As I stated in my previous post, I have a new career this year! I’m really happy in my new position, but my biggest challenge is keeping up with my healthy habits.
Like most of corporate America, my day is spent in my chair facing a computer screen. I find myself making less time to eat meals and drink water. To make matters worse, office parties and meetings usually call for sweets and salty satisfactions that break every rule in my book! And in the evenings, after spending what feels like an eternity staring at the rear of someone’s car, I’m too exhausted to even think about getting my workout in, which means gym sessions feel impossible.
So, what do you do? It’s a difficult question for almost everyone to answer these days. Even when I start to motivate myself to get back on track, some big project pops up and everything else gets put on hold. I finally decided to make a plan!
Pack your lunch!
We have all heard of meal prep and yes, it doesn’t seem that entertaining, but it’s worth it! Make Sunday Funday spent preparing some of your favorite meals for the work week. Visit my Pinterest @justsimplyfit for some fun and healthy recipes!
Eat your breakfast!
A lot of that drag I feel around 10 a.m. comes from skipping breakfast. I make sure to prepare yummy protein smoothies/shakes for the morning ride to work. And if that doesn’t appeal to me, I’ll prepare a healthy omelet to eat at my desk when I first get in.
Drink lots of water!
Make it easy on yourself and always bring a full water bottle with you to work. I always pack my favorite 20 oz Nike water bottle everyday and carry it with me to meetings so that I avoid sugary drinks.
Snack while you can!
It is really important to make sure you are eating in between your meals! I make sure to have healthy snacks in my drawers at work for every craving. For instance, Trader Joe’s has awesome trail mix packs that come with a little bit of dark chocolate for sweet cravings. And for those who have a weakness for salt, I have some low calorie Kale Chips I bought at my local organic market. I even leave healthy snacks in my car and gym bag to make sure I counteract any reason I make up to grab some junk food.
Exercise during breaks!
We all have those days when we stop concentrating and start slumping over in our chair. When my spirit is down and I need a pick me up, I usually do some exercises in the office. Now, I’m not trying to break a sweat, but I do want to get my blood flowing a little bit. You will be amazed at how much energy you’ll get from just performing a few simple exercises! Here are some of my favorites!
1. Walk it out
Any opportunity you have to take a walk or the stairs, do it! Bring your running/walking shoes with you to work each day and grab a coworker for a stroll around the block. When I worked in Downtown Los Angeles, I used to love walking to my favorite stores nearby during lunch. I always came back to the office feeling great.
2. Find a wall
Walls are everywhere! Find an open space in your office and do some wall sits! Stand with your back against the wall and slide into a squat position. Hold this position for 30 seconds or longer.
3. Pop a squat
As silly as it may feel to do squats at the office, we all know the benefits of this exercise! Do about 15-20 reps and I guarantee you’ll be walking around with a little more pep in your step knowing you just worked those glutes!
4. Just Dip
Grab a non-rolling chair and work on your triceps by doing some dips! Try 10-12 reps and feel the burn!
5. Give me 15
I love sexy arms, so when I have a moment I’ll do some push-ups on the floor in the corner of my office or against my desk. Start with 15 reps and raise the number each day to push yourself.
Looking for more simple exercises? Check out this article called “Deskercise!” to find more!
Get to the gym!
To motivate myself to head straight to the gym after work, I pack my gym bag with my workout clothes the night before and change right after I finish my tasks for the day. Once I am in my gym clothes, I have no excuse to go home. When I get into my car, I make sure to put on my workout playlist to get my energy up. Any Calvin Harris song usually does the trick!
Let me know if these tips help and share some more!