Is Your Food Quietly Stealing Your Energy
Written by Lee Jones, Entrepreneur
Lee Jones, founder of UnboxedTogether, Bespoke Kitch'en, and Tap to Tile, lives by one focus, clarity. From food to lifestyle, and from mental health to design, his work empowers people to unbox the hidden, reclaim energy, and create dream spaces for their home and life.
Most of us blame stress, sleep, or busy lives for the afternoon crash. But what if the real thief of your energy is sitting in your shopping basket? I discovered this the hard way, and what I learned may surprise you.
What does “unboxing” your food mean?
“Unboxing” is my term for pulling back the packaging and exposing what’s really inside. It’s about more than calories or sugar. It’s about hidden additives, colorings, and preservatives that quietly chip away at your focus, mood, and energy levels.
What hidden additives do to your brain
The link between food and energy is not new, but most people don’t realise how deep it goes. Artificial colours and preservatives are linked to hyperactivity, mood swings, and brain fog. Research shows that diets high in ultra-processed foods are strongly linked to poorer brain health and a higher risk of depression.
When these additives build up day after day, the result is a constant fog that no amount of caffeine can fix.
My turning point
For years, I thought my exhaustion was just ADHD, burnout, or bad luck. But when I started stripping back my diet, the fog lifted. Within days of cutting certain “everyday” foods, my focus returned. I wasn’t chasing coffee at 3 p.m. anymore. I realised it wasn’t me that was broken, it was the food. That’s why I wrote my book Unboxed, to give others the map I wish I’d had sooner.
The hidden cost of “everyday” foods
The real danger isn’t the odd takeaway or treat, it’s the silent build-up of additives in foods we trust. The cereal that claims to fuel your morning, the “sugar-free” drink that promises focus, even the bread that feels harmless. Each one on its own seems fine. Together, they create a storm your body can’t handle. That storm looks like fatigue, brain fog, restless nights, and low mood, symptoms we’ve normalised instead of questioned.
Why this matters more than you think
When we normalise brain fog, we lower our expectations of what healthy feels like. We accept being tired as part of modern life. But what if that’s not true? What if feeling sharper, calmer, and more alive is only a few swaps away?
That’s the question I asked myself, and it’s the question I now ask readers. Once you start unboxing your own food choices, the evidence is impossible to ignore.
Takeaway
Your energy isn’t stolen by age, stress, or lack of willpower, it’s stolen quietly, bite by bite. The good news? You can take it back. Start by questioning what’s really in the foods you eat every day.
Call to action
This is just the beginning. In my book Unboxed, I reveal the hidden truth about the foods we trust most, and how simple swaps can restore clarity, energy, and focus. If this article sparked something for you, I’d love to connect. You can find Unboxed and join the conversation at UnboxedTogether or follow along on Facebook @Unboxed.Together
Let’s unbox together.
Read more from Lee Jones
Lee Jones, Entrepreneur
Lee Jones is the founder of UnboxedTogether, a book and movement exposing how hidden additives in food, everyday products, and daily life fuel brain fog, burnout, and poor health. After years battling undiagnosed ADHD and exhaustion, he uncovered the truth: what we call “normal” is anything but. His mission is to wake people up, reveal what’s been hidden in plain sight, and give them tools to reclaim clarity. Lee also runs two family-owned design businesses, Bespoke Kitch’en and Tap to Tile, where the same heartbeat runs through, stripping back the noise and creating lasting transformations, from wellbeing to dream spaces at home.
