WFH can get tough: Mindful eating, timely meals, walking & talking can save you

Dr Tejal Lathia

Life is often tough for people living with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, but working from home has made it possibly tougher. Reduced activity (no commute), easy access to food (at home) and increased stress from continuous use of computers and phones with no respite, is challenging. The situation for women in the workforce is even more complicated – juggling school work with kids, domestic chores and caring for elderly along with the usual office work.

There are a lot of fad diets floating around and people are often confused about the right diet to follow. In this ‘Work from Home’ scenario, listen to your body. Eat when you are hungry, eat homemade/ fresh food and eat till you are roughly 80% full. This will ensure that you don’t feel lethargic after meals and can maintain your productivity; this will also ensure you can sustain this diet. The downside of most fad diets is that they are not sustainable in the long term, lead to weight rebound, loss of muscle mass and vital nutrients.


There are a lot of apps available that can give you a reasonable idea of the composition of your diet. Keep these apps handy, and log in your meals to understand what you are eating – roughly 50-60% Carbohydrates, 15-20% Proteins and remaining as Fats. Restricting total Carbohydrate consumption to below 180 gms per day is a reasonable target for most people living with Diabetes and pre-diabetes. Do not forget Fibre, eating salads, whole grains and legumes will ensure you meet your Fibre needs.

A lot of Nutritionists are working online during the pandemic, seeking their help in supervising your diet on a weekly or fortnightly basis can be very helpful. Here are some simple tips to get through these unprecedented times:

• Stock up on healthy food so you stay away from the unhealthy choices when you want to snack – buy roasted Chana, Makhana, puffed Rice, Wheat or Jowar puffs, Chana Jor Garam, plain Khakras, baked Nachini Nachos, roasted Moong dal, roasted unsalted Peanuts
• Drinking water becomes a second priority as we guzzle Coffee and Tea to stay alert, try Buttermilk, freshly squeezed Lemon juice or just plain water
• For once in your life you can actually eat early, since you are home. Do not wait to finish all your work for the day before you have your dinner. Finish dinner at 7pm and after work, you can take a stroll around the block, rather than eating food to unwind
• Chew slowly, try to eat mindfully, enjoying the flavour and texture of the food to enhance your satiety
• Don’t order unhealthy snacks for the kids which you end up eating, this is the best time to get your kids adapt to a healthy lifestyle; lead by example
• Take your medications on time which was often not possible while we were working from office
• Have a schedule and try to stick to it, including small pockets of time to meditate, exercise, for meals and to relax without any devices. These can be brief 20min slots but are of utmost importance. Decide a time after which all devices are off – do not use your social media to relax, it is anything but relaxing, and a sure-fire way to disturbed sleep
• Walk during your work calls or do some simple stretches/chair exercises when it is not your turn to speak in the e-meeting

The ways of the world more or less have been permanently affected, and we have to adapt and adjust to this new normal. It is a golden opportunity for us to get our priorities right and our life back on track

- The author is Consultant Endocrinologist, Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi - A Fortis Network Hospital.

Stop Using Your Bed For Work. 5 Tips To Create The Right WFH Space

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Since working from home is the new norm, its best to get it right. Rhea Khurrana, Founder of Re | Arrange, shares her easy tips on how to make sure your work space helps you get into office mode.

Since working from home is the new norm, its best to get it right. Rhea Khurrana, Founder of Re | Arrange, shares her easy tips on how to make sure your work space helps you get into office mode.

One of the most important things would be to avoid using your bed as it’s easier to slip into a lazy mode. Instead try and find a small nook/corner where you can sit up and work. Decorate the space in a way that would look like your work desk so you feel the same energy as you would get from sitting on your office desk. This could be anything such as your pen stand at work, etc.

One of the most important things would be to avoid using your bed as it’s easier to slip into a lazy mode. Instead try and find a small nook/corner where you can sit up and work. Decorate the space i..

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If you have no option but to use your bed or if you are someone who loves working from your bed, it’s important to have some sort of a table. This could be in the form of a movable folding tray, trolley, side table, etc. This would keep your alignment right during work and give your some form of formality.

If you have no option but to use your bed or if you are someone who loves working from your bed, it’s important to have some sort of a table. This could be in the form of a movable folding tray, trol..

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If you do not want to occupy too much space in your room with a table, make use of a floating table that you can pull in and out as and when required. This is ideal for the work from home feel and you can keep customising it as per your frame of mind.

If you do not want to occupy too much space in your room with a table, make use of a floating table that you can pull in and out as and when required. This is ideal for the work from home feel and yo..

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Placing the home desk near a window is also great to get sufficient natural light for warmth and positivity. It really helps in productivity. Keeping planters and essence on the desk also improves the concentration and focus while working.

Placing the home desk near a window is also great to get sufficient natural light for warmth and positivity. It really helps in productivity. Keeping planters and essence on the desk also improves th..

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Lastly, it’s important to ensure all your supplies are accessible to you. This can be done by placing all the work stuff together on a shelf or using a vertical storage method.

Lastly, it’s important to ensure all your supplies are accessible to you. This can be done by placing all the work stuff together on a shelf or using a vertical storage method.

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