It can be all too easy to prioritise your to-do list at work whilst putting yourself at the bottom. Whether you work from an office, home, out on the road or elsewhere, it can seem tough to stay on track with your health and fitness. Let this struggle be no more, take a U-turn to a healthier happier work place.
We all know that eating healthy food will make us feel better, so why aren’t more of us doing it? My first tip to help you on your healthy journey is to put yourself at the top of the to-do list. You are a priority! The better you feel, the more productive you will be.
Why Eat Healthy at Work?
- Energy – Start the day with a super breakfast and continue with a fantastic lunch. Eating good food from the get up and go will help your body to feel energised and ready to take on your daily tasks with ease.
- Alertness – Better food choices full of nutrients will help to give you super brain power and take control of the workload.
- Happier – Nutritious food helps to keep hormones balanced and your body happier. The better your body feels the happier you feel.
- No 3pm dip – Eating well throughout the day helps to keep the mid-afternoon slump away!
- Productivity – Due to the higher energy you will be able to handle the workload better and produce better work. Your focus, drive and passion will be at a higher level!
To achieve these benefits take simple meals to work to keep on track of your health and fitness. Granted you will need to prioritise some time for preparation so if you are too busy in the morning, prepare the evening before. If you plan out your week—including your meals—ahead of time, you’ll find it easier to stay on track. Bonus: bringing your own food to work can save pennies!
Here are 4 lunches to get you started for a healthier work day.
1. Buckwheat Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 avocado, pealed and cubed
- 2 red peppers
- 2 handfuls of rocket/arugula
Method
- Start by preheating the oven to 190°C (375 °F).
- Peal the sweet potato and chop into bite sized cubes, chop the peppers into thick wedges, place both vegetables on a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast for around 25-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile cook the buckwheat by adding it to the pan with two cups of boiling water, bring to a boil and simmer for around 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
- When the buckwheat is cooked, add the roasted vegetables, the avocado cubes and a couple handfuls of rocket. Mix well.
- Drizzle the salad with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, sea salt and pepper.
- Add pre-cooked prawns to the mix for more protein!
2. Quinoa Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain 0% fat Greek yoghurt
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice, divided
- small handful fresh mint leaves, minced
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- dash of salt and pepper
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup green grapes, halved
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1 tablespoon honey
Method
- In a small bowl combine the yoghurt, 1 tablespoon lime juice and the mint. Pour over the cooked quinoa and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
- In another bowl combine the fruit, honey and remaining lime juice.
- Then combine the fruit and quinoa and portion into a Tupperware box for the next day and refrigerate.
- This would be delicious with prawns or chicken!
3. Couscous Salad
Ingredients
- 50g (1/3 cup) couscous, measure uncooked
- Fresh juice of ½ lemon
- A few slices of cucumber
- Small handful cherry tomatoes
- 6 to 12 olives OR ½ avocado
- Sea salt
- Pepper
- Balsamic vinegar
- Fresh basil leaves
Method
- Boil hot water.
- Add 50g (1/3 cup) dry couscous to a bowl.
- Add the hot water to the bowl. Only add enough to just cover the couscous, don’t add too much or too little. You can always add a little more water if it looks too dry. Leave to soak.
- Chop the slices of cucumber into smaller chunks.
- Half the cherry tomatoes.
- If using avocado, cut the half into chunks.
- Once the couscous has soaked up the water, give it a good stir.
- Then add juice of ½ lemon, salt, pepper, olives or avocado, tomatoes and cucumber. Stir everything together.
- Chop or rip apart some basil leaves and add to the mix and stir.
- Add to a Tupperware box and drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over the mix.
- This is great with prawns or salmon and some green vegetables or salad.
4. Prawn Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pack of cooked and shelled prawns
- Big handful rocket/arugula
- Big handful watercress
- Small handful cherry tomatoes, halved
- Baked sweet potato
- Juice of ½ a lime
- Balsamic vinegar, drizzle
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Method
- Add the rocket and watercress to a Tupperware box.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes on top of the greens.
- Chop the baked sweet potato into smaller chunks and add.
- Add the prawns on top of the mix.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
- In a small separate container add the olive oil, lime juice and balsamic. Add this dressing at work when ready to eat.
Ramp up your health and work with a delicious lunch!
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Rebecca is a personal trainer and health & wellness coach who is passionate about helping women to feel healthy, happy and LOVE life. As a coach with a huge passion for vegan nutrition, holistic health, enjoying exercise and self care, Rebecca is on a mission to help women thrive!
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