Working women often have a tough time striking a balance between a healthy lifestyle, responsibilities, and work. They skip meals, neglect their health and sleep and exercise less frequently. Here are some health and fitness tips for women to optimise their health and give them the mental and physical fortitude to perform their roles and responsibilities.
1. Don’t skip Breakfast:
Breakfast is the day’s first and most important meal. Have breakfast after fasting overnight for 8-10 hours to get sustained energy for the day. Breakfast must be a fresh and healthy meal- it helps replenish glycogen stores and nourishes the body. A healthy breakfast should include nutrients such as proteins, good fats, complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins, and minerals, which keep you energetic through the day. Skipping breakfast can cause metabolic disturbance. You end up eating more calories in the next meal, leading to obesity, a root cause of many physical and psychological illnesses. Skipping breakfast can affect mental health, including concentration, attention and memory. Healthy breakfast meals include stuffed besan chilla, vegetable sandwich, boiled egg sandwich, and moong dal dosa with green chutney.
2. Plan meals in advance:
Working women often do not find the time to cook- cooking from scratch can be time-consuming, leaving them with no other option than eating junk food. Packaged foods have empty calories that can raise blood sugar levels. Make your grocery list in advance and stock healthy foods such as oats, grains, fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses, millets, and eggs. Avoid foods that contain trans fat, including pastries, patties, biscuits, and fried foods since they raise bad cholesterol. Plan meals in advance to avoid eating outside. A way to save time is to chop vegetables ahead of time and refrigerate it the next day to avoid last-minute rush- chopping vegetables and storing it in air-tight containers does not degrade nutritional content.
3. Regular check-ups:
We barely take time to assess our health in this fast-paced world. Neglecting health in the long run can lead to early-age illness. Invest time and money in regular health check-ups for prevention, early diagnosis and disease cure.
4. Get adequate sleep:
“Tired minds don’t plan well, Sleep first, plan later”, says director and screenwriter Walter Reisch. You can’t plan the day well if sleep is affected. A good night’s sleep is essential for remaining healthy and happy. Sound sleep is necessary for a productive day at work, home, or the gym. While eight hours may be a luxury, sleep for at least six-seven hours everyday.
5. Follow a structured exercise plan:
Women always forget to incorporate exercise in their to-do tasks- they can diversify their fitness plan and include pilates, yoga, aerobics, weightlifting, swimming, and running in their daily routine. Participate in physical challenges such as races and marathons to remain active and healthy. Even a brisk walk for 30 minutes works during a time crunch. A 2016 research study states that exercising for 30 minutes every day can make a person physically and mentally healthy. Exercising reduces the risk of diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular illnesses. It helps reduce stress and anxiety, increases happy hormones, sharpens memory, and improves self-confidence.
6. Have healthy drinks:
For working women, coffee and tea is a way to relax after work. Coffee, however, has polyphenolic compounds that inhibit iron and calcium absorption. Its deficiency can cause anaemia and osteoporosis. Add fruits and seeds to water to rehydrate- delicious and healthy drinks include chia seeds, coconut water, apple cinnamon water, lemon water, herbal tea, and green tea- they detoxify and provide nutrients to the body .
