When I used to go into the office 5 days per week it was difficult to stay on top of what I ate.
Lunch breaks with colleagues to different places each day, random from home meals, pizza in the office – it all made for a very random, uncontrolled diet.
Working from home gave me a lot more control over what I ate everyday; subsequently meaning my diet was a lot healthier.
Here’s are some of my tips to maintain healthy eating habits.
1) Preparation
Firstly, do an online/or in store grocery shop once per week.
Having all the food you need for the week gives you a lot more structure and control over what you eat, and discourages sporadic (junk food) eating.
💡 Top Tip – Do your shop after you’ve eaten – if you’re not hungry you’ll make better, healthier decisions on what to buy as you’ll be led by your brain, not your stomach!
2) Include Healthy Desk Snacks
If you’re like me, you’ll get the munchies throughout the day.
Often this can mean reaching for a pack of chips or a cookie as they’re convenient.
To prevent this urge, In my weekly shop, I’ll purchase some fruit and nuts that I keep in my desk drawer.
Having healthy food readily available acts as a buffer to more indulgent snacks. Putting options at arm’s reach also means that the convenience helps prevent going to the kitchen and making a decision between a cookie and an apple!
3) Don’t Work Near The Kitchen
I’ve worked in the kitchen a few times before. Subliminally, I can protest that it seems to instil hunger in your mind because of the association you have with it and food.
It ultimately results in more fridge checking which leads to spontaneous food choices (which are often bad ones).
If you can, work somewhere else to break this connection to avoid unhealthy snacking.
Work From Home Planner
Take control of your day with this simple to use planner
4) Don’t Skip Meals
If you’re in a flow, working hard, mealtimes can bypass you in a flash.
The problem then is that you get starving later on and end up overeating or adding late night snacks to your daily intake to make up for earlier.
Try setting reminders or being strict with your meal times to keep you on track.
5) Stay Hydrated
Part of a healthy diet includes staying hydrated.
Not getting enough liquids throughout the day can impair productivity and cause headaches.
Having a water bottle (or even better a water bottle with that shows you how much you’ve drunk) on your desk is a great way to make sure you prevent dehydration.
According to MayoClinic the recommended daily amount of water is:
6) Create A Routine
Perhaps most important is to create a routine to suit your schedule, dietary habits and goals.
A consistent routine is the best way to stay on track against your objectives. If you do this, planning and implementing healthy eating habits will eventually become second nature.
You can find some useful free meal planner templates to get started or jump into Excel or Google Sheets to create your own.
James Waite
Founder of Remoteopia, James has worked in remote roles for 6 years. After a stint in recruitment, he now works as a director of website strategy in tech.
