Over the past couple of months you may have found yourself working from home, in a different context than you had been before. Your previous schedule was likely more regulated when it came to meals, especially if you were working outside your house in an office.
Now you’re just feet away from your fridge, and you can eat whenever you choose. This can have a big impact on your diet and the types of food choices you make. It’s really crucial that you take steps to ensure that you continue to follow a healthy diet plan during this time.
The Importance of a Healthy Diet
Your body requires the proper nutrients to stay active, strong, and in good physical health. There are medical consequences to not eating properly. According to the World Health Organization, as of 2016, 39% of people worldwide were overweight, and 13% were obese.
However, even being at a healthy weight does not prevent health problems if you have a poor diet. Unhealthy eating can lead to issues like heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and some cancers (1). It’s extremely important to remember to eat a nutrient-rich, high-quality diet. In addition, don’t forget the benefits of exercise when it comes to keeping your body in good shape.
Here are 9 tips for following a healthy diet while working from home.
1. Eat on a Schedule
Now that you’re at home, you can wander over to the kitchen and snack anytime you like. You may find yourself eating throughout the day and not following proper meals. That way, you don’t keep track of how much you’re eating or whether you’re consuming the right foods.
While you’re working from home, you should follow an eating schedule similar to the way you may have before. Set breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack times and don’t veer from that plan. This way you won’t overeat, and you’ll be more aware of what you’re eating.
2. Plan and Prepare Your Meals in Advance
Now that you have your set meal times, try to plan what you’re going to eat in advance and actually prepare some of it, so you have a healthy meal ready when the time comes. Take some time in the evening to cut up vegetables and make other healthy foods. This way you have to think about what you’re going to eat in advance, and you have more time to make a healthy diet plan.
3. Don’t Work While You Eat
One bad habit that people can get into when working from their homes is to eat in front of the computer, even sometimes as they continue to work. This can make you very unaware of the things you’re eating throughout the day.
You eat without thinking, as it becomes seamless with your work. When it’s time to have a meal or even a snack, get up, set the table, and make eating a totally separate activity.
4. Eat a Lot of Fruits and Vegetables
It’s essential that you include a whole variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet. They’re rich in the vitamins and minerals that your body requires, and many of them are also high in antioxidants. This supports your immune system, making you less susceptible to illness.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, “a diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower the risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar, which can help keep appetite in check.”
5. Don’t Keep Junk Food at Home
While you’re working from home, make an effort not to keep fatty, sugary, high-calorie snacks in the house. If they are easily accessible, you’ll be much more likely to indulge.
If you have to consciously get up and walk to the store to buy these kinds of food items, you have more time to think about your choice and change your mind. We’re not saying to never indulge in a treat or snack – simply be more mindful about how often you do this.
6. Keep Healthy Snacks Around
Instead of those high-calorie snacks that are bad for you, keep a lot of healthy snacks around for your break time. This may include fruit, unsalted nuts, almonds, yogurt, cheese, hummus, or whole grain bread and cereals. These foods make up a healthy diet plan and you can change your eating habits by indulging in these delicious, good-for-you snacks.
7. Avoid Processed Foods
If you want to follow a healthy diet, it’s important to eat foods that are natural and avoid processed foods if you can. Many of these items include a lot of sugar, as well as artificial colors and flavors. They have ingredients which are harder to digest than natural foods and may not be good for our bodies. Also, some of the plastic packaging for these products contain chemicals which can get into the food. When in doubt, go organic.
8. Drink Water
Drinking water is extremely important for your system as a whole – considering the fact that an adult is made up of 60% water (2), it’s easy to see why.
It helps the absorption of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins, and in getting rid of toxins. It’s also crucial in regulating your body temperature, and for the overall proper functioning of your body. While you’re working from home, try to make sure you get up and drink water at least every hour or two. Even better, keep some water next to you while you’re working and drink throughout the day.
9. Limit Your Caffeine
When you’re working from home, it can be tempting to drink cup after cup of coffee. However, when you drink too much of this stimulating beverage, there can be physical consequences.
Excess caffeine consumption can make you jittery and nervous, and even cause problems sleeping if you have it too late in the day. It can also lead to headaches, irritability, frequent urination, and fast heartbeat (3). According to the Mayo Clinic, you can safely drink 4 cups of coffee per day.
Weight-Loss Supplements
If you’re trying to lose weight, you might want to consider a natural supplement to assist you. These products are made of completely organic ingredients which have potent properties to help you take off the pounds.
Phenocal is one of the best all-natural weight-loss supplements on the market. It’s scientifically engineered to help you lose weight fast, and it gives you extra energy so you can be more active. The supplement can also curb your appetite and give you a feeling of fullness, so you’re much less likely to overeat or snack on junk food.
It’s a challenge to suddenly be working from home and dealing with a completely different schedule. One of the biggest issues is managing to continue to eat in a healthy way while you’re working just feet away from your fridge. Ideally these tips will help you plan your meals well and make smart food choices at all times. .
While you’re watching your nutrition, don’t forget about the benefits of exercise in keeping you healthy. In between meals, do remember to get up and take a walk once or twice a day. With a little planning, we can all stay as healthy as possible during this time.
Author Bio:
Nathan Hodges is a passionate writer. He writes about health, fitness, nutrition & diet. His biggest interest is the link between writing and reading about health and wellness. Contact him at nathan.hodges1690@gmail.com.
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