COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented times that have left many of us working from home for several weeks in a row. These unpredictable times have added anxiety and stress for many people and eating smart to stay healthy gets challenging in such situations.
I have personally been struggling with staying on top of my healthy eating goals since I began working from home. I am sharing five tips that have helped me stay on track to eat mindfully and I hope that some of these may help others!
5 Tips to Eat Smart
- Track
- Tracking what you eat and drink throughout the day is a great strategy to become aware of your calorie intake. It is even more important during times when you are home for prolonged periods of time and have easy access to food. You can use a simple pen and paper method to track throughout the day or an online tool such as MyFitnessPal, LoseIt, SparkPeople, etc.
- Set a meal schedule
- Setting a routine for your meals and snacks helps you to avoid unnecessary snacking throughout the day.
- Keep healthy snacks on hand
- In these current times, keeping healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetables in stock may seem to be challenging with limited trips to the grocery. Right now, it is easy to be tempted to pick up non-perishable snacks that are not always healthy. Choose fruits and vegetables with a longer shelf life such as apples, oranges, carrots, etc. and eat these after some of the more perishable produce items such as berries. Also, canned fruits (without syrup) and frozen fruits are also an equally good choice.
- Assess your hunger level
- Make sure that you are eating when you are hungry and not when you are bored.
- Set up your work area wisely
- Set up your work station at home in an area that is away from the kitchen and pantry. This will help with the “out of sight, out of mind” strategy. Work in an area that makes you get up and make an informed choice before you grab something to eat. Depending upon your personal situation and space in your house this may or may not be feasible.
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You may also enjoy:
Shopping for Fruits and Vegetables During a Pandemic
How to Snack Smart While Working from Home
Why You Should Still Meal Prep When Working From Home
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