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Simple healthy hacks you can do on your lunch break

September 13, 2018February 25, 2019 by Alyce Vayle No Comments

Life is so busy these days that healthy hacks can be a great way to bring a bit more healthiness into your day. When it comes to making the right choices every day, then there is absolutely no reason why you can’t turn your life around. Making small changes every day can be the best way to let some new habits creep in, and then, step by step, you might see small changes become big results.

A few months ago I wrote about how I had gained weight, due to a pregnancy. The good news is, the weight is now gone, and all it took were a few small changes every day. Here are a few healthy hacks you can do on your lunch break – maybe in a couple of months of dedication you will also start to look and feel better. Let’s go!

Cut out processed foods

One really simple thing you can do on your lunch break is to cut out processed foods and focus on whole foods. One healthy hack I like is to bring a few things from home, and to combine this with food you might purchase fresh near your workplace. I make a simple salad at home, with lettuce, rocket, celery, cucumber and lots of fresh herbs (I just LOVE coriander and mint) and then I buy a bread roll at the bakery near my workplace and hey presto – lunch is served!

It is so important to avoid processed foods because they usually contain lots of salt, fat and other nasties. Look out for added products such as aspartame, corn syrup and even high fructose syrup. According to Men’s Health, “Some researchers believe preservatives have changed eating habits and food production patterns more than any other type food additive.” Just eliminating these unhealthy products from your life could make a big difference. You might also consider looking into natural medicine and getting your vitamins and minerals from more natural sources.

Eat a healthy breakfast

I am a huge advocate of breakfast and one of my most popular posts deals with what to do if you feel that you can’t eat breakfast in the morning. Breakfast is quite possibly the most important meal of your day. For this reason, you have to focus on fueling yourself with the right food.

So, as mentioned above, you should avoid processed foods, but making sure you are also eating breakfast is an essential healthy hack . Try and fuel your body with things like whole grain, fruit and even protein as well. When you are able to do this, you will soon see that you are fuller for longer and you may even find that you are able to stay awake longer in the day as well.

Eat all the colours of the rainbow

It’s important to try to make sure that your foods are as colourful as possible. Start with your choice of salads and veggies: include greens, yellows, reds, purples – and all the colours of the rainbow. Try purple corn or other seasonal varieties to keep your palette interested. You also need to make sure that you build the right food groups when you are making your meals as well.

Of course, the best thing about using more than one colour of vegetable is that each one will offer you different vitamins and minerals. “Fruit and vegetables fall into five different colour categories: red, purple/blue, orange, green and white/brown,” according to Nutrition Australia. “Each colour carries its own set of unique disease fighting chemicals called phytochemicals… that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colour and their healthy properties.”

Pack your lunch and save your dollars

Guilty as charged. If I am not careful, I can go through nearly forty bucks of takeaway food and drinks when I work at an office: coffee as I leave the house, $4.50; sandwich and juice when I get to the office, $11; extra bottle of juice for morning tea (I am breastfeeding, so that’s my excuse!) $3.50, lunch of sandwich and a drink, $13; then a snack in the afternoon, maybe a small yoghurt or treat, $4. Added all together, that’s $36!

When you work in an office, you may find that you are continually making trips to the local fast food chain and you may even find that you are continually visiting the vending machine as well. This is not a healthy way to live at all, so if you want to get around this then one thing that you can do is try and pack your lunches. When you have a lunch ready for when you go to work, you don’t have to take time out of your working day to find your next meal and it also eliminates the temptation at the time as well.

Try to find more healthy hacks to include in your day

Incorporating incidental exercise, or taking the time to meditate on your lunch break are just a couple of extra examples of ways you can start to feel happier and healthier every single day. Make a goal of doing just one small healthy hack every day – try new things and dedicate yourself.

It might be a good idea to start a small journal or diary to track your progress. Give yourself non-food rewards (a bunch of flowers, that new jacket you’ve been eyeing off) to keep yourself motivated. Good luck with your healthy hacks!

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