Working long hours can be the downfall of our health in a number of ways, but it doesn’t have to be. There are steps that you can take to protect yourself from falling victim to the long hour slump that often creeps up and saps all our energy and healthy eating goals. The following are five tips that you can implement into your daily routine to combat the perils of working long hours.
Prepare Your Meals In Advance
Even if you work long hours, you’re bound to have some time off in the week to be a human. A part of that time of can be spent doing meal prep. Meal prep begins when you decide which food to buy so plan smart for meals for the week ahead. Breakfast on the go is a pain but it doesn’t have to mean that you substitute for unhealthy quick fixes such as pastry and white bread. Fruit, yoghurt, and even a cup of green tea are all healthy and fast fire fixes for a healthier start to the day. For your main meal of the day, you could think about following a specific diet path in order to maintain some routine and discipline. There are lots of delicious paleo recipes you could try. There’s a variety of healthy, filling meals with a range of different foods to suit everyone.
Start The Day Early
Studies have shown that people are more motivated to work out before starting a shift than they are afterwards. The chemical release in your brain as a result of a good exercise session can keep you motivated for the whole morning, even the whole day. You are also psychologically more likely to exercise before you’ve had a long tiring day, as opposed to at the end of that same challenge.
Avoid Sugary Snacks
Sugary snacks, like crisps, candy, and chocolate, are the making or breaking of any healthy eating initiative. If you are prone to snacking, try find a healthy replacement to keep you sated during your long working day. If you don’t, you might become a victim of your own making. These are especially tempting when your body craves an energy fix.
Drink Water
Another way to avoid excessive snacking is by drinking lots and lots of water. Water is one of the best things we can put in our bodies. It has so many health benefits but it can also put a halt to unnecessary grazing by making you feel fuller. By suppressing your cravings, you can really throw your body a curveball and maintain a healthy regime of eating across those long work hours.
Covet Your Sleep
The best thing that you can do for yourself alongside all these things is to adopt a nurturing sleep regime. Without the right amount of sleep, your body will not manage to stay healthy, especially if you are exhausted from a lengthy day. When we sleep, our body recoups and recharges. Brain function is severely decreased when you exist in a sleep deficit. Another potential consequence of not enough sleep is that we humans tend to crave sugar fixes for an energy boost. This can completely derail your whole healthy eating plan and lead you down a road you don’t want to go down.
Conclusion
It can be a real challenge to find the time to look after yourself when you are constantly on the go. A demanding job often diminishes the capacity to enforce a self-care regime, so you have to make overall lifestyle changes in order to stay healthy and in shape.
