I Work 9 To 9, Living On Snacks And Coffee With Zero Steps. How To Stay Fit And Eat Healthy?

 Due to challenging work environments, it has become difficult to ensure a healthy lifestyle

While we have high paying job opportunities, there is the negative outcome of a sedentary lifestyle. In cities, most of the time is spent at the office and commuting. This leaves very little time to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you are facing a similar situation, here are some ways to overcome the challenge.

Sustainable plan for someone working 9-to-9 (12-hour days), relying on snacks/coffee, and getting zero steps

The first thing you need to do is fix your eating habits. Living largely on snacks often leads to high blood sugar, fatigue and weight gain. What you really need is protein, fiber and healthy fats. Given below are some sample options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Breakfast (before work or quick at desk): High-protein options like Greek yogurt + berries + nuts, overnight oats (oats + protein powder/milk + fruit), or 2-3 eggs + avocado on toast. Make sure you prepare these items the night before.
• Lunch (mid-shift): You can do the meal preparation on your off days. Options you can try include grilled chicken/quinoa/veggie bowls, turkey wraps, tuna salad, or big salads with protein. You can batch-cook on weekends, so that weekdays will not create any bottleneck.
• Dinner (after work): Since you may be already tired after work, try to keep it simple. Options include protein (fish, chicken, beans, tofu) + veggies + carbs (sweet potato, rice). Try to eat within 1 hour of getting home, so that you have a proper gap between the meal and sleep time.

Snack options

If you eat healthy meals, you may not feel the urge for snacks. However, in today's stressful work environments, you may need some extra energy to get things done. If you are feeling hungry, you can try healthy snacks. Options include Greek yogurt cups with fruit, hard boiled eggs, apple + peanut butter or cheese, cottage cheese + berries, mixed nuts, protein bars or protein shakes with low sugar content.

Hydration is another important factor of healthy eating. Instead of coffee and other beverages, you need to drink plain water. Electrolytes are okay, but these should have low sugar content.

Exercise options

Along with a healthy diet, you will also need good physical fitness. Here are some options you can consider.

Exercise options during your 9 to 9 job - Spending long hours on the chair can create health issues. Make sure you take a break every 45-60 minutes. You can stand up, walk around or do desk exercises. You can walk inside the office or around the office building or premises. Make sure to walk after your meals at the office. Even when seated, you can do some exercises. These are quite simple like shoulder rolls, neck stretches, seated squats, calf raises and desk push-ups.

Exercise options at home - Before work, you can walk for around 10-20 minutes daily. You can also do simple exercises such as squats, push-ups and planks. A similar exercise routine can be followed after your 9 to 9 work schedule is over. On weekends, you can aim to spend more time exercising.

Getting proper rest and sleep

This will complete the full schedule of how to maintain a healthy body and mind in a 9 to 9 work environment. Getting proper rest and sleep is just as important as other factors discussed above. Make sure you avoid things like coffee and snacks at nighttime, as these can interfere with your sleep. Make a routine and follow it strictly. You can also take up meditation and deep breathing exercises, which are known to reduce stress and anxiety.