How to Stay Fit & Healthy While Working From Home (Or Office)

The first step on any journey is always the hardest — and if you're trying to get fit and healthy, that first step can feel like a huge one. It starts with a firm decision. The decision to get healthier, fitter and happier.

But you can crush that first step by making small changes to your lifestyle, starting with everyday behaviors. "Being aware of your habits — and replacing those habits — can help you curb the worst of your behaviors." I don't want you to turn your life upside-down - this approach rarely works (do you remember your new year's resolution??? Exactly!) I encourage you to make small daily shifts that will lead to success.

What can you do to boost your health, fitness, and energy?

1. Get More Sleep

Ah, a good night of sleep! Doesn't that sound delightful? But if you are like me, an insomniac, it is easier said than done!

My bedroom is my "resting place" (no, not the final resting place!!!) This is how I optimized my bedroom. I let my hubby sleep on the sofa!! (This is a joke, obviously):

• I made the bedroom pitch dark
• I have the right antibacterial pillow (allergies can keep you awake!)
• I play soothing (sleeping music)
• I meditate

If nothing else works - I take melatonin and valerian root supplements that help me to fall asleep.

Don't underestimate your sleeping habits. Getting enough sleep can impact your mood, mental clarity, your ability to lose weight, and energy levels.

2. Stand More

Did you know that the average person spends more than half of their waking hours with bum in a chair?

Even if you exercise - you are not off the hook. Recently I read a report ( Annals of Internal Medicine) stating that exercising — even up to an hour a day — does not undo the negative health effects of sitting.

Another study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that for every single hour spent sitting watching TV after age 25, your life expectancy is reduced by 21.8 minutes.

I understand that it is not realistic to quit your office (desk) job, but you can replace the chair with a fitness ball or get a standing workstation and take stairs. And before you come up with thousands of excuses why this is not possible, I have this to say to you:

If something is important - you'll find a way! If it is not - you'll find excuses! You decide what is important to you.

3. Exercise Where You Can

Every staircase in your building or office; every commercial break during the movie; every short bathroom break - is an opportunity to fit in any kind of exercise. Walking, squats, push-ups, jumping jacks, or lunges - all these can add to your step count or total minutes of exercise each day. It will also help you NOT TO devour the whole bag of chips.

4. A cup of Joe aka Black Coffee

Coffee used to have a bad reputation. Maybe it still does. I don't care - I love coffee in the morning. For all the coffee lovers out there, according to scientists from Vanderbilt University's Institute for Coffee Studies, coffee has antioxidant-like properties.

(Decaf people, no worries: Studies show benefits extend to decaf, as well.) And for you, exercise junkies - Studies show that caffeine can help you train longer and harder.

However, adding cream, sugar, and other toppings can rack up the calories fast! You can cut back without giving your taste buds a shock by gradually decreasing the add-ins.

You can replace sugar with honey and cream with skimmed milk… or coconut milk… or unsweetened almond milk... or soy milk… I'm sure you get the hint.

5. Cup Of Tea - Green Tea That Is

Not a coffee drinker? Why? Anyway… Tea is also a healthy beverage, containing health-promoting substances such as polyphenols, catechins, and epicatechins, which research suggests have antioxidant-like properties.

If you're already a tea drinker, focus on green tea. Why? I'm glad you asked! Although all teas – green, black, white, oolong – have health benefits, GREEN IS KING! Hot or ice - it's ALL GOOD!

Unless it's the pre-sweetened teas, which are very high in sugar content, then it's ALL BAD!

So what's the difference? The difference is in the way the leaves are processed, which accounts for the difference in health benefits.

To boost your tea's benefits, use water that is near-boiling, and let the leaves steep for about two to three minutes — leaving them longer will release tannins and make the tea bitter.

6. Drink All The H2O

Water is life! You've probably read or heard that you need to drink eight glasses of water a day. It turns out there's no scientific evidence to support that.

So what is the correct amount? Your daily water requirements vary depending on your age, gender, size, activity level, and other factors.

So what guide can you use? You can start with your body weight as a general guide. Drink your body weight, divided by two, (in ounces that is)

7. Pre-Workout Food

How do you feel after you eat? Energized and awake? Nope!

I generally adhere to eating one to three hours before your workout, so that your stomach and muscles don't compete for energy. When you have food in your belly, the majority of your energy goes into digesting the food. That's why you feel lethargic and sleepy.

But even in this case - "one size doesn't fit all". You need to find what is working for you.

You should eat a combination of protein and carbs (the protein provides your body with amino acids, and the carbs will help you power you through your workout)

If you have only an hour before a workout, you could eat:

• peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-wheat bread;
• Greek yogurt with fresh berries;
• an apple spread with almond or peanut butter;
• a handful of nuts and raisins.

8. Healthy Eating Lifestyle

What do you eat when you are stressed or in a hurry? I'll give you a moment to think about it………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Is it a burger and fries? Or perhaps a bag of chips? Or a croissant? Pizza? Chocolate biscuits? It's never something nutritious and healthy, now is it?

It's all too easy to give in whatever carbs you can find, where you are stressed and hungry!

An easy, straightforward, and very effective way to prevent overeating or to grab not-so-healthy meals is to plan out your meals and snacks for the week or day ahead. "But it is soooo much work! I don't have time for that! I'm too busy!" - I can hear you whine already! Well, you do what you have to do! But please - stop complaining about your health and fitness level! Deal? Or watch my vlog. It's about the power of your emotions and words.

My prince in shining armor is the lifestyle I took on nine years ago! Color-coded portion-control containers helped me to create a healthy lifestyle that allows me to eat WHATEVER I WANT - without gaining weight. And yes, it did help me to lose the unwanted body fat! Why I mention 'lifestyle' and not 'diet' is because I don't do diets. Diets are successful in the short term through suffering, but in the long run - they always fail.

With these amazing containers, there is no weighing out your food. No calorie counting. Just match the container to the food group, and you're done. Veggies, fruits, protein, carbs, and healthy fats. They will make food-prep a "piece of cake" (pun intended!). And the food wastage will be minimal as well!

Another easy trick — eat healthily and downsize your dishes. How? Use smaller plates and no refills! And don't forget to drink water!

BOTTOM LINE

"It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It's what we do consistently." -Tony Robbins-

One healthy meal won't make you healthy and fit. One workout a week won't cut it either.

Changing your habits will! Small and consistent daily habits will get you exactly what you want.

During my sessions, I teach my clients to recognize the habits that are not serving their desired future.

The next step is creating simple success recipes that my clients can quickly put to use in their life to reach the level of wealth and abundance they desire.

I teach my clients how to "add" more time to their day (actually we don't really add more time), by replacing those things that are not serving their future with success habits designed specifically to assist them on their journey to be the best version of themselves.

Have you decided to become the best you can be?

Let's talk!

Marcela