Stay healthy and fit at work with these three easy tips
The office can be an obstacle course for your health and fitness goals. The receptionist’s candy bowl? It’s like a siren call, yes?
And, if you sit at a desk all day long, you know your typing fingers are the only part of your body getting a good cardio workout.
Let’s take to the white board and re-imagine your 9-to-5 routine. With a few tweaks and accessories, you can make your workplace work out for you.
Walking meetings
Next time you get a calendar invite for a meeting over coffee, suggest instead that you walk-and-talk. Take to a nearby trail or walkway.
Turns out, walking meetings are an ancient practice and help stimulate creativity. Aristotle was said to walk as he taught, according to FeetFirst, an organization that promotes walking communities. Among the additional perks? Walking and talking means you’ll stay energized (read: No glazed-over eyes) and a new environment can spur new ideas.
Keep a pair of walking shoes at the office for your lunchtime walks or your walking meetings. These gray Nikes are a casual shoe with a classic herringbone out sole. Nike Classic Cortez, $64.99 (plus 2% Cash Back), footlocker.com
Lunch
Why brown bag it when you can tote a gorgeous lunchbox to work? Save money and skimp on calories by packing healthy lunches for yourself instead of going out for lunch or hitting up the drive-thru. This pretty floral lunch bag has a crush-proof molded liner (read: No smushed sandwiches) and an easy-to-clean interior. Make a vegetable soup at the beginning of the week, pack leftovers or throw together a salad with fresh greens, veggies and fruits. A well-rounded lunch has the added benefit of keeping you energized as you power through the afternoon. Embark Crushproof Lunch Box, $11.24 (plus .5% Cash Back), target.com
Healthy snacks
Snub the vending machine and, instead, keep healthy snacks stashed in your desk. When hunger strikes or when you get stuck at work later than expected, having some high-fiber snacks to hold you over is key. Skip the chips and candy (they’ll leave you feeling sluggish) and reach for some yummy granola. The Kind Healthy Grains Oats & Honey Clusters with Toasted Coconut is a good source of fiber and is made with five super grains and combined with sweet honey and toasted coconut. Kind Oats & Honey Clusters with Coconut, 3 bags for $16.47 (plus 12% Cash Back), puritan.com