10 Tips to Be a Healthy Writer

Writers tend to be very sedentary. That is why eating right is one of the most important things that writers can do for themselves to be healthy and productive.

Just as exercise is important to keep our bodies in shape, eating right is just as important, for writers to refuel and have the right amount of energy. Writers need to provide fuel for their bodies otherwise they burn out. But because of the sedentary nature of our writing jobs, we usually end up nibbling on fatty snacks and salty and sugary foods that are not good for us. Many writers have candy and chips at their desk that they can snack on at all times. These kinds of foods over time can cause a lot of health problems and obesity in writers.

There are ten tips to eat healthy. They are easy to follow yet very important to follow consistently for optimal health.

1. Eat breakfast. Writers tend to pick up a cup of coffee and quickly go into their office to write. So, having breakfast is out of the question because it takes too long to prepare a nutritious meal. Mornings are a time to fuel our bodies. So, even having a protein shake or bar can be helpful along with your cup of coffee. But if you don't eat anything, you won't be writing at your best because your brain won't have the energy and fuel it needs to produce the best work. So, before you head into your office, grab a granola bar or a protein bar.

2. Avoid sugary and salty foods. These kinds of foods are unhealthy and can cause all kinds of health problems. So, make sure that you just cut them out of your diet. And don't have them around the house either. You don't want to have these unhealthy foods available to grab things when you get that rejection letter or if your writing is not going well.

3. Avoid eating too many carbs because they tend to fall on your waste and hips, depending on your body types. So, it is important to snack on fruit and veggies as often as possible.

4. Have three balanced meals a day and three healthy protein-based snacks. This will help you to not get too hungry and help you to balance your energy levels so that you could be at your best and most productive.

5. Have fruit for dessert. Try and avoid cakes, cookies or high sugar and fat desserts. That will cut quite a few calories a day. Also, don't snack on sugary treats in the mid-afternoon.

6. Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water every day. So, make sure that you have a large one liter bottle of water in your office as you write.

7. Have your heaviest meal earlier in the day. This will give you more energy when you need it. You may want to try to have dinner at lunch, and lunch, the lighter meal, at dinner. You will burn more calories and have more energy when you are writing, making you much more productive.

8. Use the crock pot for cooking meals ahead of time so that you have them on hand. You may want to have five to ten frozen meals in the freezer so you can just take one out when you need a quick dinner. This will ensure that you don't eat the wrong foods or go out for fast food after writing for many hours.

9. Read a few crock pot recipe books and prep your veggies and meat the night before so that you could easily put it in the crock pot the next day. While you are writing, you could smell a wafting crock pot preparing your dinner for you so that you don't have to cook after a long day of writing.

10. Refrain from drinking too much coffee or colas during the day. This stuff can be hard on your system. Instead, drink water or green tea and herbal tea. Ice tea is also a good option on hot days.

Writers have sedentary lives. But this doesn't mean that they can't be healthy. One important part of being a healthy writer is eating right. By taking the small steps outlined in the article, you could be your best both as a writer and as a person.

Irene S. Roth writes academically and creatively. She has twenty published books and has a website for writers at http://irenesroth.wordpress.com. She also has a website for arthritis sufferers at http://howtomanageyourarthritus.com.