Once upon a time, most people farmed the land. Nowadays, more and more of us work at a desk. Sedentary lifestyles are exacerbated in our daily lives by labor-saving technological gadgets and cars. Add to that the wide variety of food alternatives often offered in and near workplaces that aren’t in line with the most recent nutritional science research findings, and you have a formula for ill health is to have Balanced Diet at Work.
Yet, inadequate nutrition has a severe influence on our job performance by reducing focus and energy levels, as well as causing anger, annoyance, and impatience. According to one research, workers who engaged in a wellness program that incorporated dietary programming were more productive — “about equivalent to an extra productive work day per month for the typical worker.”
Here are 5 ways to have Balanced Diet at work;
1. Establishing a routine
One of the reasons we develop negative habits is because we do not plan Balanced Diet at Work and implement a healthy routine, or we just let our plan be ‘whatever is easiest’ (and this usually means unhealthy). By developing a pattern, you will be more prepared for meals and choices that are healthy, whether that be a handmade dinner or saying no to the cake. And, most crucially, you’re making food choices before you’re hungry.
The key here is simplicity: prepare a basic meal that you can bring to work. This might also mean purchasing nutritious snacks (carrot sticks, almonds, and seeds) on your way to work so you don’t wind up buying crisps/potato chips and sweets or candies from the vending machine.
2. Avoid skipping meals.
“When you eat and how frequently you eat are just as essential as eating healthy and having the appropriate elements in your Balanced Diet at Work,” explains Aetna International Senior Medical Director Dr. Stella George. It is critical not to miss meals or wait too long between eating nutritious snacks since your glucose levels may decrease, making it difficult to focus and increasing your chances of overeating or eating the incorrect items at your next meal.”
Meal skipping has a variety of harmful consequences:
During other times, you are more inclined to overeat.
You are more prone to put on weight.
Mood suffers as a result.
When blood sugar and energy levels drop, concentration worsens.
Don’t forget to have breakfast. This increases the chance of weight gain as well as atherosclerosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. Eating your first meal of the day will assist your body burn more calories throughout the day and help control increasing cortisol (the primary stress hormone’) levels in the early morning. Cortisol levels that are too high might make you feel worried or jittery.
3. Clever lunching
Healthy lunch is not only the most essential item to do right during a hectic day, but it is also the most difficult Balanced Diet at Work.
A Balanced Diet at work will include protein, sugars, fat, fiber, carbs, and other nutrients.
“A high-carb meal, such as pasta, bread, and cereals, releases glucose fast, giving you a surge of energy followed by a dip, depleting our drive and attention,” adds Dr. Stella. A high-fat meal, on the other hand, provides more continuous energy but requires our digestive system to work harder, lowering oxygen levels in the brain and leaving us sluggish.”
According to one research, the more fruits and vegetables participants ingested (up to 7 servings), the happier, more engaged, and more creative they were. This is due to the fact that fruits and vegetables contain essential nutrients that promote the creation of dopamine, which is involved in feelings of interest, motivation, and engagement. They also include antioxidants, which help with memory and mood.
Planning ahead (see Establishing A Habit, above) and shopping with work meals in mind is a smart method to guarantee you have a nutritious lunch. For example, you may go shopping for the ingredients for a large salad that will truly fill you up, such as cabbage, peppers, and carrots, in addition to cucumber and lettuce.
4. Conscious eating
“What we eat has a direct impact on our energy levels, attention, and ability to concentrate. It’s tough to stick to a healthy Balanced Diet at Work 100% of the time. We may allow ourselves to relax and enjoy the odd indulgence by paying attention to what we eat and when we consume it. Use the 80/20 rule: make the best decisions you can most of the time, and the treats will become just that: a great treat rather than the norm. “Your focus, energy levels, and mood will all improve,” Dr. Stella explains.
Focusing on the present moment while calmly observing and accepting your emotions, thoughts, and body sensations is what mindfulness entails. Mindful eating entails paying close attention to your food while you purchase, prepare, serve, and enjoy it.
5. Take use of technology
Sometimes all you need is a little incentive to get started Balanced Diet at Work. Fitness watches, trackers, and apps make it easy to measure your progress and keep on pace to meet your health objectives. Yet, with so much fitness-related technology on the market, it may be tough to know which one to invest in – so we’ve researched the top fitness trackers on the market to help you make the correct decision.
Some of the apps used by the BBC Good Food team include Time Out, which reminds you when you’ve been sitting for too long and need to take a break; My Water Balance, which helps you manage your daily water consumption; and, of course, the BBC Good Food recipes app. It’s ideal for getting healthy food ideas and organizing your weekly meals on the fly (even if we do say so ourselves)
