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Trying to stay healthy and fit while working a 9-5 job is tricky enough. Attempting to reach your fitness goals while cooped up at home has proved to be even harder. Our post on “5 Tips to Stay Healthy at the Workplace” discussed that many of us have already fallen prey to living a sedentary lifestyle. At work we were more inclined to skip meals due to being tethered to our desks the whole day, and we were less likely to hydrate ourselves due to focusing too much on the task at hand. When we do manage to eat meals, we usually resorted to unhealthy food that didn’t contain many nutrients.
Now that many of us have pivoted into a work-from-home grind, staying fit has become much more challenging. With our makeshift workspaces only a few steps away from the bedroom, we no longer have to go through an exhausting commute and have less reason to move around. Not to mention, our beds and couches, as well as the pantry filled with junk food look extra tempting, too.
But working remotely shouldn’t be an impetus for us to adopt an unhealthy lifestyle. In fact, we must be working harder to stay fit in an effort to dodge the terrible effects of being sedentary. If you’re struggling to reach your fitness goals while working from home, here are some tips on staying healthy:
Look for healthier alternatives to your favorite foods and beverages.
If you’re dependent on caffeine (aren’t we all?) and drink copious amounts of it, you could look for a healthier alternative that gives you the same fix but with greater benefits. A review of Lean N Green Slimming Coffee by Pretty Me details how it is 100% organic, all-natural, and sugar-free. You can still get that much-needed energy boost, but it also helps cleanse toxins from your digestive tract. As a result, your metabolism will improve and convert fat into energy as well. Other substitutes include swapping out ice cream for yogurt, sweets to dried fruit, and cake to organic bread. But you should also keep in mind that these healthier substitutes are just a start, and they will be more effective if you compliment them with other thoughtful choices and exercise.
Do meal preps.
Sometimes, when you’re trying to chase deadlines, you tend to miss eating meals. And even if you have the will to prepare your lunch, just imagining the effort of putting together ingredients and cooking makes you want to put it off for later in the day. But since missing meals is never ideal, you may want to meal prep ahead of time. You don’t have to go all out, either. Even making a simple salad or a veggie omelet is already enough.
Move every 90 minutes.
Forbes highlights that people should make it a point to move every 90 minutes to have an impact on their energy levels. When you allow yourself to hunch over your computer for extended periods, you’ll find that you feel more sluggish and weak. In order to stay fresh and productive during the workday, you have to make an effort to manage your energy. Every 90 minutes, be sure that you get up from your desk and take a walk, or make a quick trip to your favorite curbside store to pick up a mid-day snack. Another helpful tip is to find a colleague who can be your accountability buddy and let them motivate you to get moving.
Change your working environment.
While it’s always recommended to keep working at your dedicated home office or work corner to avoid distractions, it’s also worth shifting to a different location from time to time to reduce sedentary health risks. Simply working in a different area of your home can do wonders for your body. It would also help if you tried to keep your muscles relaxed and avoid straining your body for the sake of variety. And while it’s tempting to work in your snuggly bed on the occasional Friday, doing so can cause serious harm to your back and neck. Instead, find an area in your home that is comfortable for the body as this will help promote efficient work.