Healthy Snacks To Help You Thrive At Work
Do you find yourself often feeling tired and sluggish at work?
Your office snacks might be what’s to blame!
Food that is high in sugar and simple carbohydrates will cause your body to have constant blood sugar spikes followed by sharp crashes over the course of the day. This will cause you to feel tired, have low energy, and lose ability to fully concentrate on the task at hand. It also leaves you craving even MORE sugar, which will only repeat the cycle!
To stay more active and productive throughout the day, you should keep your blood sugar levels steady. This can be done by reducing your sugar intake with healthier snacks and meals at work.
Healthy Work-Friendly Snacks!
Snacking often gets a bad reputation because many typical snack foods are made with processed ingredients, sugar, additives, and calories. However, proper snacking with healthy alternatives is a great way to keep your energy up while you’re at work. It helps you get valuable nutrients in between meals to keep you from getting hungry and overeating at your next meal.
Look for snacks that are high in protein, with at least 6 grams per serving. Protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer, helping you fight off hunger cravings that may lead to sugar crashes and fatigue.
Here are a few of our favorite tasty and healthy snacks that are also work-friendly:
Raw Almonds
Almonds are a convenient work snack since they don’t need to be cooked or refrigerated, and often come in single-serving packets. They are an excellent source of nutrients, containing magnesium, vitamin E, phosphorus, manganese, and riboflavin.
Due to their content of healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, and antioxidants, eating almonds on a regular basis has also been linked to lowering risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. And with 6 grams of protein per ounce, they also help control blood sugar as well.
Hummus and Veggies
Hummus is made from chickpeas and sesame oil, so it’s high in protein and is a great source of fiber and healthy fat. A 2016 study from Ohio State University suggests that hummus plays a role in weight management and the control of insulin and blood glucose.
Hummus pairs perfectly with vegetables, which are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Mix it up and enjoy your savory hummus with carrots, zucchini, cucumber, radishes, celery, broccoli, or cauliflower!
Apples and Peanut Butter
Apples have a high fiber content, as well as 28% of your daily vitamin C needs. Paired with peanut or almond butter (with no added sugar), this work-friendly snack is just as healthy as nuts or fruit alone, but far more filling and satisfying. You know what they say: an apple a day keeps the doctor away!
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt has been additionally strained, so it contains less sugar and lactose that regular yogurt, and has a more tart taste. One cup of Greek yogurt has about 15 grams of protein, equivalent to a 7-ounce portion of skinless chicken breast.
Packed with calcium, protein, and probiotics, a yogurt can help support your gut health and digestion. However, you should avoid yogurt that comes pre-packaged with sugary add-ins. Even the fruit-on-the-bottom kind can be loaded with sugar.
Opt for plain Greek yogurt, and add healthy toppings if you want to add a bit of flavor. Some great options include pecans, blueberries, granola, chia seeds, or a drizzle of honey.
Don’t Skip Your Workouts!
By the end of the workday, people are usually tired and may choose to skip their workouts. But trying to save energy by skipping your workout is actually counterintuitive. Regular exercise boosts strength and endurance, and helps your cardiovascular system run more efficiently. Our clients at Just You Fitness report feeling less fatigued and more energized after just a few weeks of personal training, allowing them to focus and perform better at work.
So even if you’re feeling tired at the end of your workday, push yourself to maintain a regular exercise regimen–even if it’s just to take a short walk around your neighborhood. While eating healthily is important, it’s equally important to keep a schedule of consistent workouts in order to stay energized.