Eat for Energy, Lead with Empathy: Health Habits for Sustainable Leadership with Coach Oca Sañez
How do you know if your team is burning out—and what can you do about it?
In this episode, Marie Ampeloquio sits down (again!) with Oca Sañez to explore how health impacts leadership, performance, and organizational sustainability. Coach Oca explains that burnout doesn’t always show up loudly—sometimes it’s in absenteeism, low engagement, or background complaints leaders ignore. The earlier we recognize the symptoms, the easier it is to course correct.
From there, the conversation expands into tangible solutions: rethinking food habits, creating mindful eating environments, prioritizing rest and movement, and even advocating for a fifth scorecard dedicated solely to wellness. Coach Oca also introduces the “Intentional Pause” framework and reveals how small daily choices can create a culture of high-performance health.
This isn’t just about nutrition. It’s about building leaders and workplaces that last.
Key Highlights:
Burnout is often silent—watch for signs like absenteeism, tardiness, and low energy
Leaders need to recognize and respond to subtle wellness symptoms in their teams
Addressing poor habits requires empathy, not just discipline
Food choices, sleep, and sunlight all impact performance and mood
Eating for nourishment (not just pleasure) is foundational to sustainable energy
Work culture should include walk breaks, sunlight exposure, and mindful meals
Wellness should be its own scorecard—not just a line under “People”
Coach Oca introduces the “Intentional Pause” framework for holistic organizational health
Radical Thoughts from the Episode:
Marie Ampeloquio (Host)
"You can’t lead well if you’re running on empty." – Marie Ampeloquio
"Wellness shouldn’t be an afterthought—it should be a business strategy." – Marie Ampeloquio
"We measure performance, but do we measure burnout?" – Marie Ampeloquio
"A wellness scorecard shouldn’t be optional—it should be required." – Marie Ampeloquio
"What you allow in your work environment shapes your team’s energy and output." – Marie Ampeloquio
Oca Sañez (Guest)
"Burnout is a symptom—your job is to find the root cause." – Oca Sañez
"Eat for nourishment, not for pleasure." – Oca Sañez
"Processed foods and late nights look small—until they cost you productivity." – Oca Sañez
"You can’t solve health problems with memos. You solve them with empathy." – Oca Sañez
"Leadership means caring enough to ask if your team slept well or ate right." – Oca Sañez
