Eating healthily on the run is easier than you think

Time is one of the biggest challenges faced by the workforce. It is therefore easy to understand why for many working people shopping for and preparing healthy meals and snacks is something very few can fit into a busy day. Registered dietician and well

"Many of the Wellovation Challenge participants voiced their difficulty in trying to follow a healthy eating and exercise regime during a busy working day. The good news is that there are some practical and seemingly small things that everyone can do to assist them in sustaining their energy levels allowing them to work smarter and get more out of the day," says Erasmus.

Erasmus says in today's fast paced world it is important to learn how to snack smartly using readily available food items and to combine them correctly. "Smart snacking stabilises blood sugar levels helping to manage inappropriate food cravings as well as maintain metabolic weight, promoting weight management," she adds.

She explains that food that is considered a smart snack should fit into the palm of your hand and should contain about 500 Kilojoules for women and 750 Kilojoules for men. The carbohydrate content should be no more than 25g for women and 35g for men, the fat content should be less than 10g (closer to 5g is better), and the fibre content should be at least 2g per snack. Examples of healthier snack options include 1-2 pieces of fresh fruit, 40g or a small handful of dried fruit, small health bars, seeds, trail mix, small handful of lean biltong and 2 cups of air popped popcorn.

Within the workplace Erasmus advises people to steer clear of foods that are high in saturated and total fat, sodium, and/or sugar and virtually devoid of fibre and vitamins. "Although there is a drive by some companies to supply healthier food and snack options a lot of the foods on offer in vending machines, on office trolleys or in canteens remains unhealthy. If eaten on a regular basis it can cause havoc with your blood sugar levels,"

she says. "This can result in decreased energy levels, irritability, poor concentration, weight gain and an increased risk of diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, gout, high blood pressure, cancer and many other illnesses."

On the home-front she suggests keeping your kitchen well-stocked with healthy foods as it makes it a lot easier to quickly assemble a balanced meal if and when required to do so. By keeping a shopping list in a convenient easy-to-locate place in the kitchen, Erasmus says it makes it easier to be diligent about adding food to the list as and when they become depleted.

"Ordering grocery items online is also a convenient option and using free time on weekends is yet another way you can prepare meals and snacks ahead of time," comments Erasmus. "Investing in a recipe book that offers quick, healthy meals is also a good idea. Choose one or two recipes and compile a shopping list so that you have all the ingredients on-hand should and when you want to make these dishes."

Another time-saving idea that Erasmus imparts is cooking food in advance.

"Roasting vegetables in larger quantities and keeping them chilled makes for quick reheating and they can be easily added to meals or used in salads,"

she says. "Cooked starches such as rice, pasta, stampkoring, barley and mealies can be cooked in larger quantities and stored in the fridge for up to a week and frozen for up to a month, while chicken fillets and hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Meal leftovers can be stored in microwave-safe containers for quick and easy balanced meals that simply need to be re-heated."

All in all Erasmus says there is much people can easily implement into their lifestyles to assist them on the path to health and fitness. "Although diet plays a pivotal role in determining overall wellness and health, exercise is just as important. As much as people try to eat healthily they should also be making time to exercise even if it means doing a few stretches to relieve muscle tension," she says. "If you have a desk job, get up throughout the day to give your body breaks from activities such as typing and staring at a computer screen. Also try to stand up when you're on the phone or pace around the office. Remember, lack of exercise equals lack of energy."