Alexandru West 
As a busy professional, it’s easy to let nutrition and fitness fall by the wayside. This can lead to a lack of energy, poor health choices, and overall negative impacts on your life.
However, achieving healthy habits doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are The Top Health Tips for Busy Professionals: 1. Make exercise a priority.
1. Eat a Nutritious Breakfast
Many busy professionals skip breakfast or grab a quick bite to eat at work. This is a big mistake because eating a healthy diet will help you feel full and boost your energy levels.
Avoid sugary foods and opt for a whole-grain cereal with low-sugar milk or granola bar. A piece of fruit is another great choice to satisfy your hunger and provide you with vitamins and minerals.
RDs often recommend clients prep breakfast ingredients on the weekend to save time in the morning. For example, they might suggest clients cook up a batch of egg muffins to reheat in the morning or advise them to hard-boil a carton of eggs on Sunday so they’re ready for the week. These simple changes will make it easier to eat a nutritious breakfast and sustain physical and mental health.
2. Be Mindful of Your Meal Choices
It’s important to be able to make healthy choices on the go. That means choosing to avoid processed foods as much as possible and making a habit of shopping at the produce department.
Mindful eating also involves tuning in to your hunger and fullness signals. Ask yourself if you’re truly hungry before you reach for food, and stop when you feel comfortably full.
Try this simple food meditation: Hold a raisin in your hand and take it slowly in, noticing the highlights where the light shines, darker hollows, asymmetries, and unique features. Take a bite, noticing its texture, flavors and taste.
This practice helps you to connect with your food, and can be useful in making mindful eating a regular practice. Start practicing today.
3. Eat a Healthy Snack
What you eat throughout the day has both short and long-term impacts on your mental acuity and energy levels. Eating foods rich in nutrients like folic acid, protein, vitamin C and magnesium can keep your body functioning at its best.
It’s also important to eat healthy snacks between meals. Try adding a handful of unsalted nuts or a piece of fruit to your diet for an energy boost. Choose veggies that don’t require much work to prepare, such as baby carrots or a bag of sliced cucumbers.
When a company stocks its break room with healthier options, it sends the message that they care about their employees’ health and wellness. Employees will feel more connected to their company, which can lead to higher morale and productivity.
4. Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated is an important part of maintaining good health. It helps prevent dehydration, which can lead to headaches and constipation, improves physical performance, flushes toxins from the body, and carries nutrients throughout the system. Many health experts recommend the “8×8” rule, which means drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. If you struggle to get enough fluids, try incorporating herbal teas or making fruit-infused waters with strawberries, basil, lemon and lime. Water is also a great substitute for sugary beverages, like soda or juices, that can pack in a lot of empty calories.
Keep a water bottle with you at work or on the go and set reminders to drink water throughout the day.
5. Get Moving
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. However, it can be difficult to fit exercise into a busy schedule. Try to incorporate small motions into your daily routine like taking the stairs, walking during conference calls, parking further away from store entrances, or getting yardwork done to get more physical activity. Small changes can add up to big health benefits! Click to learn more about how to move your way to a healthier life.
