Working from home can be incredibly convenient. One could spend time with the kids after school, tend to housework, and grab groceries during the noon hours. However, working from home puts one at close proximity to the refrigerator. The temptation is too great for some who begin gaining weight and adopting unhealthy habits. Here’s how to maintain your weight and good health when working from home.

Take Breaks

You may find yourself in the kitchen because you’re in need of a break. Schedule breaks every thirty to forty-five minutes. The foresight alone can make workers less anxious. Furthermore, scheduling a break can make you proactive in avoiding the kitchen area, which is the next suggestion.

Avoid the Kitchen

Don’t abuse the kitchen but treat it like a commercial establishment during working hours. For example, you may pop in a restaurant or a cafe for breakfast or lunch, but during a normal day, you wouldn’t be gorging on food if you worked in an office. Therefore, avoid the kitchen or treat the area like a cafe or noon-time restaurant.

Start an Exercise Regimen

Start exercising regularly throughout the workweek. Watch online videos, speak to gym trainers, and slowly develop a custom regimen that fits your goals. Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, or increase flexibility, a range of home gym exercises can improve your physique and all around health.

Leave for Lunch

Those who work from home may need a change of scenery. Rather than hastily raiding the fridge for lunch, go to an establishment that can offer a healthy menu filled with salads and low-calorie options. Some may eat to compensate for feelings of boredom. Put a break in the workday, leave the house, and get a healthy lunch each workday.

Buy a Quality Chair

The word ‘health’ can make one focus on food. However, when working from home, it’s incredibly important to ensure a high level of comfort. For example, some chairs and other household furniture may be purposed more for display than long-term function, meaning such furnishings should not double as work chairs. Buy a quality chair from a reputable on or offline vendor.

Record Progress

Maintain a food and exercise diary. It can be filled with data, anecdotes, inspirational quotes, etc. Its purpose is to inspire you to make progress towards maintaining good health. For some, it’s very effective to literally see what they’re putting in their body and what they’re doing to gain muscle, lose fat, and feel great.

Make Yourself Accountable

Whether it’s a neighbor, spouse, or household member that helps in making you accountable, it will become harder to eat poorly when others are tracking your behavior. Rather than maintain your own food diary, have another person keep track of what, when, and how much you’re eating. This could be your doctor who you may communicate with via email or a monthly basis, one who can also lend real-time suggestions compatible with any food allergies you may have.

Millie Godfrey writes about how to successfully work from home and maintain a work/life balance. She is an online lifestyle coach sharing her ways and wisdom around the web.