It’s important to maintain your energy and focus while working. A way to do this is by following healthy eating habits. There's always the tempting option of swinging by the café or ordering a takeaway. However, those convenient choices are often loaded with sugar and are highly processed. After all, what you eat affects how you function and perform at work.
74 Grey Street, as a co-working space, is an ideal setting to make healthier choices. Let's explore some great snack options to energize you throughout the workday. Easy to make snack recipes and tips for meal preparation and portion control.
Just like a car needs quality fuel to run, your body requires the right food to function at its best. Your body needs water, movement, rest, and regular checkups. In her book "Feel Good for Life," Claire Turnbull emphasizes the importance of eating right. For peak performance, your body needs macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fibre. It also needs micronutrients vitamins A, B group, C, D, E, K, calcium, zinc, iron, selenium, magnesium, and iodine.
If you experience late-in-the-day energy lags, you can take steps to prevent them. Don’t miss breakfast; pick high-energy carbohydrates, whole-grain bread, cereals, fresh fruits, vegetables, pasta, beans, or brown rice. Even spring rolls or burritos can do the trick. To hold hunger at bay for longer, choose protein foods that take longer to digest, like nuts, peanut butter, or cheese. Choose low-fat and don’t overdo the sugar. Tank up on fluids, especially water, and avoid coffee.
Now, let's get to the fun part – delicious and nutritious snacks that are easy to prepare for your workday. Our friends at Sports Gisborne Tairawhiti have healthy snack ideas on their website, from roasted chickpeas and homemade hummus to vegetarian quesadillas, no-bake energy bites, and bliss balls. Prepare these snacks in advance, and store them in an airtight container ready for your day.
Your snacks are only complete once you pair them with the right beverage. Apart from water, there are varieties of herbal teas, infused water, or low-sugar drinks. You can also sip on a warming broth or soup in the winter. A fruit and vegetable smoothie is another alternative.
When planning your meals for the week ahead, remember meal prepping. This goes beyond your main meals; it includes snacks, too. Meal prepping can save you money, reduce food waste, and free up your time. If you're looking for a step-by-step guide to meal prepping, the Heart Foundation of NZ[3] has some advice.
Enjoy snacking, but ensure that you don’t overeat. Research reveals that snacking can lead to weight gain[4] . Eating too much is often the main reason. But other factors come into it - packaging size, snack choices, and eating while working at a computer. So, being aware of these factors can help you to avoid overeating.
We hope you try the snack recipes and pair them with your beverage of choice to enjoy at 74 Grey Street. Don’t forget to try preparing your snacks in advance and watch that portion control. Happy snacking!
For more informative blogs, be sure to visit www.74greyst.co.nz.
