It can be hard to keep your healthy habits going when the people around you aren’t all that concerned about them. It can be especially difficult at work because you’ve got no choice but to be surrounded by people. Maybe there’s a Donut Dan, a potluck, it’s someone’s birthday, or the entire department has decided to go out to lunch.
Your workplace can be a trap waiting to be sprung. But these are some easy ways you can keep your health train going on the right track.
- Drink Water
Getting enough water every day is one of the best things you can do for yourself. The 8 glasses of water a day is a myth. Ignore that rule. The best way to tell if you’re adequately hydrated is if your urine is a pale yellow.
As for why you should drink water…
Much of the time you feel like you’re hungry, you’re actually not. You’re thirsty. So drinking water can help you eat less.
If you need some flavor (it can be difficult to just start drinking water all day every day), grab some tea bags or try some naturally flavored sparkling waters. Ideally you should only have a few of those drinks each day though.
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- Snack
There’s nothing wrong with having a few snacks hungry to make sure you’re not ravenous by the time you get home. A smart snack can curb your hunger and prevent you from overeating later.
An apple a day may not exactly keep the doctor away, but it’ll certainly keep your hunger at bay. They’re especially useful to have on hand when someone brings in something sweet and you really want to have a slice of cake.
Or, if you’re really having a hard time with that, stash a dark chocolate bar in your desk with a high percentage of cacao. It’ll be a little bitter, but chocolate can cure almost any craving.
Other ideas for healthful snacks: nuts (preferably raw), hummus and vegetables, seeds (again, raw), and fresh fruit.
- Walk
You could try exercising at your desk, but walking is probably going to be a lot more effective than anything you could do there. Walking is honestly one of the best ways to exercise (low impact, low injury risk) and it’s important to get your blood pumping during the day.
Walking is perfect when you’re stressed. Sometimes just a little bit of fresh air or different scenery will be enough to change your mood.
- Start a Competition
There’s nothing wrong with a little competition in the workplace. In fact, we used to have them regularly at one of the places I used to work at. Set a low buy-in ($10 or so), a start and end date, and the rules. We used to go by body fat lost or muscle gained. It’s a terrific way to put an end to random health traps you encounter every day at work. Plus, exercising relieves stress, it’ll help pull the office together, and it’ll boost morale. Just keep it friendly.
- Speak Up
If your department is ordering from an unhealthy place for lunch, ask them to order from somewhere else. You may have to do a little research to find some healthy places nearby, but it’ll be well worth it. With health being a priority for certain restaurants now, healthy can be incredibly delicious. If they still refuse to budge, look over the menu and opt for grilled chicken or grilled fish. Of course, there’s always salad too.
Try a few of these out and increase your health – while you’re working. It’ll almost be like you’re getting paid to do it.
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