How do you find time to workout or prepare your own meals for work?
It is not about finding time for those activities; it’s all about making time for those activities. To prepare your own meals and workout 2-4 times per week, it comes down to writing everything down the day or days prior. Schedule your workout and the type of workout to avoid confusion or time-wasting. Write down when you are going to cook your meals as well as what type of meal. Plan this around your current work and life schedule. I am sure there are some gaps in your day that you fill with mindless social media scrolling or watching videos.
There’s always food around my office, and it’s hard to avoid it to stay on track. What do I do?
If your assistant brings in treats every day, you have two options. If you know that there are going to be snacks in the kitchen or break area avoids the area entirely, out of sight out of mind, and have your own healthy snacks packed. The second option would be to limit yourself to a specific # of days per week you will be indulging in treats.
Do carbs make us gain weight?
Carbs do not make you gain weight; the overindulgence of overall calories makes you gain weight. It just so happens carbs are the easiest macronutrient for us to overindulge, because of accessibility. It’s all because of sugar. When we eat sugar our body craves it more, and our brain loves the dopamine (the happy hormone) it triggers in the brain. The dopamine from sugar does not wear off; that is why many people crave sugar all day every day. Satisfying that craving will lead to excess calories consumed, which end up causing you to gain weight.
Does sugar make us gain weight?
Again, the overconsumption of sugar and excess calories will make you gain weight. Sugar has an effect on our gut health, which can change our mood and cause conditions such as diabetes, anxiety, insulin resistance and much more. If you work in an office, even a home office, you do not need much sugar because you are sitting at your desk about 80% of the day. The more sugar we consume and do not burn off, the more fat you will gain.
How do I manage work stress as a business owner?
The first step is at home. Did you wake up and check your phone and emails before you checked in with yourself? To relieve stress, you need to detach from all the noise from the outside world and connect back to your self. This might mean meditation, yoga, prayer or a walk outside. You can even do 5-minute mediation in your car or take yourself out to lunch without your phone. We need to unplug from the world to reconnect with ourselves.
I crave snacks at the office, even when I’m full, what should I do?
Rule #1 is to keep all snacks away from your desk. Having snacks on your desk is the perfect way for you to overeat. Only water should be on your desk while you are working. If you are going to have snacks, real fruit and raw nuts are the best way to go. If you are allergic to nuts getting in lean protein is your best option. If you have a sweet tooth go towards fruit if you have a savory tooth lean towards nuts or protein.
What type of healthy snacks should I be eating?
First, let’s ditch the word health and replace it with the word “real.” Real snacks, real food, that is the target. If the food you pick looks processed or has more than six ingredients on the package it is very likely it is not real food and has been processed and modified many times before it has reached your mouth. That being said, if you are a chips type of snacker lean towards vegetables and hummus. If it is a must to eat chips, look for baked chips or things cooked in coconut oil or try popcorn that has been air-popped.
It’s very hard to avoid fast food while being on the run, what can I do?
This is a simple one; follow my KVP system. KVP stands for Keto Breakfast, Vegan/Vegetarian Lunch and Protein & Produce dinners. When you are out you can make a quick decision without feeling guilty and have a vegetarian or vegan meal. This will satisfy your carb craving as well as give you plenty of micronutrients your body needs to stay energized. As for drinks, aim for drinks low in sugar and calories or stick to water.
What is one thing I need to be doing during my workday to stay on track with my health goals?
There are many factors. The one that people are reluctant to keep track of is their water intake. People often go hours without consuming any water at all. My suggestion is to use your smartphone and the water app that is in there to set reminders every two hours to drink water. Set a goal of half a gallon to a gallon per day.
I feel like I’m the only person at my office trying to eat healthy and live well. How do I stay on track?
Find an accountability partner in the office with the same or almost the same passion as you about staying healthy. You will be more likely to reach your goal by keeping each other accountable. Find a walking buddy to go for mid-morning or afternoon walks. Set friendly Fitbit competitions with a colleague at your office to see who gets more steps in.
If I feel sluggish and bloated after lunch, what should I do?
Feeling sluggish or bloated is a sign of inflammation in the body and feeling bloated or sluggish after a meal is a clear sign that your body does not like what it just ate. I would start by eliminating dairy first. Then the next time around, chew more slowly. Eliminate the gluten in that meal the next time around, or eat less. This is a simpler approach to lower inflammation in your body. Be sure to take supplements such as probiotics to make sure you have a healthy gut.
What are some easy practices I can do to maintain my wellness?
With your nutrition aim for lunch with higher amounts of plant-based ingredients to have you feeling energized, satisfied, and less inflamed. Chew your food more thoroughly to ease digestion. Go for a walk after you eat to start the digestion process and move the energy in your body around. Never eat at your desk, always pick a designated area in your office to eat to avoid mindless overeating. Avoid using an elevator, take the stairs, bring comfortable shoes to go for light jogs or speed walks when you have breaks.
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