Eat Well at Work
As a small business owner it can be really tough to eat healthily at work with the pressures of keeping the business running smoothly, but it needn't be.
Be prepared
Try to make lunch the night before if you can (from experience it is too easy to say "I'll do it in the morning" and then be so rushed that it doesn't happen) and also try to take a few healthy snacks with you. This will help prevent the trips to the coffee shop or sweet shop where the temptation is to fell up with cake, crisps or chocolate. Rice and Pasta salads or even cous-cous are easy and quick to get ready and many keep overnight and taste good the next day.
Don't forget Breakfast
You have probably heard it said that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gets you off to a good start, boosts your metabolism and even helps you to control your food intake for the rest of the day. A good breakfast will include fibre and protein. Try some of the following ideas: -
- Porridge with fruit
- A wholegrain bagel with peanut butter
- Yoghurt with fruit and honey
- Beans or Egg on wholemeal toast
- A fruit smoothie made with yoghurt
Keep up your fluid intake
Did you know that our bodies are 2/3rds water? This means that to maintain this level and stop dehydration (especially in the summer or an airconditioned office) you should try to drink 2 1/2 litres (4 - 5 pints) of fluid a day - this can be plain water, sparkling water, squash, fruit juice and even the odd cup of tea or coffee (but not too much tea or coffee). Dehydration will affect your productivity at work as well as your health and well-being with studies at Leeds University showing that just a 2% dehydration affecting performance at arithmetic.
Eat nuts
Both seeds and nuts are convenient healthy snacks but be careful not to eat too many if youare watching your weight as they are fairly full of calories but they are also full of healthy nutrients and protein. Many also gcontain lots or "healthy fat" that can lower the levels of bad cholestorol in your body. YOu should remember though that chocolate coverede nuts are not so good for you as the plain ones.
Don't binge.
The best way to maintain your energy levels throughout the day and avoid those hunger pangs is to graze. You should aim to eat "little and often" - this helps keep your blood sugar level steady and you will be less likely to crave thouse sugar rich foods. In addition you will maintain a steady supply of food to your brain thus boosting your productivity during the day. If you want to graze try bananas, dried apricots, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and cashews.
Of course, you should adapt the advice above if have an allegy to any of the foods, for example if you have a nut allegry then replace the nuts with something safer.
More ideas on healthy eating and office based exercise are on our blog post keeping fit in an office job.