Tips to Eat Mindfully while Working from Home during COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the current situation of the COVID-19 global pandemic, we all are spending more time at home. For many people, this brings up a whole lot of responsibility that includes taking care of family, working from home, and most importantly practicing mindful eating. People with different health ailments need to take extra precautions in order to stay healthy. 

This new way of living has come along with a myriad of challenges from easy access to your fridge and kitchen on one hand to very less physical activity on the other hand while working from home. If you too are working from home, then follow the tips discussed below and practice mindful eating while sticking to your healthy eating habits and supporting your health.

Tips to Eat Mindfully while Working from Home during COVID-19 pandemic

1.   Assess your hunger level

Assessing your hunger level and making sure that you eat only when you are hungry and not when you are bored or any other type of mindless eating is one of the foremost things that you need to practice.

2.   Keep healthy snacks on hand

By healthy snacks, we mean fruits and vegetables. Keep them in stock with you as it is very simple and easy to be tempted to pick up and munch on the non-perishable snacks that are quite unhealthy. For example, you can choose to eat fruits and vegetables like apples, oranges, carrots, etc. that have a longer shelf, and also you can consider eating the more perishable produce items such as berries before.

3.   Keep up with meal planning

Now that most of you will be working from home, it is quite certain that our routines will be quite different. As you slowly adapt to the new normal, it is advisable that you start planning your meals. Meal planning plays a crucial role in supporting healthy eating and will also help you in controlling your hunger and unwanted cravings.

4.   Keep food out of your work area

Food is the fuel for our body and gives individuals the energy to do work and perform various daily activities. But, at times, individuals tend to binge eat or resort to mindless eating which is not good for their health. Wondering, how to deal with stress eating or your intense food cravings? Often, food cravings lead to mindless eating, and controlling them is very essential. In order to reduce the temptation to munch, it is highly recommended to keep food out of your workspace as at times, just looking at the food can cause cravings. Therefore, be mindful of whenever you eat while working as eating while working leaves you less satisfied and craving for more food.

5.   Acknowledge your emotions and reflect on your type of hunger accordingly

We know it’s a tough task, but it is important that you acknowledge your emotions and reflect on the type of hunger accordingly. Next time you open your fridge or find yourself in the kitchen, ask yourself what brings you there? Is it the hunger pangs (empty rumbling stomach), heart hunger or is it your cravings that brings you here in the kitchen? Whatever hunger it is, ensure that you assess your hunger type, take a minute to decide if you want to eat or not, or else maybe you could just skip the idea of noshing and go out and take some fresh air, meditate, read a book, talk to a friend or anything that brings you joy and helps elevate your mood. 

6.   Stay hydrated

It is important that you stay hydrated as water is required for performing various functions in your body like fighting fatigue, flushing out waste and toxins, carrying nutrients to different parts of the body, and much more. Drinking adequate quantities of water helps you feel full while you are working from home, hence it is advisable to keep water with you throughout the day as this acts as a reminder for you to keep drinking it at regular intervals.

The work from home culture might be temporary or more long-term but taking one day at a time and making the best choices for yourselves is the only way that you can resort to in order to manage your lifestyle as only this will also help you to stay on the top of your healthy eating goals too.