Every New Year, a large group of people makes the decision that they would like to live healthier. There is a fair amount of this crowd who decide to start their wellness journeys by purchasing expensive exercise and gym memberships with the anticipation that they will be “tricked” into making it a priority. A few months down the road, those machines are used to dry laundry and the membership dues are being paid but no visits are being made.
The simple fact is that the 30 minutes on the elliptical or at the gym pales in comparison to how most of us are spending the largest chunk of our day — at work. So why not set up a healthy foundation and baseline before diving fully into the fitness grind? There is a lot that can be accomplished by implementing small, proactive changes into our regular habits during those working hours. Once you are on a roll with the routine, combine that momentum with proper sleep and regular workout sessions, and the sky is the limit.
Here are a few quick fixes that will get you headed in the right direction.
Eat A Good Breakfast
There are a variety of studies on the subject, but the main consensus for most people having a nutritional bite at the start of the day is beneficial [study]. For those who don’t feel like breakfast, occasionally there can be bad habits that cause that such as eating too late at night or consuming too many items that are hunger deterrents.
For Starters: This is a great and energy-packed breakfast option from M.S. chef Dan Churchill which can be made quickly the night before so that you don’t have to worry about waking up early for prep time. Experiment with the amounts and find a combination that works before for you.
Keep Healthy Snacks Around
There is no question that if you aren’t having a good breakfast and then aren’t keeping healthy snacks around then that hunger is going to come in a big way eventually. There is a target amount of calories that we should be consuming in a day, on average around 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men [study]. Ideally, you aren’t getting all of those at the end of the day, so having a good intake during the work day is a positive.
For Starters: The goal is to meal and snack prep for yourself with large batches so that you don’t have to spend too much, but there are fairly inexpensive options for large batch purchases that can get you on the right track. Orgain plant protein have a great nutritional make-up, not to mention being pretty tasty, and RX Bars have a great ingredient list for a snack bar. Both are fairly available as far as supermarkets and online delivery go.
Drink Enough Water
Projects for work can require intense focus whether manual or digital, and getting away from your station can seem virtual (and literally) impossible. Studies say that water intake for men should be 15.5 cups for men and 11.5 cups for women on average [study]. So unless you are going to get up about a dozen times a day to fill up your water cup, there’s a huge benefit to keeping a container around that can contain and keep cold a quart or more.
For Starters: Containers like this one from Magic Bottle have visible indicators to keep you conscious of your water goals for the day. They are a great way to learn how much you really need to drink, and what kind of pacing is required to get the correct amount. Don’t forget to clean your bottles regularly.
Get Up And Move
There is a lot of research out of acclaimed institutions like Columbia University that have done research on what has come to be known as “sitting disease.” So many of our attention these days is spent with “activities” that keep us no active at all. So getting up regularly during the day when possible, and taking advantage of doing calls while walking are huge to our overall health.
For Starters: For those who need an extra hand when it comes to remembering to be active there are a lot of great connected fitness options like Oura Ring, which reminds you if you have been too stagnant for too long. Of course, you don’t need fancy tech to get the job, you can also set an alarm on your phone or computer that reminds you to get up.
Practice Good Posture
Everybody is familiar with the idea that they should “stand up straight” and the same is true for sitting. Getting back to the fact that most people spend a good majority of their day seated for work, practicing proper posture in that environment can have tremendous health benefits [study]. “Tech neck” is another term that has come into the vernacular, because in many situations users are being forced into incorrect posture to get a good look at their devices. So whatever methods can be introduced to your daily life that prevent that are huge.
For Starters: The standing desk is a piece of furniture that has become more and more common, as people became more cognizant of health risks from sitting too long. But for one, these pieces can be expensive, and for another, standing the whole day isn’t necessarily healthy either. For those looking to give themselves all of the options, this standing desk converter from Dell is great. Or if you want to wait on the purchase, perhaps ask for it as a gift, you can use books or other objects to lift your screens into a position where your chin is parallel to the floor.