Temptation comes in many forms when you’re trying to stick to new year’s resolutions. If you made a resolution to build a healthy nutritional foundation, you might find it tough sometimes during the day -- especially when part of that day includes work at an office. Data from a US Department of Agriculture Food Acquisition and Purchasing Survey (FoodAPS) showed that we eat almost 1,300 calories a week at work, and many of those are empty calories full of sodium and sugar.
But you can stay the nutritional course if you follow a few basics. Keep that commitment to a healthy you in the new year with these five simple tips.
- Drink Up You’ve heard it before: staying hydrated is key. But, according to the Mayo Clinic, many people wait until it’s too late to hydrate; by the time we actually feel thirsty, we’re getting dehydrated. Drinking plenty of water regularly also means you’ll avoid any thirstiness masquerading as hunger. Increase your water intake by strategizing — set a regular time to take a drink, eat water-dense foods (berries, celery and cucumbers are good sources), incorporate icy smoothies into your diet or add a little fruit to your water to liven up hydration time.
- Think Ahead Don’t get caught without healthy snacks with high protein on hand. You might miss lunch to meet a deadline and sip a soda for energy or forage for office donuts when the hunger takes over. Try stocking your desk with nuts, dried fruit, protein bars and ready-to-drink shakes with ample amount of protein to keep you full and on track. Try Orgain Vegan Organic Nutrition Shakes instead of soda and Organic Protein Bars instead of a raised glazed.
- Plan Protein Speaking of protein, the USDA and US Department of Health and Human Services recommends making protein 10% to 35% of your daily calories. If you eat 2,000 calories a day, shooting for 100 grams of protein (about 20% of total daily calories) is a good middle point. Make a dent in that daily requirement with the 20g Clean Protein Shake.
- Catch Zzzs Lose sleep, gain weight? Research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America shows that sleep patterns affect appetite-guiding hormones. A lack of sleep means a lack of energy, which people tend to overcompensate for in food. The study concluded that this tendency gets worse at dinnertime, so try not to throw off a day’s worth of healthy eating only to binge in the evenings. Aim for the same bedtime each night and eliminate screen time right before bed.
- Stay Positive Don’t beat yourself up over missing any marks. Shoot for accomplishing the most that you can, and improving every day. If you indulge one day, get back on track the next. New year’s resolutions are about being your best self, and you have a new chance to do that each day of 2020.
Comment below to share how you stay on track with your nutritional goals or on social media with #newyearrenewyou.
