By Michelle Hill, Cambia Health Solutions, Health Coach
While we are staying home to be well and keep others well – we are experiencing stress and isolation from friends, family and even coworkers. We are all removed from normalcy – some are working from home, others are unemployed – we are away from our jobs and communities. With this hardship, it is easy to fall into unhealthy habits.
However, right now it’s more important than ever to control what we can to maintain our health. Here are some tips we have compiled from Cambia’s wellness team:
- Plan healthy snacks in advance. If you have fruits and vegetables handy, you will eat them. Conversely, the same applies to chips. Another strategy- keep frozen fruit available to quickly blend up a smoothie. Throw some greens in to make it extra nutrient dense. Substitute nuts or air popcorn for chips. Plan out healthy alternatives and have them handy when you are short on time and want to munch.
- Schedule snack breaks. Grazing all day, particularly if you are watching television or working in front of a screen, leads to additional consumption. Instead, schedule intentional snack breaks –stand up, move away from your screen to grab a healthy option.
- Every time you want to eat, grab some water first. We all know we should drink more water, but are we drinking enough? Every time you want a snack, drink a glass of water first. Water fills you up, hydrates you, and thirst can mimic feelings of hunger. Set a water goal for the day- how many ounces will you strive for? Setting a goal will help you to stay on task and be successful.
- Get up from your screen once an hour. It’s easy to sit in front of the screen all day. Once per hour stand up and stretch, take a lap around the house or go through a breathing exercise. Need a reminder? Use a device alarm to make it happen.
- Keep the balance with your breaks. Trying to keep balance between work and home? Use your scheduled breaks to throw a load of laundry in or put the dishes away.
Small steps result in long gains. Try these out over the next few weeks, and control what you can!
Additional Resources for Health and Wellness
Topics
