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CONTENTS
ZEST LIFESTYLE ...................................................................................................................... 3
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 4
SLEEP ........................................................................................................................................ 6
EAT .......................................................................................................................................... 10
FITNESS .................................................................................................................................. 14
RELAX / RECHARGE / RENEW ............................................................................................. 17
RESILIENCE ............................................................................................................................ 19
SCHEDULE A COMPLIMENTARY 60 MINUTE IGNITE YOUR ENERGY SESSION .......... 20
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ............................................................................................................ 23
NOTES ..................................................................................................................................... 25


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ZEST LIFESTYLE
Zest Lifestyle offers bespoke coaching programmes to help high
performing individuals optimise their energy by giving them
practical advice on nutrition, sleep management, relaxation
techniques and effective fitness programmes.


r e v i t a l i s i n g t h e w a y y o u l i v e a n d w o r k






Man, because he sacrifices health in order to make
money, he then sacrifices money to recuperate health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does
not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not
live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never
going to die, and then he dies having never really
lived.
UNKNOWN


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INTRODUCTION
Do any of these statements apply to you?
Business meetings often start with getting on a plane
You seem to live more in hotels than at home
You are constantly at the mercy of your mobile or laptop
You are still at your desk even when youre on holiday
8 hours sleep a night is just a myth
Eating properly interferes with your busy schedule
Work takes priority over your fitness
Multitasking is a way of life

Do you know that
How we sleep
What and when we eat
How we relax
How we exercise
How resilient we are
All have a major impact on both our professional and personal performance,
and these five key elements are critical to a healthy balanced life. Our career
or business may be flourishing, but are we looking after ourselves?


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Many of us dont understand the long term consequences of prolonged
periods of time living in the fast lane:
Sleeping too few hours
Feeling permanently exhausted
Putting on a few pounds on every year, and never being able to lose it
Skipping meals
Being at the mercy of restaurant or hotel food or sandwich bars
Drinking a few too many glasses of wine or spirits during the week
Relying on caffeine and sugar to keep energised
Doing very little or no exercise, or the wrong type exercise
Thinking that taking time out is for wimps
Eventually, we physically, mentally and emotionally:
Breakdown
Burn out
Get ill
Or even die prematurely
all caused by a lifestyle we never changed
Energy is essential to our performance to enable us to function effectively on a
day to day and on a long term basis.




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1
SLEEP
Sleep is fundamental to our health and energy, and affects our performance
dramatically if we dont get enough.


Out of that figure
1
:
78% suffered with lack of concentration
64% were less productive at work
93% had problems with energy levels

We are biologically hardwired to be awake for
15 - 17 hours during the hours of daylight and
asleep for 7 - 9 hours during hours of darkness,
this is regulated by our circadian rhythm.

The circadian rhythm is a physical, mental and
behavioural process that approximately
follows a 24 hour cycle and is controlled by
external cues such as sunlight and temperature.

The hormone serotonin keeps us awake, regulates our appetite and mood
during daylight, and melatonin takes over in the evening and makes us drowsy
to induce sleep.


52%

48%
In a recent survey conducted on sleep
52% reported having problems

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We are the only species on the planet that
continually disrupts this natural rhythm by using
artificial light, working night shifts or flying across
time zones.

Pre-electricity we were sleeping 7 10 hours per
night depending on the seasons, and now we
are getting on average 45 minutes less sleep a
night than we were 25 years ago.

If we dont sleep we die! A research experiment
depriving rats of sleep resulted in them all dying
within 3 weeks
2
.

In 1977, Maureen Weston went without sleep for 18.7 days during a rocking
chair marathon. The temporary mental and physical consequences for her
were:
Incoherent speech
Distorted vision
Major lapses in memory and concentration
Hallucinations and paranoia

Sleep deprivation over a period of time can have a serious impact on our
health and wellbeing; not only compromising
our immune system but making us more
vulnerable to depression, diabetes, obesity,
coronary heart disease and some cancers.

If we get less than 4 hours sleep 5 nights in a
row, we become cognitively impaired
affecting our attention, reaction and memory
recall (the equivalent of being legally drunk).
Tiredness affects our ability to communicate,
we crave more carbohydrate to boost our
flagging blood sugar levels, we become more emotionally sensitive and our
productivity decreases making us more inefficient.

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We mess with our body clocks at our peril; for example, most manmade
disasters have been caused by over exhausted workers; the Exxon Valdez oil
spill, the Challenger shuttle explosion, and the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl
nuclear disasters are examples of human error caused by major fatigue.

Continually pushing ourselves to stay awake will lead to poor performance
and potentially burn out.

Benefits of sleep
It allows the brain to recover, regenerate, restructure, process and
consolidate information.
Recovery and renewal of muscles, tissue and cells
Cleaning up of free radicals (molecules responsible for aging and tissue
damage)
Regulation of hormone levels, blood pressure and metabolism
There are 5 stages to sleep:





90 MINUTE
CYCLE
1
2
3 4
5

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We go through 4 6 of these cycles during one night of sleep. If we wake up
feeling groggy, its probably because weve woken up during stage 3 or 4,
ensuring we get 7 9 hours sleep means we should wake up in stage 5 feeling
refreshed.

Why are we willing to jeopardise our sleep in
order to cram more into our days and become
what we think is more productive?

Poor sleep routines really are counterintuitive,
making us more inefficient long term and
potentially damaging our health.




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2
EAT
What and when we eat affects our energy and of course ultimately our
performance.

Here are statistics from a recent survey:
Over 50% regularly skipped lunch breaks
3

Only 35% make an effort to eat healthily which means 65% dont!
4

75% were unhappy with their weight, and on average wanted to be
19lbs or 8.5kg lighter
5



We are caught in a vicious circle of trying to survive working long hours and
refuelling only when the tanks are empty; and then reaching for the easiest
and most convenient foods, which quite often will not be the healthiest to fill
ourselves up with and boost our energy. Or, perhaps working life is an endless
stream of client entertainment where the waistline begins to suffer from
constant overeating and too much alcohol.
We are what we eat
Food provides the body with raw materials in
the form of proteins, fats, carbohydrates,
vitamins and minerals enabling it to function;
stimulating growth, repair and renewal, and
providing fuel for energy.
DON'T
65%
DO 35%
Only 35% of us
make an effort to eat healthily

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Poor nutrition, like sleep, can compromise our immune system and make us
more vulnerable to high blood pressure, depression, diabetes, obesity,
coronary heart disease and some cancers.
Our risk of developing diabetes increases by 4% for every pound of additional
weight we gain.
Visceral fat (the fat surrounding the organs) is another hidden danger. We
dont have to be overweight to have it, we could be termed as TOFI Thin
on the Outside and Fat on the Inside. A lifestyle of inactivity and stress plus a
diet loaded with refined sugars, fats and carbohydrates potentially increases
our levels of visceral fat.
A lot of us battle with our blood sugar levels as we go through extremes of
sugar highs and lows during the day caused by missing meals and eating the
wrong types of food.

Mismanaged blood sugar levels



0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6:00 AM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM 12:00 PM 2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM

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We need to think about how to fuel our bodies more
efficiently and healthily to sustain our energy levels and
boost our performance.
Regular eating of the right types of food keeps our blood
sugar levels on an even keel. Sugar in the form of glucose
is the primary source of fuel for the brain, and when our
sugar levels drop, so does our performance, we become
lethargic, easily distracted, less efficient and irritable.


Managed blood sugar levels
Some of us survive the day either on a diet of unhealthy, sugary snacks or
literally starve until the evening, adopting a sumo wrestler style diet just
eating one large meal a day and then going to bed on a full stomach not
allowing our food to digest properly.
Research has proved that people who regularly skip breakfast are heavier and
have more unhealthy habits than those who eat breakfast 40% consume
more sweets, 55% more soft drinks, 45% less vegetables and 30% less fruit than
breakfast eaters. Also men who skip breakfast are 21% more at risk of
developing diabetes
6
.


0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
6:00 AM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM 12:00 PM 2:00 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:00 PM 10:00 PM

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So many of us are confused as to what is
healthy and what isnt when it comes to mass
produced foods. Nutritional labelling is often
misleading and most of the time we have to
really read between the lines to understand
what the product actually contains and how good or bad it is for us. It is really
important to know what we are putting in our body.

Sugar is being branded as the new cocaine, because of
its addictive qualities. We crave the white powder,
disguising our secret addiction as a need for energy or
a treat or reward.
FACT: sugar makes us fat; it is the main cause of the
current obesity crisis.
Our bodies are made up of 80% water, so water is essential for our metabolism.
75% of us are dehydrated because we dont drink enough water; mild
dehydration can slow our metabolism by 3%.


Eating a healthy balanced diet is a lifestyle choice that
yields high returns in performance The Corporate
Athlete by Jack Groppel and Bob Andelman



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3
FITNESS
Most of us spend 95% of our working hours sitting, humans are designed
to walk 4 - 5 miles a day, not sit slumped at a desk
Your brain is 7% more active when you stand
Only 20% of us do enough exercise to be healthy
7



Not enough exercise, like too little sleep, affects us mentally, physically and
emotionally. It affects our strength, power, balance, appearance, thought
processes and resilience.

The less we move, the more sedentary we
become and the more we avoid doing any
kind of exercise. Were then expending fewer
calories, increasing our body fat, becoming less
flexible, losing muscle strength, reducing our
stamina and possibly experiencing
musculoskeletal problems.

Punishing workloads or demanding schedules give us a great alibi to let us off
the hook when it comes to a workout, a session at the gym or a fitness class.
We should actually welcome exercise into our lives, as the advantages far
outweigh the disadvantages.


DON'T
80%
DO 20%
Only 20% of us do enough exercise
to be healthy

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What stops us from exercising is that we dont have a strategy to make a
commitment and then make it work. We must learn to WANT to do it, rather
than NEED to.

In order to sustain a regular fitness regime, we
must do something that we enjoy, that makes
us feel good and motivated to do it. For
example there is no point in running if we hate
running, just because everyone else does it or it
is perceived as the easiest way to get fit. We
will end up resenting every second of the
workout, and it wont be sustainable.

Benefits of exercise:
Puts the brain into optimal learning mode
Increased focus and attention
Builds muscle and burns fat faster
Improved metabolism
Improved energy
Improved mood
Improved sleep quality
Improved sex life
A greater tolerance to manage physical, mental and emotional stress
Combats health conditions and diseases
Builds and maintains healthy joints, muscles and bones
Controls weight
Boosts immune system
Increased self-confidence, self-esteem and self-image









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It's medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have
8
:
up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
a 30% lower risk of early death
up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
a 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
up to a 30% lower risk of depression
up to a 30% lower risk of dementia

What type of exercise?
To get a good balance of exercise and ensure
our bodies function and work more efficiently,
our fitness activities need to be split into three
different categories:
1. Aerobic to improve cardio vascular
capability.
2. Strength to condition and strengthen
muscles.
3. Stretching to improve flexibility and
reduce injury to muscles and joints.

The most important thing to remember is that
we need to make sure that we build in regular periods of exercise during the
week or it is a case of use it or lose it.



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4
RELAX / RECHARGE / RENEW
Technology was supposed to give us
more leisure time, instead were working
and living in a 24/7 environment where
we are always switched on. We are at
the mercy of our iPhones or Blackberries
responding to the ping of the latest
email, text or update like one of Pavlovs
dogs.

Weve developed a culture where its
frowned upon to take the full
complement of annual leave. A lot of us are surviving on only 2 weeks holiday
per year, continually working late, putting in face time, working some or all
of the weekend and even keeping in touch with the office or dealing with
email on holiday. According to a recent survey in the UK
9
only 49% of us take
our full entitlement of annual leave.

Our brains, like muscles, get fatigued and need time to recover; so it is
important that we take time out to relax, recharge and renew. We dont
realise that fatigue is creeping up on us over a period of a few months, then
due to a weakened immune system we keep getting colds or get ill when we
do eventually take time out to relax.

Regular periods of recovery are essential to our
energy and productivity allowing us to create
space for contemplation, increasing our creative
capability, giving us clarity and focus, and
enabling us to make better decisions.

Our body moves through 90 minute cycles when
were awake as well as when we sleep, these are
called ultradian rhythms.

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On a daily basis we need to build in regular periods of time out, even just 5 -
10 minutes every 60 90 minutes will give the brain a chance to recalibrate
and rebalance.

Allowing ourselves time to recharge our batteries is nothing to feel guilty about,
it is vital to our survival and will leave us feeling more refreshed and
reenergised when we return and, of course, a lot more productive.




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5
RESILIENCE
Resilience is all about bouncing back and
being able to cope with circumstances
beyond our control.

Lets face it, at some point were all exposed to
the harsh realities of life when bad things
happen and life throws us a curved ball; we
suddenly find ourselves in a situation where we
have no power, someone else is in control or we have to let things run their
natural course. We have to have the ability to cope or we end up collapsing
into the depths of despair and then struggle with our energy, productivity and
performance.

Its okay to have that emotional moment, resilience isnt about supressing our
emotions and being mentally and physically tough; its all about:
Being able to bounce back quickly from a situation.
Adopting a positive mental attitude
Recognising when were exposed to stressful situations, and how we
can react in a more positive way.
Asking ourselves what is within our control
Asking ourselves what we can learn from the situation
Choosing to refocus and rethink

Resilience is a behaviour we learn with experience, by:
Being an optimist
Being confident
Learning how to adapt
Cultivating purpose in our life

Getting enough sleep, eating properly, keeping fit and taking regular periods
of time to recover, recharge and renew are major factors in helping us
become more resilient.

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Responsibility is about accepting
that for anything to change, first of
all WE must change


Do you feel like you need help?

What is the NEXT step?




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PUT SOME ZEST BACK IN YOUR LIFE
APPLY FOR A 20 MINUTE CATALYST CALL

Speak to Rachel and put your lifestyle under the lens and discuss your health
and wellbeing challenges. We will look at:
Your current energy levels
Your stress levels
How well you sleep
Your diet
Your current exercise regime if you have one
The time you spend switching off
Your ability to be focused and productive
FIND OUT HOW I CAN HELP YOU
Do you know what? If youre sleeping better, eating healthier, exercising,
switching off and learning to focus more effectively it makes a huge difference
to your energy and productivity. Sometimes it just needs someone to show you
how.
Complete the form below so that I know more about you, where you are right
now and where you want to be. This call is about working out the best way for
you to optimise your energy and be more productive in all areas of your life. If I
can help you, Ill let you know the best way for us to work together.
TO APPLY FOR YOUR SESSION
CLICK HERE
Or go to www.zestlifestyle.com/home/catalyst/
email rachel@zestlifestyle.com or call +44 (0)118 973 5179



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ZEST LIFESTYLE WORKS WITH BOTH WITH BUSY INDIVIDUALS AND
ORGANISATIONS
If youre interested in finding out more about our programmes, please
call 0118 973 5179 or email rachel@zestlifestyle.com or schedule your
60 minute complimentary IGNITE YOUR ENERGY session.


www.zestlifestyle.com




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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
My name is Rachel McGuinness and Im The
Chief Resilience Officer.
I work with high performing individuals who
want to understand more about how to
optimise their energy and become the best
they can be both personally and professionally.
The reason I set up Zest Lifestyle was to inspire people to get healthier, more
energised and more focused by drawing from my own experiences in the
corporate world.
From burnt out to fired up
In 2000, working as an executive in the telecoms industry, I was:
Working ridiculously long hours I was working harder NOT smarter
Regularly travelling abroad for work and eating and drinking my way
through Europe
Unfit exercise never appeared on my radar screen
Overweight I lived on ready meals, drank too much alcohol and
smoked at least 20 cigarettes a day
Stressed and exhausted I rarely took time out to switch off and re-
energise







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MY STORY
One morning, while on a business trip to Barcelona, I
caught a glimpse of myself in my hotel room mirror
and had a serious wake up call; I looked pale,
exhausted, unfit and overweight. I decided I had to
do something drastic, or else I was really heading for
serious burn out. It was definitely time to swap my
self-destructive lifestyle for a much healthier one,
and I did.


If I can do it, so can you
Since 2004, Ive been showing clients how to maximise
their energy. I help them take an honest look at how
they live their life and explain how it affects their
health, wellbeing, focus and productivity. Working
directly with me I show them that making small
positive changes to their lifestyle can have a profound
influence on their professional and personal life.
I am a qualified NLP Master Practitioner,
Hypnotherapist, Nutritional Advisor, Stress
Management Consultant and Personal Trainer.

Me in 1999

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r e v i t a l i s i n g t h e w a y y o u l i v e a n d w o r k

www.zestlifestyle.com
+44 (0)118 973 5179 or rachel@zestlifestyle.com

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NOTES

1
The Great British Sleep Survey 2011 in conjunction with The Mental Health Foundation
2
University of Chicago sleep research 1960s
3
Good Housekeeping survey on workplace stress summer 2011
4
Aviva Health of the Workplace Report Summer 2011
5
Good Housekeeping survey on workplace stress summer 2011
6
Research from various US universities and organisations Cornell University,
Dairy Research Institute, Harvard University, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and The Sussex
Innovation Centre
7
Aviva Health of the Workplace Report Summer 2011
8
NHS
9
All Party Parliamentary Group report Giving Britain a Break 2011