Working out at work and the benefits of clean eating.
Many of us spend most of our days at our office, or our place of work, but this doesn’t mean we have to neglect our health and general fitness. Sitting for prolonged periods of time can have a drastic negative impact on our health and well being, couple that with a poor diet and you are practically begging for trouble. But where there is a will, there is a way! You have the power to make good healthy choices that complement your work responsibilities and enable you to keep your body in a fighting fit condition.
Working out at work
Some people are blessed with active jobs, but most of us are not. Often people just accept defeat in relation to the negative impact sitting at work can have on your health. But that doesn’t have to be the case. There are many ways you can adjust your usual schedule to accommodate a more health conscious attitude. Try incorporating some of these tips into your daily work life, your body will thank you for it!
Standing Desk: It might not be everyone’s first choice, however standing desks are on the rise and for good reason. Not only does standing utilise more muscles, and help improve your posture, but it also keeps your circulatory system working. Like everything though you can have too much of a good thing, so it is a good idea to move from standing to sitting with each hour. This brings us neatly to the next suggestion:
Exercise Balls: These are a fantastic way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Not only are they good for posture, and working on your core muscles (front and back), But exercise balls are also handy for when you get a spare 5-10 minutes because you instantly have all the equipment you need for a quick workout!
Chair Yoga/Stretching: We all take 5 minutes here and there to stare at the walls, but you can use this time to get your circulation working and stretch out your muscles. There are many short 10 minute chair yoga/stretch/workout apps available, or YouTube is a great source for this and offers loads of variety (some better than others) for free! Invest in an exercise band, so that you can work out your arms, shoulders and legs.
Walking At Lunch: At lunch time we often feel we need to unwind and relax, but if we have already been sitting all morning, what your body really needs is a stretch and a bit of exercise! Take this time to walk to a nice spot to enjoy your food, perhaps to a near by park, or bench with a nice view!
10 Minutes of Cardio: One of the most important things to do to maintain fitness is to get your heart rate up during exercise. And an excellent way of doing that is fitting in a quick 5-20 minute workout (or even two or more 5-10 minute workouts spaced out through your day). There are literally thousands of workout apps that are available, most of which allow you to select time frame, intensity level and they type/area of exercise you are interested in. Or again you can utilise YouTube as an excellent free source of short workout videos.
Eating Clean
Just because you are in the office all day, or on the go with work, doesn’t mean that your body needs to suffer because of a poor diet. With simple forward planning and healthy food options you can make sure your body is not only getting all the nutrients it needs to work a long day, but also avoid all those nasty processed foods rich in added sugars and saturated fats. When you choose to eat clean, healthy foods, your body will thank you with more energy, clearer mental functions and general good health.
Pack your own lunches and snacks: When you can, pack your own lunches. Not only will this save you money, but you can also ensure that you have all the healthy and delicious food choices you love! Pack foods high in protein to help you stave off that hunger that sometimes grows just from sitting still. Choices like mixed unsalted nuts, veggie and cheese sticks, fruit, and healthy whole wheat sandwiches are all great choices to keep you powering on through your day. Avoid packets of crisps, biscuits, sugary processed snack bars, candy or soft drinks.
Make healthy choices: Packing your own lunch isn’t always possible, so if you do have to go to the canteen or local shops for your food, try to make sensible choices. This means avoiding fast food of any description (pizza, chips, burgers etc), and drinks full of added sugar (check the labels of juices to ensure they are 100%). Good choices are sushi, whole grain sandwiches, soups, fruit and salads.
Small amounts more often: If it’s possible, try to avoid eating one huge meal in the middle of the day, and instead have one lighter meal with a healthy snack on either side. This helps prevent sluggishness as your body struggles to digest a large meal, staves of the munchies and ensures your body is getting all the nutrients it needs over the length of the day.
Avoid Caffeine: This one can be tricky, especially if you are a coffee lover, however introducing stimulants into your body not only impacts upon your general health, but also builds a dependence that is not good. That means if you don’t have what you feel you ‘need’ you are not as productive or alert. But the truth is, eating clean and keeping active should provide you with all the energy you need. In fact it is advised that an apple will actually provide you with all the benefits of a coffee (as well as many more nutritional benefits) with none of the downs sides.
Keep Hydrated: This last one cannot be stressed enough, it is really important to stay hydrated (with water) at work. This not only makes sure your body has what it needs to work at it’s optimal level, but it will also stave off food cravings, and keep your mind more focused and alert.
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