Mike Thompson
Local Columnist
Drive through any business district in coastal Georgia at lunchtime, and you’ll witness a peculiar form of corporate theater. Many of our most successful leaders—the ones running our growing businesses, managing our expanding industries, and driving our regional economy—are systematically destroying their health one business lunch at a time.
I’ve spent the last decade as a health coach working with professionals across Georgia, and I’ve noticed something alarming: our local high-achievers are applying brilliant strategy to million-dollar problems while fueling their irreplaceable bodies like college students surviving on ramen noodles.
The Regional Reality Check
Last month, I watched a successful local business owner—let’s call him Mark—nearly collapse during a regional business meeting. At 54, Mark runs a thriving logistics company, employs dozens of people, and is known for his sharp decision-making. But that Tuesday morning, his hands were shaking so badly he couldn’t hold his coffee cup steady.
“Just tired,” he insisted, but his body was sending a different message. Years of grabbing fast food during long commutes to Savannah, surviving on energy drinks, and treating sleep as optional had caught up with him. His metabolism had essentially filed for divorce.
Mark’s story isn’t unique in our region. I see it everywhere—successful people who commute to Savannah’s growing industries, manage expanding businesses, or work at the new automotive manufacturing facility. They would never run their businesses on whatever’s cheapest and fastest, yet that’s exactly how they’re running their bodies.
The Science Behind the Breakdown
When we consistently fuel our bodies with processed convenience foods while managing high-stress responsibilities, several biological systems begin to rebel. Our insulin response becomes erratic, making energy crashes inevitable. Chronic stress floods our system with cortisol, leading to weight gain around the midsection and difficulty sleeping. Our hunger signals get crossed, leaving us craving quick energy fixes that only make the problem worse.
The result? Our most valuable community leaders are operating at a fraction of their potential, fighting afternoon fatigue, brain fog, and declining health markers that put them at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
The Regional Connection
Coastal Georgia’s continued growth depends on healthy leadership. When our business owners, automotive workers, healthcare professionals, and civic leaders are running on empty, our entire region suffers. The executive who can’t think clearly by 2 PM makes poor decisions. The shift supervisor struggling with energy crashes can’t maintain quality standards. The healthcare worker fighting brain fog might miss important details.
We’ve created a culture where burning out is seen as dedication, but it’s actually undermining the very growth and success we’re trying to achieve.
The Strategic Solution The good news? The same strategic thinking that makes our local leaders successful in business can transform their health. I’ve developed what I call the “Five Non-Negotiables for Peak Performance”:
Protein Priority: Start every day with 25 grams of quality protein within 90 minutes of waking. Think of it as your metabolism’s morning briefing.
The 4-Hour Rule: Never go more than four hours without quality fuel during waking hours. Your body needs predictable energy deliveries.
Movement as Medicine: Research shows just 15 minutes of daily movement reduces all-cause mortality by 14% and extends life expectancy by 3 years. For our desk-bound leaders, this isn’t optional—it’s essential prevention against the leading causes of death in our age group.
Strategic Hydration: Drink water like your cognitive function depends on it—because it does. Dehydration masquerades as hunger and fatigue.
The Caffeine Strategy: Wait 90 minutes after waking before your first coffee. Your body produces a natural cortisol spike to wake you up; immediate caffeine interferes with this process and increases dependency. Research shows this timing optimizes both your natural energy and caffeine’s effectiveness.
Evening Fuel Cuto: Stop eating three hours before bed. Give your digestive system time to recover. Equally important: cut off caffeine at least 8 hours before bedtime— studies show caffeine consumed even 6 hours before sleep significantly reduces total sleep time and quality.
Sleep Like a Professional: Treat sleep as the foundation of performance, not something you do when everything else is finished.
The Coastal Georgia Challenge
I challenge our regional business leaders to treat their health with the same strategic attention they give their quarterly reports. Plan your nutrition like you plan your meetings. Invest in your energy like you invest in your equipment.
Mark took this challenge seriously, starting with 15 minutes of daily walking. Three months later, his energy levels are consistent throughout the day, his decision- making is sharper, and his health screening showed dramatic improvements. His wife says he’s like a different person—present, energetic, and genuinely enjoying life again.
The Regional Investment
When coastal Georgia’s leaders prioritize their health, everyone benefits. Healthy leaders make better decisions, create more opportunities, and build stronger organizations. They model sustainable success for their employees and families.
Your body is your most valuable asset—more important than your office, your equipment, or even your bank account. It’s the vehicle carrying you to every future success.
The question isn’t whether you can afford to prioritize your health. It’s whether coastal Georgia can afford for you not to.
Mike Thompson is Founder of Self-Care Sustained and creator of the PROMETHEUS Protocol, specializing in helping professionals over 50 optimize their health for peak performance. For more information about executive health strategies email at mike@SelfCaresustained.com or connect on LinkedIn.