Remote Workers Living a Sedentary Lifestyle — Let’s fix that!

Working remotely has its benefits but it also has its faults.  We work hard but we are sedentary.  A sedentary lifestyle is characterized by an abundance of sedentary behavior.  We sit and snack all day.  We are not active and we are not eating healthy.  If you continue this lifestyle, you have a greater chance of being overweight, developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease, and experiencing depression and anxiety. 

They say sitting is the new smoking .. oh my, that is not good!  They say too much sitting can also be bad for your mental health.

I wont bore you with all the scary and ugly things that living this lifestyle brings.  I want to stay positive and share the ways we can change this lifestyle and be healthy!  Being active and eating healthy is not as hard you think.  There are many ways to include some physical activity in your day and also to snack healthy.

Get up and walk — Take small breaks through out the day — Drink Water — Get a sit/stand desk — Stretch — Again, drink LOTS OF WATER!

Another thing to mention .. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS and SUPPLEMENTS!  I am always D3 & B12 deficient .. I also take Omega 3 for my heart and Biotin & Collagen for my skin, nails & hair!

Snack Healthy!  Nuts — Yogurt & Fruit — Carrots, Apples, Celery, Avocados (Good Fat), Veggies .. I really like snacking on Cucumbers .. high in nutrients, low calories but high in important vitamins & minerals.  they contain antioxidants, promotes hydration, may aid weight loss, may lower blood sugar, promote regularity and so easy to add to your diet!  Easy to grow in the garden as well .. save that for another post!

One way of eating that is sure to be beneficial is the Mediterranean diet — have you heard of it?  It is mostly plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables, potatoes, whole-grains, beans, nuts, seeds and extra virgin olive oil.  Meals are planned around these foods.  The diet also includes moderate amounts of lean poultry, fish, seafood, dairy and eggs.  No refined grains and NO processed food!  Yuck!  Red wine is allowed.  Look it up .. so many tasty recipes!

Let’s talk lunch .. being a VA (Virtual Assistant) .. I am BUSY .. I need something quick easy and tasty!  My go to lunch is either a small HOMEMADE Charcuterie plate or a Delish Salad.  Check out my favorite type of salad below .. so easy to make!  I don’t use the brown sugar or maple syrup — I am watching my sugar intake!  I use a low fat Greek or low fat Italian dressing — just a drizzle!

RECIPE:  Chicken, Pomegranate, Walnut & Balsamic Salad,

Grab the recipe here:  https://theelliotthomestead.com/2010/12/a-horribly-named-salad-but-delicious/

Ingredients:

• Mix of organic greens (spinach, arugula, etc.)
• Chicken, cooked and shredded (I cook a broiler chicken on Sunday’s so I always have some cooked and ready for easy meals in the fridge!)
• Pomegranate insides
• Walnuts
• Maple syrup (the real stuff!)
• Brown sugar
• Herbs of your choice
• Feta or Parmesan cheese
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil

Instructions:

• Sweeten your nuts! Put a few handfuls of walnuts into a small pan, add about 2-4 tablespoons of maple syrup and a generous pinch of brown sugar. Heat the nuts up until the maple syrup starts to bubble in all it’s goodness. Let it bubble for about a minute, then shut the heat off. Allow the nuts to cool.
• I put a nice, large bed of the greens onto a plate. Then I sprinkle a handful of shredded chicken over each pile of greens. Then, a handful of pomegranate thingies. My chicken, this week, was just seasoned with salt, pepper, and dried parsley. Nothin’ fancy.
• Once the nuts have cooled, sprinkle them over your salad as well.
• Add you cheese! I didn’t have any cheese this time, so we went cheese-naked. But some feta or some shredded parmesan would be divine.
• Sprinkle a small pinch of your favorite herbs over the salad. I like to use a mix of oregano and thyme.
• Give each salad a generous drizzle of olive oil, as well as a generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar. You could substitute your favorite dressing here, but I have found that balsamic vinegar is perfect just by itself. Super easy.

Stay tuned for more recipes and remote working lifestyle living tips!