Are you in a profession that allows you to work from home, or do you work remotely and find your eating habits are less than optimal? You are not alone. With the increase reliance on computers and internet more people are working from home, but now finding that they are gaining weight or just not eating healthfully like they used to when they had to go into the office. Well here are 6 simple ways to improve your nutrition intake while at home.
1. Separate your workspace.
It's
tempting sometimes just easy to set up your workstation at the kitchen or dining table. However, with your
food in such close proximity, this can be a danger zone. The constant
reminder of food can lead to increased cravings and unnecessary
snacking. Instead of being close to your refridgerator and pantry, try setting up a workspace that's conducive to working, not eating,
and use your kitchen and dining room for meals and snacks only. This new workspace could be a corner of your living room, a home office, or any place not in sight of the "food areas" and also allows for proper ergonomics and natural light.
2. Plan meals and snacks.
Just because you're working from home doesn't mean you do not need to plan your meals. Buy your week's worth of groceries including snacks on
Sunday, and create make a meal plan (don't forget to stick to it). Make extra servings for dinner each night and then you have leftovers
for your lunch the next day. Having a pre-made lunch daily will help you
avoid raiding the fridge or, even worse, hitting up your local coffee spot where we all know you cannot just buy the coffee but have to get that 800 calorie sweet treat to go with it.
3. Watch the clock.
When
you work in the office, your co-worker's mass movement to the cafe around lunchtime serves as a reminder it's time to eat. At home, it's
easy to get caught up in your tasks and forget about meals. Set a
reminder or alarm on your computer or cell phone to alert you when it’s
time to eat. And just like while working in the office you should also have regularly scheduled break times where you get up and move or stretch and while you are up and about why not have that next glass of water too.
4. Clean your kitchen.
The
advantage of working from home is that instead of temptations from
desktop candy jars, morning donuts, or birthday cakes, you have more
control over what comes into your environment. Clean your kitchen of the unhealthy snacks and processed foods, and replace them with fresh fruits,
veggies, lean proteins like chicken and fish, and snacks like yogurt,
string cheese, and nuts. While you are cleaning the kitchen and pantry dump all the sweetened drinks you may have hiding, this includes juices as they are easy to enjoy 2-3 servings in a glass, which accounts for too much sugar and you are missing the fiber from the fruit to make you feel full.
5. Avoid grazing.
With kitchen access all day, it's tempting to graze instead of eating set meals and snacks. Start your day with a healthy breakfast (eat
within an hour of waking up) this will kickstart your metabolism. To make sure your breakfast doesnt turn into a chore, do not work while you are eating. This means NO emails, phone calls or research, this can cause distress and over time your body will equate eating with stress and your digestion will be altered. After breakfast is over, retire to your workspace and schedule meals and snacks every 2 1/2 to 3 hours to improve energy and
focus.
6. Pack your lunch in a travel bag.
If all else fails and you find yourself back in the kitchen, pack a lunch as if you were going to be at the office all day. The lunch bag should include lunch, and 2-3 healthy snacks, napkins, eating utensils and a drink if you plan on having something other than water. At your scheduled meal times, get up from your desk and head to the kitchen with your lunch bag to enjoy your healthy lunch without worries of eating too much or the wrong stuff.
Now that you have read these simple to use strategies have fun using them. Remember stick to your plan and stay away from temptations. You CAN do it!
