It’s 11am on Monday, and you’re feeling a bit peckish. That handful of Cheerios you snarfed down before hitting the gym at 6:30 this morning has long since been digested. A ding from your inbox alerts you to leftover birthday cupcakes in the kitchen — they’re free and one will tide you over ‘til lunch. The vultures circle and those cupcakes are gone 10 minutes later. With a major report deadline looming, lunch is no longer an option, just wishful thinking. At 3pm, another ding from your inbox. Leftovers from a client presentation mean a midday meal after all!! You help yourself to the leftover pasta and garlic bread. By 6pm you’re dragging, but you have a late night ahead of you, courtesy of that report your team just can’t seem to finish. Coffee from the kitchen, burgers and fries from the diner down the block, you get comfortable in your ergonomic chair while you work late in the name of teamwork.

On Tuesday, repeat.

Sound familiar? I know a number of people that survive on a diet of sugar, starch and caffeine because it worked for them in college (with the addition of alcohol as the fourth food group).

I recently started to notice that on days when my sugar intake is up, my energy is way down. My commitment to adding veggies to my diet, thanks to my local farmer’s market and wheat grass supplements just isn’t enough. It’s sad that I’ll use premium oil in my car to keep it in good health at 14 years of age, but my primary standards for fueling my body are looks good, smells good, tastes good.

For some great advice on how to fuel my brain and body whether working 40 or 70 hours a week, I turned to food and life coach Susan Marque, who teaches clients to optimize their health through nutrition. With more than a decade of experience, starting with addressing the relationship of food to her own health issues, Susan is a popular Hollywood resource for healthier and more energized living.

Despite hearing how breakfast is the most important meal of the day over and over again, it can be hard to fit in during the time crunch between waking up and getting to work. What are some quick to prepare or ready-to-travel breakfasts that will fuel my morning?

I understand that for some people getting up and going can be a challenge in the am. It does get easier when we address the entire body. You’ll wake up with more energy and be much more alert when the fuel you are living on is a bit different. To just address breakfast. You can have it all ready to go and take with you from the evening before. Homemade granola bars are an option but my favorite would be whole grain cereals you cook up yourself. Quinoa with apples and cinnamon is one of my favorites [see recipe below]. You could prepare it even days in advance just reheat or eat cold. Breakfast wrap type of sandwiches are another options or even some steamed (much easier on the digestion system) bread with almond butter once in a while.

While ideally, we’d all like to get enough sleep, what do you recommend for a pick me up on days we just can’t keep our eyes open? Is there a better option than a trip to Starbucks or a can of Red Bull?

Getting off the caffeine treadmill will actually give you more energy once you are free. Again, here, it would be much better to address the bigger picture of what you are doing over all than looking for that quick fix for the moment. Quick fixes should be used sparingly and only when needed. We’ve unfortunately been trained to go from fix to fix and not to create lasting outstanding health. If you seriously cannot keep your eyes open, a nap or meditation would be better than any food ideas.

If I’m packing a lunch for the office, what kinds of foods should I consider regular staples of my mid-day meal? What will keep me energized and focused all afternoon?

Whole foods such as whole grains, beans, veggies, etc., will keep you much more alert and energized. Stay clear of refined products such as breads, pastas, or desserts. One of my favorite things to teach is how to make things from these staples easily and quickly for the guy/girl on the go.

In an effort to plan ahead for days I don’t have time to make lunch at home or leave the office for a salad, what snacks should I keep stocked in my desk or at the back of the office refrigerator?

Ooooh, I love this question because no one really asks me this. I think having some homemade toasted pumpkin seeds (don’t keep them too long though ‘cuz after a week or two they start to turn rancid once cooked.) that are low in fat and high in zinc, can be a good snack. Bring fruit to work, especially ones like apples. You might make extra of soups or bean dishes and store some in your freezer at work for those especially busy moments. I hope that instead of skipping a meal though you could at least order from a fairly healthy place to have food delivered to you.

Sometimes a vending machine is as far as I can stray from my desk for a meal, what are my best options?

Order in instead! The telephone is even closer. The best options from a vending machine would be water and perhaps some sort of nut or seeds in a little package.

In walking away from what I’ll call the “college diet” to a more well-rounded one, do you find your clients have more success cutting out their cookies or Cheetos cold turkey or gradually replacing their vices with healthier fare?

I think it is entirely individual. I have many different techniques I utilize with different people. Whatever works the best for each person is what I’m for and my idea of healthy might be a couple of steps more than what you might even be aware of. I like to offer lots of options and see how they land for someone.

Any final thoughts?

Even if what you eat isn’t all that important to you, it should be. It’s the base you live your life from and if you create habits that support you, you will accomplish much more than when you are fighting your physiology. Many people are surviving and getting by using excuses for their poor eating habits that eventually lead to a dramatic diagnosis. I had the ailments early on so I was forced to learn to live or finally die. I chose health and found out how simple it can be. I encourage everyone to learn how food really works and not what the diets tell you is “right”. There is a fad, craze or study coming out all the time to keep you interested or confused. Whole foods have not changed since the beginning of time and are always there to support us. Learning how they work is invaluable!

To keep up with Susan’s latest nutritional tips, visit SusanMarque.com where you can sign up for her monthly e-newsletter. Check out the archives for her hangover cure.

To get you started, here’s one of Susan’s easy breakfast recipes to kick start your day.