low-quality, surface-level sleep. (The expression “passing out” from drinking exists for a reason.) Processing alcohol can also make your temperature go up – which, as you’ve just learned, can inhibit quality sleep.

Along those same lines, a stimulant like caffeine can totally derail your sleep efforts if you’re not careful. I’m serious: it’s not just about saying no to that post-dinner espresso; one piece of research highlighted that even drinking coffee six hours before bedtime can result in a lost hour of sleep. My advice? Stick to coffee in the morning and ditch caffeine altogether no later than 2pm.

Eat tryptophan-rich foods

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps do things like regulate our hormones. As such, it's involved with the production of both serotonin (our "happy" hormone) and melotonin, which is the hormone that regulates our sleepcycles. Some research suggests eating more tryptophan-rich foods (such as cage-free eggs, wild-caught salmon, and spirulina) can be helpful in naturally treating insomnia. With that noted, be sure you're not eating too close to bedtime... 

Eat dinner earlier

Several years ago, I wrote an article for FirstWeFeast on the science of dreaming and food. Through this fascinating subject I learned that big meals close to bedtime not only disrupt your sleep, they can also be a precursor for nightmarish dreams. This is for two reasons: One, your body’s temperature rises when it is trying to digest food – and we now know that being hot (and bothered) while sleeping is a no-no. Two, certain foods – such as spices – have psychoactive properties, which can influence your brain's functioning. If you’ve ever had a restless night of crazy dreams after a spicy, exotic meal, you know what I’m talking about. Eat as early as possible, allowing your body plenty of time to digest prior to hitting the hay.

Less screens, more books

I’m not the first person who has told you this, but you really should put your phone away before bed. I don’t mean two minutes before bed, either – I’m talking at least a half an hour prior to snoozin'. This is because the blue light emitted by your iPhone, tablet, or even your television disrupts the production of melatonin, the hormone involved with getting you asleep. In lieu of Instagram scrolling, I prefer reading a good-old fashioned book: It’s a meditative, calming activity and it sets the stage for winding your brain down. (Unless, of course, you’re reading some sort of crazy thriller. Maybe pick something else?)

Don’t stress about not sleeping

Perhaps the best piece of advice about sleeping better is to stop focusing on the actual act of sleeping. This is because when you focus on sleep, you only amplify or aggravate existing anxiety, putting undue pressure on yourself. Instead of obsessing over the witching hour that is bedtime, attempt to make the lifestyle changes I’ve detailed out: exercising, early dinners, a better diet, and calming nighttime rituals. I think you’ll find that by focusing on them (most of which happen during the day) you won’t need to think about sleep at night. And, when all else fails, don’t forget to stick your feet outside of the covers!

Let's face it; some days it's really hard to pull back the covers, trek through the cold and go gangbusters at the gym.  And some days you might be traveling, short on time or can't make it to your local studio.  While a simple at-home body weight set is great idea, you'd be wise to work in a little cardio as well.  That's where this uber efficient workout comes in.  Several of my clients travel weekly for work and this has become their go-to so they never miss a sweat sesh.  

All you need is a jump rope and yourself.  A good jump rope is key otherwise you'll get a little frustrated if you're getting tripped up too much.  I recommend this one as it's lightweight, comes in an easy-to-transport pouch and is good for beginners as well as more experienced jumpers.  Plus, it comes with a workout ebook. #Score

A few tips before getting started:

• Find a clear space if your home, apartment or outside.  You want to make sure you have enough height and depth around you to jump rope without hitting anyone or anything.  Make sure you start with the right length.  When the rope is doubled up, it should start at your feet and bisect your sternum.  Too high or too low will impact your rhythm.  
• Start by lightly jumping rope to get the feel of the rope if it's your first time.  When you jump, make sure you're doing so on the balls of your feet.  It makes you more nimble but also helps to absorb the impact.  
• Keep your elbows close to you body slightly above your waistline and your arms at nearly ninety degrees.  It's all in the wrists.
• Don't worry about jumping too high.  Relax and ease into a nice pace and height that you can be consistent with.  

The workout:

• Start with 100  jumps in rapid succession.  Then hit the floor for some core work and do 25 crunches 
• Done with the crunches?  Back to another 100  jumps and then hit the floor for 25 mountain climbers 
• Another 100 jumps and then onto your forearms for a 60 second forearm plank
• You're probably seeing the pattern now.  Another 100 jumps and then onto the floor again for 30 second side planks on each side
• 100  jumps and then hit the floor for 50 Russian twists
• Repeat 

When it comes to our professional lives, we’ve been told to “lean in,” aim for the four-hour workweek, focus on “deep work,” and not give a f*ck. We’re encouraged by our employers to achieve on the highest level… but to absolutely prioritize work-life balance first. And we’re tasked with providing for our loved ones (and ourselves!) financially and emotionally. 

We here at Busy Happy Healthy know just how hard living well and working hard can be: We’re a team that sometimes needs to works long hours – including weekends and nights. But we’re also a group that deeply prioritizes health, happiness, and personal fulfillment. Which is why it is so important to try and be passionate about our work – ahead, we have our top three recommendations how to do just that.

Find what you like doing best and push to do more of it

Are you secretly a killer public speaker? Do you have a gift for writing? Are you a numbers whiz? Seek out areas in your job that reinforce your skill sets and try to make them more central to your role. I’ll use myself as an example: I started my career in media, where a lot of my job consisted in crunching numbers and whizzing through spreadsheets. I’m not an incredibly analytical person and I don’t love excel. Rough. 

I soon found, however, that there were other parts of my job that I really liked – such as writing media briefs, drafting client emails (seriously, I liked doing that), and contributing to creative brainstorms. I started asking my boss if I could sit in on more brainstorms, with my role being to send a recap email to all involved about what we discussed. My fellow colleagues loved how thoughtfully I summarized and (sometimes) contributed to the chats. Soon enough, creative and writing projects started pouring my way and that became my “thing.” 

Set goals and celebrate them

Many of us neglect to cheer for ourselves when we accomplish milestones, largely because we don’t even realize that they are milestones! Remedy that by establishing  – and then celebrating – goals. These don’t need to be the big and/or usual professional goals (get promoted, get a bonus, et cetera), but rather smaller, more intimate goals. For example, at the start of my career I used to really struggle with presenting to clients -- I’d become a nervous wreck. About two years in I was on a phone call and suddenly realized: I wasn’t nervous! I’m sure no one noticed but me, but that was an epic accomplishment. I didn’t celebrate it then but I sure as hell am going to celebrate it now: Go me!  

Look to the positives -- or look elsewhere 

Generally speaking, we get down easily. In fact, Psychology Today reports that up to 70% of our “mental chatter” is negative. Given that we, on average, spend 8-9 hours at work – which is more than the amount of time we spend asleep! – plenty of those thoughts are focused on our jobs. 

This is why it’s crucial to bring a persistently positive attitude to our careers. For example, instead of focusing on what you don’t like about your job (quarterly earnings reporting), stay focused on what you do enjoy (your colleagues). If you find it hard to be upbeat about your work at all, then try focusing on the positive things your job does for you -- even if it's as basic as the fact that it provides you and your family with a source of income. (Many of us our blessed to have things like regular paychecks or health insurance, but we often forget about those things in the midst of dreary office to-dos.) And, hey, if there's absolutely nothing positive in your job -- actual work or how it benefits you -- then you heard it here first: Maybe it's time to start passionately pursuing something new. We're rooting for you!

This week, there's been a theme in both my coaching practice and in my own life.  Seemingly, many of us are feeling "off." From our exercise routines to eating clean, we are coming up short -- and often with a chocolate bar in hand.  It's no secret as to why: Most of us are feeling the pangs of anxiety and fear as our world quickly changes around us. 

I always say, our relationship to food is secondary.  It's not that we don't know how to make good choices or eat mindfully, it's that our habits can be a reflection of our relationship with the world; when we're freaked out, our eating (and other things) can follow suit.  It's more important than ever that when we're feeling out of whack to take the time to honor and love ourselves through self-care.  But even I forgot that this week.

I freaked out.  I had a moment where I succumbed to my own fear and judgement, because, well, #human.  I didn't reach for the candy, though. Instead, my acid tongue got the best of me and I said things I shouldn't have.  I realized that people I care deeply about have made choices that are very different to my own.  It called into question my value, my worth, and triggered my inner child so hard I had to put myself in a time out.  But, it quickly became apparent, it's not about me, and it's not about you.  It's about us.  And how we choose to come together versus stand apart.  If I choose judgement, I choose separation, and that is not #BeingTheLight.  

But what do we do when we're so deeply mired in our feelings we fear we'll never be pulled out?  I'm glad you asked. Here's my process for pulling myself out of fear and into love.  And it's never been more relevant. So, go on.  Give it a try!

Ground yourself

Try a gratitude meditation or quick breathing exercise.  Even four deep inhales can switch your body from fight or flight to a state of rest.  See our favorite meditations for freakout here.

Identify judgement (to yourself and others) and work to let it go.  

Journal out where you might be judgmental and how it's causing separation, fear and anxiety.   My favorite thing to do is just pour all my feelings onto the page (no matter how crazy).  And then go back, line by line, and identify where fear might be taking over.  Then I go back and rewrite my feelings with a whole new perspective.  

Sweat it out.  

The best way to get our of your head is to get into your body.  Exercise is also a great mood booster so maybe skip the evening news cycle and hit the gym hard. Endorphin release is different for everybody, so there is not set way.  But, I do recommend a nice run on the treadmill, an upbeat spin class or even weight training.  

Treat yourself (well!) 

I don't mean run for the ice cream.  I mean do something kind for yourself, such as drawing a bath with essential oils and candles. F rom Greece to the Middle East,to Japan, healing baths are centuries-old wellness traditions; healers would recommend them as a way of dispelling illness and calming the nervous system.  Try scents like Clary Sage, Lavender and Sandalwood to help support your calm.