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We often forget to take care of ourselves amid a busy work schedule, but it’s important to maintain our health and well-being, where incorporating healthy snacks into your routine can make a significant difference.
Boost your workday:
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Saloni Ghodawat, Director, Ghodawat Consumer Limited, suggests some strategies to help us incorporate healthy breakfast into our busy day –
1. Planning and preparation: The rush we usually find ourselves in is troublesome and makes us forget the importance of planning and preparation. When we are constantly on the run, healthy food can easily get left behind, resulting in poor dietary choices that affect our overall health. Taking a few minutes each week to plan and prepare your snacks can make a huge difference. By planning your meals and snacks, you can ensure that there are always healthy options available, even on the busiest days.
2. Nutrient-Rich Foods: Choosing snacks that don’t require refrigeration, such as dried fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, is a healthy and convenient way to get energy for a long time. You can easily keep these in your bag, desk or car
3. Eat outside food wisely: Eating out is something we all do from time to time, whether it’s for a social event, a work meeting, or simply because we’re too busy to cook. However, eating out doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your healthy eating habits. By making smart choices, you can enjoy your meals while still meeting your health goals.
Take a moment to look at the menu before you order and choose steamed or roasted dishes rather than fried or roasted ones. Avoid sweetened beverages, as even smoothies can add extra calories to your meal. Instead, choose water, herbal teas or a light beverage that complements your meal without adding extra sugar or calories.
4. Choose a balanced breakfast: Choosing snacks that contain protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates will help you stay full and energized throughout the day. These balanced snacks provide consistent energy, thereby preventing unhealthy cravings. For example – apple slices with almond butter, Greek yogurt with berries, cottage cheese with fruits, hummus with veggie sticks, and many other snacking options can be incorporated into your daily diet.
Say goodbye to junk:
Sharing her expertise on this, Subah Saraf, Co-Founder of Satvik Movement, said, “When hunger strikes during a busy day, it is easy to reach for convenient options like chips, chocolates, protein bars, namkeen, etc. But these packaged snacks often hide unhealthy ingredients, such as preservatives and chemical additives, which are designed to increase the shelf life of the product but actually reduce our shelf life. They also contain a lot of hidden sugar, disguised as names like sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, etc.”
He suggested two options for a healthy breakfast:
1. Choose hygienic packaged foods: Some brands offer really clean snacks, for example: date and nut bars or millet khakhra. The main thing is to read the ingredients list – don’t just rely on the front label. Avoid products that contain unpronounceable ingredients or ingredients you won’t easily find in your kitchen. A short, simple ingredients list is usually an indicator of a clean product.
2. Prepare breakfast at home: Natural options are often best. For example, fresh fruit is great, but instead of carrying whole fruits that you might not like, chop them up into a fruit salad and take it with you to work. Other options include:
• Dates and dry fruits mixture: Mix chopped dates with soaked nuts.
• Coconut Shreds: Fresh coconut shreds are a great alternative to biscuits.
• Homemade Energy BallsYou can make these easily using nuts and dates, and they are perfect to take to work.
By taking these precautions, you can achieve better health while managing a busy work schedule.
Switch up your snack game:
According to Madhura Parulkar Behakki, lead nutritionist and dietitian at Cult Transform, here is how you can incorporate healthy snacks into your busy daily schedule –
1. Protein Dense: Have a protein-rich breakfast, as most Indian diets lack protein and it also keeps you full for a long time. Foods like fried paneer, yogurt with berries or a tuna sandwich are good options.
2. Keep it with you: It is ideal to keep some snacks at your workplace so that you don’t crave unhealthy options. A box of nuts, roasted chickpeas or a protein bar can be some options.
3. Pack it in advance: Many times we get into the habit of eating outside, which leads to eating the wrong things like samosas or buns. To avoid this, pack snacks like peanut butter bread, oats upma or fruit bowl from home.
4. Stay well hydrated: Sometimes your body only needs water, not food. The mind adopts its own way of deceiving you. So drink water, hydrate yourself and wait for a few minutes. If you feel hungry, eat the snacks that you have kept with you.
5. Set reminders: If you tend to forget to eat often, reminders can help. It’s important to eat well throughout the day to avoid deficiencies. There are apps that can help you do this, and if you can’t, your phone’s alarm clock can help.
6. Correct order: When planning to order a snack, make sure it is not deep fried, does not have a maida base, is not a sugar bomb, and has a good amount of fiber and protein. Foods like corn chaat, nuts bowl with fruits or even subs can be a good decision. So try these simple tips and make your snacking experience healthy.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor for any questions about any medical condition.
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