The importance of meal prep
For those of you who normally work in an office, school, or other work setting, you are busy with meetings, presentations, calls, teaching, and other everyday commitments. These days your situation is much different. Other than the odd remote meeting or conference call, you now have the freedom to set your own schedule. This can lead to something very dangerous: continuous access to food.
This is one of the hardest challenges for people trying to adjust to working from home. Without a time dictated for lunch, or very clear breaks throughout the day, you can eat whenever you want. Maybe some days you have a late breakfast, or other days you skip lunch and then snack for a lot of the afternoon. The problem isn’t so much how many meals or snacks you are eating (everyone is different - some people need fewer bigger meals, while others prefer to have snacks more often). The issue is that being inconsistent can lead to some unhealthy habits.
For example, when you don’t stick to a schedule, it’s easy to get caught up in work and miss your regular lunch or snack time. Then when you get really hungry, that’s when you make poor food choices. You’re way more likely to grab a bag of chips or candy bar when you get to that point of extreme hunger. And if you have access to your kitchen all day, it’s hard to resist going for that second cookie…or third or fourth.
However, if you plan both your timing and food ahead of time, you will be more likely to stick to a schedule and less likely to reach for those unhealthy snacks.
Proper nutrition not only decreases the risk of countless diseases, it also helps you stay focused during the day, decreases stress, and allows you to perform at your best. So start giving your body the fuel it needs!
What are we finding in the research?
The World Health Organization has been releasing information on how to stay healthy during this time. This article gives simple tips on how to eat healthy to boost your immune system, decrease the risk of developing various diseases and conditions, and optimize your health and performance. Check out the link below to help you as you plan your meals this week!
