Tips on How to Eat Healthy at Your 9-5 Job
It is definitely a struggle to eat well when you live a busy life. I know when I get home from work, the last thing I want to do is cook. I am usually starving, and I just wish I had a magic cooking elf to feed me delicious, healthy dinners.
Regardless, it is extremely important that we are mindful of our eating habits, especially when we spend most of our days at work. When you are caught up in meetings, answering emails, and putting out office fires, your eating habits become scattered. Oftentimes, you will find you are famished and dehydrated which WILL affect your productivity.
Here are my tips for staying nourished at work:
1. Eat a Second Breakfast
Take a lesson from our little hobbit friends Merry and Pippin and eat "Second Breakfast". Whether you do intermittent fasting or you are just short on time, consider a loaded matcha latte, bulletproof coffee, or a nutrient-packed smoothie to go for your breakfast. Once you're at work, it's easy to whip up a quick oatmeal if your work has a kettle or microwave. I used pre-make my own mixture of old-fashioned oats, raw almonds, cinnamon and chia seeds in mason jar, bring it to work and just add hot water. You can add delicious organic berries to add sweetness too. This should hold you over until lunch.
2. Stay Hydrated
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Whether I have a cup of tea on my desk, a large carton of coconut water, or even just good ole H2O, I make sure I am constantly hydrated. Yes, I get up to pee every hour, but taking a walk to the bathroom is also a good way to keep your energy up when you feel like you've been sitting all day.
3. Stock Your Pantry
Go grocery shopping on a Saturday morning. If you live in a big city, you understand how much of an event it is just to buy groceries. I have to be very selective with the times I choose to stop at Trader Joes, unless I want to stand in a line outside just to get in to the place. Therefore, I wake up early and beat the weekend crowd. Plus, grocery shopping saves you money in the long run and you know I'm all about living a healthy life on a budget!
4. Cook in Advance
Pick a day of the week (or weekend) that is the best time for you to crank out a few meals for the week ahead. I typically cook a large portion on Sunday nights, including making my cashew mylk, so I can take leftovers to work on Monday and Tuesday and have my mylk ready for my morning matcha. Quinoa is always a great idea and if you need a little inspiration, check out my favorite, easy go-to dinner recipe.
5. My Go-To Snack
Having a go-to midday snack can save you so much time and so many bad decisions. Some of my favorite include coconut yogurt, greek yogurt with berries, carrots and apples with cashew butter or raw nuts. Make sure to keep these on-hand so when you need a little pick-me-up towards the end of the work day or right when you get home, you have delicious, simple options to reach for.
I know it is exhausting, but just think about how much better you will feel when you are treating your body the way it deserves. If you have any tips to add, please share it in the comment section below!
Keep on keeping on,
Jules xx
