Working a desk job doesn’t mean you have to abandon your fitness goals. Here are 6 health and wellness tips to get your routine back on track!
Bring a Water Bottle and Healthy Snacks to Work
Having a water bottle at my desk helps me stay hydrated throughout the day and gives me energy. Drinking water also makes you feel fuller for longer. Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. If you’re feeling like you need a snack, first drink a glass of water and then wait 10 minutes. It could be that you were just dehydrated. I also bring healthy snacks in my bag so that I’m less likely to get junk food from the office kitchen 🙂
Here are some healthy snacks you can bring to work:
- Apples, Fruit
- Celery & Nut Butter
- Lara Bars, Rx Bars (healthy granola bars without a lot of sugar or processed ingredients)
- Veggies and Hummus
- Popcorn
- Greek Yoghurt
- Edamame
- String Cheese
- Turkey roll-ups
- Homemade energy bites
You can also view my post of Healthy Office Lunches here
Limit Your Caffeine Intake
Try to limit yourself to two cups of coffee per day max (or two cups of caffeinated tea per day). Caffeine is super dehydrating, and too much of it will make you jittery or can give you a headache. You can also cut back on the amount of creamer you put in your coffee!
Get Your Zzzs
You should aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Not getting enough sleep actually increases the hormone, Ghrelin, in your body (aka the hormone that makes you HUNGRY). Sleep deprivation also increases the Cortisol (stress hormone) in your body. This will make it harder for you to deal with stress and make you more anxious than normal. Go to sleep and wake up THE SAME TIME everyday so your body and brain can get on a good sleeping schedule. It’ll improve your sleep, health, and mood immensely. Sleeping is key to your health and wellness.
Establish a Routine
Set a gym or workout time. Try to stick to that same time everyday. Wake up and go to sleep at the same times everyday. Create a healthy morning and night routine. We’re trying to make healthy habits so that these things just become second nature.
Plan Your Meals Over the Weekend
I make my meal plan over the weekend and then I do all of my grocery shopping on Sunday. Having a plan will make you more likely to stick to a healthy diet.
You can even meal-prep if that makes your life easier! Meal-prepping can save you so much time in your weekdays. It’s easier to eat healthy when you don’t have to worry about what you’re going to eat and how long it’ll take.
Move Your Body Throughout the Day
Sitting at a desk all day is not ideal for your health. Every 30 minutes to an hour, stand up and walk around. Do some tricep-dips, incline pushups, leg lifts, or stretches at your desk.
Take a walk during your break. Stand up while you eat your lunch. Get your steps in (10,000 steps per day is recommended). Get a Fitbit or fitness tracker to monitor your activity. Choose a parking space farther away from the office building or print something from a printer that’s farther away so you have further to walk. Take a morning walk before work or right after work. Exercise increases your energy levels throughout the day, so you’ll end up being fitter and also more productive. Just get moving.
These were 6 health and wellness tips to boost your physical and mental health. Let me know which tips you find the most interesting!
XO,
Layton