When you’re a workaholic, corporate wellness becomes essential. Spending the majority of your time in the office means that your wellbeing often takes a back seat, especially with regards to your weight loss wellness. In fact, researchers at Kansas State University, who looked at workaholics who logged 50-plus office hours a week, found that these individuals skipped meals more often, had worse overall diets and experienced more mood problems than those who worked less. Sometimes cutting back your hours isn’t an option – whether due to the demands of your job or your own workaholic personality – so how do you eat and live healthily while still giving your all to the job you love?
1. Keep healthy foods within reach: According to nutritionist Elisa Zied, author of the upcoming book, Younger Next Week, the best snacks to have on your desk should contain a mix of protein plus produce or whole grains. Zied explains, ‘This combination of protein and fibre is filling, helps steady blood sugar and provides many other key nutrients to help your body and brain perform optimally.’ Try some wholegrain crisps with hummus, some fresh fruit and yoghurt or dried fruit mixed with nuts and whole grain cereal.
2. Drink plenty of water: If you’re going to be “on it” in the office, you need to drink plenty of H2O. Not only will it keep you hydrated and your brain in good working order, but guzzling down water will force you to get up and go to the loo several times a day, which will save you from sitting down for too long. Pamela Peeke, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland and author of Body for Life for Women, comments, ‘When you’re inactive, your metabolism glacierizes. You cool down, important enzyme systems slow down significantly, and this leaves you with an inability to efficiently process blood glucose and cholesterol. Thus, blood sugar and lipids rise.’ Therefore, you need to find every excuse to stand up and move around.
3. Use SPF: The best skincare advice going is that you should wear sun cream every day – regardless of the weather or whether or not you’re going outside. However, failing that (because, let’s be honest, you’re likely to forget to wear sun cream every day) you should make sure your foundation and/or moisturiser contains SPF – that way, you’re always covered, literally!
4. Eat off smaller plates: Zied points out, ‘Eating off smaller plates can help you eat less. For one, you can’t put as much food on a smaller plate as you can on a bigger one. Also, you may eat less quickly because you’ll have less food. Think about when your tube of toothpaste or shampoo bottle are near empty, you use less and try to conserve. Using smaller utensils, cups and bowls can also help you naturally eat less, too.’
5. Put a nature scene as your desktop background: ‘Research shows that connecting with nature in any way soothes you and brings the stress hormone cortisol down to a more functional level,’ Dr. Peeke notes. ‘There is a deeply spiritual element, which is a humbling moment, when we see the grandeur and majesty of nature and realise the small part we play.’
6. Make breakfast – not dinner – your big meal of the day: ‘Having a big breakfast tells your body that you’re not starving after an overnight fast,’ says Zied. ‘And as a bonus, a nutrient-rich breakfast sets you up to be alert, productive and focused, and helps your body and brain perform optimally.’