Working women are a class apart. The self-assurance they display while juggling between work and home is stirring. With never-ending responsibilities at work and home consuming their time and energy, working women put their health on the back burner.
To guide inspirational women who prove their mettle at work and home, at Cloudely, we curated top health and fitness tips for working women. These are simple, effective, and take no time to implement in daily routine. Plus, these health and fitness tips cater to the needs of every woman, irrespective of work status.
#1: Break the fast in a wholesome way
As cliché as it sounds, this is the one we want to put on top of the health and fitness tips for working women.
Studies find that working women neglect breakfast and rarely spend 3 minutes and 15 seconds on it.
Skipping breakfast can lead to cravings and results in more calorie consumption than intended. In turn, this leads to metabolic disturbances and weight gain, which can aggravate mood swings and worsen cravings. In the long run, it is a vicious cycle.
Expert tip:
Have a healthy and nutritious breakfast. A nut-and-fruit yogurt shake, homemade idli, khichdi, upma, boiled eggs, omelette, and fresh homemade fruit juice can provide you ample energy to kickstart the metabolism.
#2: Sip healthy
For working women, coffee is synonymous with relaxation. Whether to take a break from the desk or to get new ideas for the work, coffee appears to be the go-to solution.
However, the polyphenols in coffee and tea may interrupt iron and calcium absorption. Excessive caffeine intake can lead to anaemia and early osteoporosis.
Expert Tip:
Add natural flavors to drinking water and sip it frequently. Add slices of fruits and lemon to water in a jug and keep it handy. Drinking such naturally flavored water also helps in detoxification. You can even seeds like chia, flax, and barley for added hydration and weight loss.
#3: Plan meals in advance
Cooking can be a tedious and time-consuming task. For working women with little domestic help, cooking can sap energy. It gets challenging if the woman has a family and children. Time-bound working women may thus resort to ordering out or reaching for instant foods that serve no nutritional benefits.
Expert tip:
Plan a weekly menu. Stock up on the necessary vegetables and ingredients to avoid the last-minute rush. Chop them and refrigerate them as and when you have time to save meal preparation time. Cooking in advance, storing in the refrigerator, and reheating is also another option. However, a nutrient loss might happen in this process.
#4: Stock up healthy
One of the vital health and nutrition tips for working women is to avoid processed and junk foods. It is a no-brainer, but here is where many working women fail. Lack of time and energy for cooking pushes women to choose processed and junk food that can do more harm than good.
Expert tip:
To kick out junk from the diet, stock up on healthy options. Load your shopping cart with wholesome foods. Nuts, seeds, fruits, salads, homemade juices, eggs, oats, whole grains are quick and healthy food options that save time and need little effort to cook.
#5: Watch the weight
Excess weight is one of the causes of concern among working women. Stress, lack of sleep and exercise, and limited diet and nutrition can lead to weight gain in working women. Various ailments like sleep disorders, hormonal imbalances, infertility, and mood swings take no time to follow excessive weight.
Expert tip:
Be conscious of body weight. Healthy eating, mindfulness, getting adequate physical activity, and managing stress can assist weight control.
#6: Check your emotional wellbeing
In her interview with Hopkins Medicine, psychologist Jennifer Hay Thorn Thwaite indicates that working women face distinct emotional challenges.
Relationships, childcare, professional ambitions, and lack of emotional support play havoc with the emotional health of working women, she finds.
Inability to attain work-life balance, the pervasion of technology and work into personal time, and lack of flexibility in working hours can add to stress triggers.
Expert tip:
Find the root cause of emotional stress and inculcate changes that counteract them. Healthy hobbies, quality sleep, and a support system can assure positive mental health for women.
#7:Mind the nutrients
Women’s bodies undergo changes frequently that impact her physically, mentally, and emotionally. Adequate nutrient intake through diet helps women in coping with these changes. Nutritional deficiencies in women trigger minor to chronic health conditions.
Expert Tip:
Check if your diet is rich in these nutrients; else, include the mentioned sources to turn your diet healthy.
| Nutrient | Importance | Dietary Sources |
| Calcium | For bone and teeth health.
To handle osteoporosis. |
Dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, curd), Almonds, Broccoli, Kale, Chinese cabbage, Black Beans. |
| Folic acid | Must pre- and during pregnancy.
Aids cell division and heart health. Prevents high BP and anaemia. |
Green leafy vegetables, Citrus, Squash, Spinach, Avocado, Oranges, Tomatoes. |
| Magnesium | Quintessential for calcium absorption.
Helps in PMS, muscular cramps, sleep disorders, detoxification. |
Sesame seeds, Basil, Broccoli, Bananas, Pumpkin seeds, Avocado. |
| Iron | To maintain haemoglobin levels lost during menstruation.
Deficiency can lead to fatigue, dullness and anaemia. |
Eggs, Red Meat, Pumpkin Seeds, Beans, Fish, Legumes etc. |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | Essential nutrient for women.
Helps heart health, menstrual pain, blood pressure, and prevents chronic diseases. |
Flax Seeds, Soybeans, Tofu, Kale, Spinach, Salmon, Fish, Walnuts, Eggs. |
| Vitamin C | Promotes immunity and increases collagen production.
Prevents cell damage, fights oestrogen deficiency, helps in healthy skin and muscles. |
Red Bell Peppers, Lemons, Tomatoes, Peas, Oranges, Kiwis, Broccoli, Strawberries. |
| Vitamin D | Aids calcium absorption.
Lack can trigger depression, mood swings, fatigue, bone pains, muscle cramps and weaknesses. |
Mushrooms, egg yolks, fortified foods, red meat, sea food, sunlight. |
| Protein | Secret of healthy muscles.
Important for a healthy metabolism, weight management, immunity and digestion. |
Poultry, red meat, cereals, nuts, guava, beans, peas, quinoa, yogurt, milk, avocado, pumpkin, seeds. |
| Fiber | Aids in weight management and bowel movement.
Controls blood sugar and cholesterol. |
Vegetables, fruits, whole grain nuts, beans, cereals. |
#8: Have regular check-ups
Women are notorious for ignoring their own health. Regular health check-ups can prevent and help in the early identification of otherwise deadly diseases.
Expert Tip:
An investment in regular health check-ups turns fruitful in the long run. Schedule annual or half-yearly check-ups without fail. Health check-ups also aid during tax deduction. Seek the guidance of your employer or tax consultant regarding the same.
#9:Live according to your life-stage
Women’s life is one continuum characterized by several stages: Infancy, puberty, reproductive, climacteric, and pre-and post-menopausal. Each one brings its health and fitness challenges. Hence, the diet and nutrition should be able to meet the nourishment demands of these stages.
Expert Tip:
Lead a lifestyle according to the stage of life. Have a support system that aids your professional growth without sacrificing age-related demands. Doing so avoids various conditions such as infertility, hormonal imbalances and helps in sounder mental health.
#10: Get the beauty sleep
As Carrie Snow puts it – “No day is so bad it can’t be fixed with a nap.” Kick the stress at the end of the day by fixing it with a night of quality sleep.
Lack of sleep can only worsen your day. It deprives focus, good mood, triggers food cravings, and inhibits decision-making capability.
Expert Tip:
Get some me-time before you go to bed. A bubble bath, spending time with nature, pets, meditation, and bedtime yoga will help to release the day’s stress. A glass of warm milk can boost serotonin levels – the sleep hormone that is actually your best friend!
#11: Try invigorating exercises
For working women, exercise is one of the easily ignored tasks from the to-dos. When planning about beginning an exercise routine, tomorrow never comes.
If you are keen to excel as a working woman, exercise must be your priority, as it is an elixir that holistically promotes health.
Regular exercise helps in weight management, better decision making and makes you mentally and physically more robust.
Exercise is a natural preventive measure for obesity, depression, osteoporosis, and other hormonal-related female issues.
Expert Tip:
Sticking to one type of routine can kill the motivation to work out. Make exercise exciting by adding variety.
Swimming, dancing, gardening, yoga, Pilates, martial arts, hiking, trekking, weight lifting, aerobics, or simply walking – the options are endless. Spice up your exercise routine by making suitable choices.
#12: Learn to say No
The tasks that working women need to accomplish never seem to end. Be it professional deadlines or household chores, accepting everything to prove as a superwoman may, in fact, prove counterproductive.
Expert Tip:
Learn to say No when you have no energy levels to accomplish something. And it is absolutely okay. Otherwise, it adds more stress, ultimately burning you out. Hence, say No and take a deep breath now and then.
#13: Mind the mood swings
Blame it on the monthly cycles mood swings plus women go hand in hand. Working women, in particular, undergo immense stress due to these mood swings. The necessity to maintain a professional appearance and deal with the office challenges can be tiring at such times.
To handle mood swings, most women resort to overeating. Unhealthy carbohydrates, caffeine, junk food, sweets, and salt-rich food look appealing during mood swings.
Expert Tip:
Instead of reaching out to unhealthy options, consume healthy snacks like seeds, nuts, dark chocolate, and dry fruits. Drink enough water to stay hydrated, go on walks, do light exercises, and get adequate sleep.
#14:Cultivate mindfulness
The guilt of missing the family responsibilities and child care haunts every working woman. It can pile up stress and result in poor performance both at home and work. Instead of trying to be busy, focus on your productivity.
Expert Tip:
Cultivate mindfulness. When in office, focus only on work challenges. Remind yourself that you are there for a reason, pat your back and keep going. Take no guilt of missing household responsibilities when at work as it helps in no way.
Similarly, when at home, concentrate on spending quality time with family. Avoid bringing work into personal time as it can hurt your health and relationships.
#15: Own a hobby
Phyllis McGinley puts it so aptly – “A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away.” Hobbies can relieve us of our stress in a charming way. Most working women rarely do find time to pursue their hobbies. Lack of a hobby can deprive you of relaxation and self-gratification.
Expert Tip:
Choose a hobby entirely different from your daily routine, both at work and home. Make time for it daily or weekly. This way, you will lose yourself in a different world when you pursue the hobby and come back fully rejuvenated.
#16: Care for your heart
As scary as it sounds, heart diseases are the leading cause of death in women. Stress, neglect towards self-care and health, and never-ending responsibilities at home and work can prompt women to ignore their heart’s health.
Expert Tip:
Eat mindfully. Ensure your every meal is nutrient-rich. Incorporate exercise into your daily routine without fail. Keep stress at bay and get good sleep every single day. Do not forget regular health check-ups once you cross 30 years of age.
#17: Go on vacations
The daily grind of household and professional challenges can create a sort of vacuum and depression in women. It can be dangerous if not noticed early.
Expert Tip:
To rejuvenate yourself every while, take breaks from both household and office work. Plan your vacation so that it fills fresh energy in you. Travel, spend time with nature, meet friends, or learn something entirely new. Do something you love to and forget every other routine task during the break.
#18: Switch to single-tasking
Superwoman is a myth. And we mean it. Trying to accomplish everything with little or no help can drain out your energy soon. Multitasking can worsen stress levels and prove very little productive.
Expert Tip:
Say goodbye to multitasking. Handle tasks one after the other by planning well ahead. Single-tasking eliminates stress, errors and gives you space to breathe.
#19: Feel younger
Whoever said age is just a number said it so right. Feeling younger is one proven way to achieve more. It elevates energy levels and assists in professional success.
Expert Tip:
Always keep your mind younger. Accept challenges, keep learning and participate in fun events. Dance like nobody’s watching. Eat healthily and focus on health and fitness. Watch comedy movies and shows to destress. Essentially, think positive and stay in an uplifting company.
#20: Leverage online health and fitness resources
As a working woman with little free time, you must leverage the health and fitness tips for women available online in bounty.
Expert Tip:
Join online classes that cater to women’s health and fitness and practice them according to the instructor’s guidelines. Online resources can save time, money and suit your busy routine.
Have plenty of time? Join a fitness class in person. Nothing is more inspiring than to practice amidst a group of peers and encouraging trainers.
#21: Lead a simple life
A simple life can take away much of the stress that we experience. As Da Vinci puts it – Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Going after false pride and craving for attention can cause stress every time we yearn for them.
Expert Tip:
Realize what is essential in your life and pay attention only to it. It helps focus energy on what matters and gives you peace of mind about all other non-trivial aspects.
#22: Appreciate thyself
Appreciations can seem a distant dream for many women, be it at work or home. Motivation and enthusiasm can soon drop if this continues for long.
Expert Tip:
Instead of waiting for someone to appreciate you, pat your back when you accomplish something notable. Celebrate the occasion, remind yourself that you attained more responsibility, and move ahead towards bigger goals.
Keep calm and focus on your wellbeing.
A healthy body and a relaxed mind are quintessential for the success of working women at work and home. We are sure these health and fitness tips will drive you towards sound health, happiness, and success. Make no more delay in following these tips and share your experience with us. You go, girl!
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