Missed last week’s insights on Quantum Living? Here’s the link to catch up before diving into this week’s edition.

How Your "Energy Source" Is Sabotaging Your Performance

Ever catch yourself nodding off during that crucial 2 PM meeting? Or maybe you're all too familiar with that brain fog that rolls in right at 11 am and you wonder “how’s this even possible… I had breakfast!”

Trust me, I've been there – and here's the kicker: that "healthy" morning granola might be the culprit.

For years, I was that founder who'd power through my day with what I thought were "energy-rich" foods. You know the drill: breakfast cereals, fruit smoothies, the occasional "healthy" energy bar. And let's be honest, who hasn't grabbed that mid-morning muffin during a coffee break? (I'm looking at you, fellow founder who practically live at your local café! 😉)

What is Sugar? The Science Behind Simple Sugars vs. Carbohydrates

Let's get real about sugar for a minute. Think of it as your body's quick-cash versus long-term investment plan. Simple sugars, like glucose and fructose, are like getting cash in hand – quick and easy to spend, but gone in a flash. Complex carbohydrates, which are made up of longer chains of sugar molecules? They're more like a steady investment portfolio, paying dividends throughout your day.

However, not all carbohydrates are created equal. Simple sugars, like those found in soft drinks, candies, or even processed breads, cause a rapid spike in blood sugar. This spike may give you an initial burst of energy, but it’s quickly followed by a crash—leaving you feeling tired, irritable, and unable to concentrate.

Here's what's actually happening in your body: when you eat sugar (whether it's that "healthy" breakfast bar or your afternoon cookie), your body breaks it down into glucose faster than a tech startup burns through its seed funding. Sure, you get that initial energy spike – we've all felt that rush – but then comes the crash, and suddenly you're fighting to keep your eyes open during your investor pitch.

The Role of Sugars in Modern Professional Life

Let's face it – our working lives practically push us toward sugar. They even sell you this incredible 💩 below as “the best of both” [choices for your morning breakfast]. Just look at the ingredients and don’t get fooled!

(💡 watch it with audio! It’s really worthy 🤣 )

eddie_abbew

View more on Instagram

As top performers, we pride ourselves on optimization and efficiency. We A/B test our products, analyze our metrics, and obsess over performance. Yet somehow, we're still fueling our most important asset – our brain – with the equivalent of low-grade fuel.

High sugar consumption is directly linked to a lack of focus, energy crashes, and decreased productivity—something many of us deal with every day without realizing. The real question is: why do we keep reaching for sugar, even though it doesn’t serve our long-term energy needs? The answer lies in a combination of habit (read: addiction) and marketing. For decades, we’ve been led to believe that sugar is essential for energy, but new research is proving that this isn’t the case. In fact, the more sugar we consume, the worse our cognitive function becomes.

Historical Context—How Sugar Became a Staple of Modern Diets

To understand why we consume so much sugar, we need to look back at how our diets have evolved. Historically, humans consumed natural carbohydrates from whole foods like berries and grains, which provided a balanced and nutritious diet. As societies became more sedentary with the rise of office jobs, so did our eating habits. Processed foods—loaded with sugars and refined carbs—became the norm.

This shift wasn’t accidental. The food industry heavily marketed sugars and carbs as essential components of a healthy diet. Breakfast cereals, sugary snacks, and processed meals were positioned as quick and easy ways to fuel busy professionals. But these products often provided empty calories, leading to a diet high in sugar and low in nutrients.

Then, they discovered that sugars make us addicted, exactly as any other “drug” and clearly, this motivated giant corporations even more into sponsoring “pro-sugar” studies to lobby national health administrations in favor of them.

(Watch the video below as a quick intro to this historical “problem”, I will share more in the next articles too 😉 )

My Personal Experience—From Cereals and Pasta to Discovering The Addiction

I used to be just like many of you—starting my day with a carb-heavy breakfast, followed by a quick pasta lunch that left me feeling lethargic and uninspired. It wasn’t until I discovered the effects of sugar (any kind, but of course more particularly: simple sugars) that I truly started to realize the problem here.

Sugars effectively activate neurotransmitters in our brain which makes us crave them. We go from “liking” sugary things, to literally “wanting” them. And the more you base yourself on such a sugar-heavy diet, the more you will get addicted to craving them.

When I first decided to transition my diet from carbs-heavy to very low, or even keto, the first few days were tough. I craved the comfort of carbs and for a few months I was even able to undeliberately kid myself by switching past for rice, as I thought that was “healthier”. But when I replaced them fully, the changes were undeniable. My energy levels were more consistent, I didn’t experience the 11AM, 3 PM nor 10 PM crashes anymore, and my ability to focus on work for longer periods dramatically improved.

Swapping heavy carbs for vegetables (and fat!) wasn’t just a dietary shift—it was a productivity boost. And I thus unlocked a new level of mental clarity and endurance. (Bear with me, I will share much more detailed “routines and diets” in the coming articles)

How Changing Your Diet Can Boost Your Career

Yes I’m so damn clear about sugars and their effects on our body, that I claim quitting them will be one of your best professional decisions ever made. It has been for me!

You will feel undisrupted periods of “flow” (we talked about this here) like you ever had.

If you are a man, you’ll even see increased stamina and testosterone in your blood (no need for a blood test to know, you’ll just get something else showing up for it 😉), feeling powerful and focused at the same time. If you are a woman, you’ll also see tremendous benefits in your menstrual cycles too by the way!

Ready to take control of your energy and performance? Start small, but start today. Your future self (and your team) will thank you.

Drop a comment below about your biggest sugar-related challenge at work – I'd love to hear your story and share more specific strategies!