Thoughtful snacking decisions at the workplace and home can make life healthy and happy. So, be sure to follow these significant tips and be mindful of your well-being.
As we prepare for a phased return to pre-pandemic normalcy amid office reopening, nutrition and your dietary lifestyle play a key role in getting our brain and body ready for the daily grind; and snacking through the day whether you are working from home, or office contributes a large part of our daily diet. Given there is an urge to munch constantly throughout the day, snacks being the readily available options, unchecked and unhealthy eating patterns take a toll on many people’s overall health. It is due to this reason it is important to be smart and aware of your food choices. Anchal Abrol, CEO and Founder of Snaqary shared some smart snacking tips for office workers.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
It is a known fact that the body needs an appropriate amount of hydration to keep you going throughout the day, yet the majority of us tend to take it lightly. It is crucial to keep drinking water and maintain fluid intake throughout the day. The body gets dehydrated even when you’re sitting inside the house, so one must develop a habit of keeping a water bottle next to them and keep sipping the water. You can include other healthy drink options in your day as well like coconut water, buttermilk, lemon water, and infused detox water in your daily routine which will prove to be a healthy hydrating option that also tastes good. Additionally, it is important to be wary of sugary and carbonated drinks, canned juice, etc, since they are not healthy, and will only have detrimental effects on your health.
Do a Meal Prep
Meal prep is a way to prepare batch-cooking meals, snacks or ingredients ahead of time, to make healthy eating easier. In addition, when working from home, your day may be slightly less dictated by routine than when you’re in the office. So, it is important to schedule and prepare set meals in advance while working from home or on busy office days to avoid overeating and unhealthy munching on readily available items. make a meal schedule that coincides with your work schedule.
Add healthy snacks over junk to your kitchen
An important tip is not to stock your fridge or pantry with unhealthy junk high in bad fats and sugars. This can lead to eating just out of a craving because you can. Try your best to keep junk food out of your house, especially foods you know can trigger a binge for you, and instead substitute processed foods for fresh food including peanuts, chickpeas, seeds on salad and fruits. One can also adopt healthy snack options like khakhra, jawar or quinoa puffs, corns, sprouts, baked bhakarwadi, roasted makhanas, etc. These snacks are great to give relief to mid-work hunger. One can enjoy them without messing up their diet as they are packed with protein and fibre that ensure instant energy. Smoothies topped with nutritious roasted seeds are another healthy option that will tingle your taste buds and are easy to make which will ensure you stave off those hunger pangs.
Focus on Real Food
Balanced, nutritious food makes us more productive. It keeps you fuller longer and helps us focus. In order to adopt a healthy lifestyle, it is also crucial to understand that what one eats will also have an impact their mood and energy level. As a result, when the next time you’re feeling hungry and desire to munch on something you know is unhealthy, focus on the effect the food would have on your body and mind. Instead, direct your attention to protein, fibre, healthy fats, fruits and veggies. Planning a menu ahead of time will make it easier to avoid noshing on whatever looks tastiest and quickest at the moment.
Portion out snacks before eating
Never eat out of the bag or original container, as it’s much harder to control portions that way. Binge eating, even on healthy foods is detrimental to health, as a result separating portions for snacks is necessary. Eating adequately, but not excessively, can ward off and control the urge to binge.
