While working from home, have you ever caught yourself frequently snacking from the bag of chips or making your way to the kitchen more than you would like? Whether you find yourself overeating or possibly not eating enough during the work day, it’s completely typical as you are in the comfort of your own home. Keeping your nutrition and healthy eating patterns in check can be extremely challenging when in the office at home. Here are some tips that you can focus on, to keep your nutrition lifestyle in check while working from home!
- Meal Prepping:
Preparing meals and snacks during your downtime can be super beneficial when you are busy with a conference call but need to get in a meal! Oftentimes when we are hungry and do not have time to make a nutritious meal, we resort to items that may be less beneficial for our bodies. Having food ready to go is an easy and quick way to fuel your body throughout your workday with the correct foods.
Some people think meal prepping takes hours to complete, and that it is overall time-consuming when you would rather enjoy your downtime. Meal prepping can be extremely quick with many different tricks and methods. One way to meal prep is called a “sheet pan meal,” where you gather a bunch of veggies, and protein and put it all on one baking sheet, and pop it in the oven. While the meal is in the oven, you can shower, watch a movie, or enjoy your time off in any way you like! Another simple way of making meals with little effort can be using a crockpot, and choosing easy-to-follow recipes!
2. Meal / Snack Proportioning:
Similar to meal prepping, having snacks available in pre-proportioned containers near your work desk can be great for when you are hungry for a quick snack! Oftentimes when we want to quickly grab something from the kitchen, such as a bag of potato chips, we reach in for more and more chips, unsure of how much we are actually consuming. Especially if you are snacking while in the act of working, distraction is a key factor in overeating. Keeping a small container of cut-up carrots and ranch by your desk, celery and peanut butter, or even a pre-proportioned bag of your favorite chips can enhance positive eating habits.
If you’re wanting a full list of snacks that we recommend to keep you energized during a busy workday, check out this full snack list! We provide over 20 of our favorite go-to snack ideas, plus, a snack planner.
3. Meal Schedule:
One of the most important things while working from home is making sure that you are actually eating! Compared to when you are working in the office and are around everyone who may take a lunch break at the same time, you can have a harder time dictating your routine. Getting caught up with conference calls or skipping lunch breaks can have a big impact on your eating patterns. One of the main reasons why people have a difficult time losing weight is because they believe cutting down their calories to a minimal amount and undereating will be beneficial. Undereating can actually lead to weight gain because when you do not consume enough calories and your resting metabolic rate declines, you are unable to burn as many calories throughout the day. Designating a time to eat for each workday can be a beneficial way to ensure you avoid skipping lunch or dinner.
It is also important to designate a time to eat your meals so that you are not eating while you are working. As mentioned previously, eating while working can lead to overeating subconsciously. Practice mindful eating while setting a time separate from doing work to be present in the moment during your meal. This can help you enjoy your food just a little more and be aware of the signals when you are feeling full. Set up 10 minutes on your calendar to keep yourself accountable to take your break. And don’t forget, we have a full snack planner here to start snacking with success.
4. Location of Workspace:
Although some people do not have a choice in where their workspace may be located, if you do have the option, keeping the office away from the kitchen can help with the temptation. It is important to find a balance between office time and kitchen time and having constant access to the kitchen can negatively inhibit your healthy eating habits. Eating at the kitchen counter can lead to more binge eating or frequent trips to the pantry.
5. Hydration:
Overall, consuming water is a vital way in keeping your body’s processes active. A lack of water can lead to fatigue and decreased productivity not only affecting your work performance but your body in general. Obtaining a ½ gallon or 1-gallon water bottle to keep next to your desk every day can help you consume more water than you are typically used to and prohibit you from getting up and refilling constantly in the kitchen. These large water bottles that they sell usually have time stamps on them as well, to keep you drinking the correct amount of water throughout the day. Drinking an abundance of water can actually increase your metabolism by up to 25% for nearly an hour after drinking. That being said, consuming enough water throughout the day will keep your metabolism at an all-time peak. Metabolism is important during the workday to keep you feeling energized and productive.
In Conclusion:
With our world constantly changing and having to adapt to new lifestyles, it can be tricky to maintain a healthy routine. With these important yet simple steps, your experience regarding food and working at home can improve immensely. If you’re hoping to start to build healthier habits to look and feel your best, start with our Snack Your Way to Success free guide here.
In this guide, you’ll receive over 20+ snack ideas, a snack planner, the top 3 things to focus on when snacking, and much more so you can set yourself up for success when it comes to your health goals.
Article written by nutrition intern Sammy Bran.