OS_Head Off your Work from Home Habits

We often joke about the ‘freshman 15’ – the 15-or so pounds of weight that young adults often gain in their first year away from home, at university. Lately, it’s been more about the ‘work from home weight.’ During the pandemic, many of us gained only 5 or 10 pounds of weight, but for some people, it’s 30 pounds or more. Lots have kept some of their pandemic habits, meaning, most have continued working from home. With this comes with lots of unwanted habits that develop from sitting at home all day every day.

Have your eating habits changed since working from home?

Now that many people work from home in the post-pandemic era, many of us have had a hard time getting back to the gym or quitting some of our unhealthy eating practices. Since the pandemic, there has been an increased focus on foods that support immunity, but also that provide comfort. Since lots have continued working from home, there has been a major shift in eating and snacking habits. Most Americans were already at a normal, overweight, or obese BMI (body mass index) before the pandemic began, and these extra pounds gained from being home for so long and now from working from home, represent a real risk to health. Try some of the tips below to get a handle on some of these unhealthy habits. Keep in mind that even the smallest change can make the biggest difference.

Here Are a Few Tips to Manage Work-From-Home Eating Habits:

• • Invest in a standing desk. Sitting for long periods of time has been shown to be quite harmful to our health, our posture, and our waistlines. One simple way to spend less time on your tush is to create a standing workstation. A simple way to do this is to put a chair on your desk or table. With this standing workstation, you have the option to invest in a walking treadmill or a step machine to create some movement while working.
  • If you do want to sit at your desk, buy yourself a chair that provides proper posture, wrist angles, and shoulder relaxation. This prevents your shoulders from hunching, your core from weakening, and prevents carpal tunnel and arthritis in your wrists.
  • Stop drinking alcohol, or drink in moderation. The easiest way to do this is to just not have any in the home. Many people’s alcohol intake has ballooned over the past few years, contributing not only to weight gain, but also high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety.
  • Move your body. There is really no way around this one. Do yoga videos, at home workouts, march up and down the stairs, bench press the dog. Call a friend and go for a walk. Put on some music and jump on the bed. People find all kinds of ways to creatively justify not exercising, but there is really no good excuse for most people. Get up and move!
  • Stay hydrated. Are you really hungry for a snack, or are you just thirsty? Coffee and alcohol are both dehydrating, so for every cup of coffee or glass of wine you drink, follow it up with a full glass of water.
  • Set up your home office farther away from the kitchen or dining room. Taking away this food-related temptation will make it easier to keep your snacking and mealtimes regular.
  • The majority of food should be eaten at mealtimes, even if you don’t feel hungry for a meal. Keeping your eating times regular can aid your hunger ques so you can rely on your body to tell you when it’s hungry.
  • When you eat, just eat. Don’t eat at your desk, or while you are working. Give yourself that break from work by enjoying your food.
  • Portion out your food the day before. If there is an end to the meal, or the snack, it will help ensure that you won’t overeat. Don’t eat out of the bag or the container as there is less of an end to the food, so you will eat more.
  • Be very conscious of what you are eating and how you are preparing meals. One of the best ways to provide yourself and your family with healthy food is researching superfoods.

Superfoods

Over the past few years, there has been a healthy food revolution. The public is focusing on foods and beverages with strong health and wellness benefits which are referred to as “superfoods.” They have become dominant in consumer choices because they support immunity, gut health, are anti-inflammatory, as well as many other things.

1. Fermented foods, like yogurt & kefir
2. Blueberries
3. Green Tea
4. Exotic fruit, like acai, golden berries
5. Seeds, such as chia and hemp
6. Avocados
7. Spinach & leafy greens
8. Kale
9. Nuts
10. Salmon

References:

Pollock Communications

Today’s Dietitian,

Dr. Erica Zelfand ND

10 Tips for Eating Healthy When You’re Working From Home (clevelandclinic.org)

Source: Dr. Erica Zelfand ND