Goodbye, summer. Hello, work.
Yep, the dog days of summer are over and we’re back to the daily grind. Kiss the long weekends and quieter weekdays goodbye. And, just like kids going back to school, adults need to get back into the flow of healthy habits too. For some of us, it’s no big deal. But for others, it just isn’t easy. Here are six suggestions to help you transition back into a healthy work routine:
1. Don’t skip breakfast.
Yes, you’ve heard this a zillion times. You’ve probably heard it since you were little, when you were told you would do better in school. But have you listened? You might not have a test to take, but you still need to concentrate — and that happens a whole lot better with food. How hard is it really to grab or make something healthy? Try Greek yogurt with a piece of fruit, an almond butter sandwich on whole-wheat bread or a bowl of oatmeal. The possibilities are endless.
2. Be a leader at lunch.
Do you remember whom you sat with at lunch in your school’s cafeteria? No matter how old you get, it’s still important to surround yourself with people who have a positive influence on you. Forget peer pressure (aka your co-workers and their bad habits) — either become the group’s fearless leader by establishing a healthier lunchtime or find new colleagues to eat with. Make the suggestions on where to order from or even encourage everyone to bring lunch from home. A leftover dinner of salmon and veggies, turkey and avocado in a whole-wheat sandwich thin or grilled chicken salad with chickpeas are just a few of the easy lunches to put together.
3. Instill a snack time.
Who can recall having a naptime at school? I think I was in kindergarten when we had little individual rugs to sleep on. Oh, those were the days. Unfortunately, napping is no longer an option for most of us. Nowadays, as a grown-up, when you start to get tired mid-afternoon, you probably should be grabbing a snack. Food is fuel, and what we snack on can make a big difference. If you want energy — and not hunger that returns in an hour — your snack should include protein, fat and fiber. Try 1/4 cup of roasted edamame, a single serving of cheese and a piece of fruit, or hummus and baked black bean chips.
4. Make time for a workout.
After-school activities helped to keep us out of trouble as kids the same way hitting the gym can today. Instead hanging out on your couch and munching on chips or guzzling too many after-work cocktails with your friends, find a physical activity that you can enjoy and do on a regular basis. No one says you can’t be social, but scheduling a workout on a regular basis can help keep you out of “trouble” and on a healthy track.
5. Plan ahead for dinner.
The one thing most of us didn’t have to do when we were kids was plan dinner — our parents took care of that. But as you know, being an adult comes with a slew of responsibilities, and one of them should be planning a healthy dinner. On Sundays, try deciding what you want to eat for the week and food shop accordingly. For example, Monday night could be salmon, barley and asparagus. Tuesday perhaps is whole-wheat pasta with shrimp and spinach. And on Wednesday, try grilled chicken, sweet potato and broccoli. The good news is you don’t have to do homework after dinner.
6. Get enough sleep.
When most of us were small, we hated bedtime. Our parents would instill a time for “lights out” and we begged to stay up just a little bit longer. Well, now we have no one but ourselves to argue with. Sleep is so important that we need to make it a priority. Getting a good night’s rest makes it a whole lot easier to stay on a healthy track in the morning. I advise you to save your TV binge-watching for the weekends.
More from U.S. News
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10 Ways to Live Healthier and Save Money Doing It
6 Tips for Starting a Healthy Back-to-Work Routine originally appeared on usnews.com
