Hello office goers, this blog is especially for you! 

The major problem these days is duh duh dun- Desk Job, or any job (unless you're the lucky few who opted for a more physical job such as a trainer or guide). Whether an entrepreneur or marketing person, having a full-time "stare at the screen" job has become a relatively common phenomenon. 

It's khaja time at the office, and if you're a regular Ram Bahadur, what do you do? Your first option is to order from nearby restaurants or the office cafeteria. What are the options: Momo, Chowmein, and Fried Rice? 

Let's see a breakdown of each of the dishes:

Not too bad if you eat healthy at home, but we generally consume only basic food that doesn't hit the nutritional spot. Does this look more or less similar to your diet? 

• Breakfast: Coffee with Bread and Egg

• Lunch: Dal Bhat with Vegetable

• Snack: Chicken Momo and Milk Tea

• Dinner: Alu Tarkari with Roti

If yes, then this is what your total nutrition for the day looks like:

• Calories: ~1260-1530 calories
• Protein: ~58-67 grams
• Carbohydrates: ~175-215 grams
• Fat: ~25-41 grams

And what are you missing from your diet?

1. Fiber
2. Vitamin C
3. Calcium
4. Vitamin D
5. Iron
6. B Vitamins
7. Healthy Fats

To ensure a balanced diet, consider diversifying your food choices and incorporating a wider variety of nutrient-rich foods from different food groups. 

To diversify, here is the second option: to order and have some healthy filling dish be delivered to your office. But how sustainable is this? Let's see. 

Suppose you're spending Rs. 700 to Rs. 1500 for lunch at work. Then, depending on your lunch spending range and the number of workdays, you spend approximately Rs. 16,800 to Rs. 36,000 rupees per month and Rs. 2,01,600 - Rs. 4,32,000 per year on lunch.

Before you start getting frustrated about the lack of options and having to choose either your health or your wealth (money), we suggest you MAKE TIME for the third option:

Pack your own lunch!

Wake up an hour early at the most and start packing your lunch. Remember, no one will come to you and tell you you need a change. Don't let time be your ultimate teacher. Take control now and simply MEAL PREP!

Meal Prep gives you complete control over what you eat—feeling less energetic? Pack something light so your body doesn't have to work overtime to digest your heavy momos. Feeling dehydrated? Go for something with more water content, like cucumber, rather than dry, like bread.

You be your own doctor and let your food be your medicine. (As said by Hippocrates, a famous Greek physician, in 440 BC).

To get you started, we have some dish ideas for you to get some inspiration from! 

1. Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Veggies

2. Dal Bhat with Mixed Vegetables

3. Stir-Fried Tofu with Veggies

4. Chicken and Vegetable Curry

5. Sautéed Spinach with Chickpeas

6. Brown Rice with Lentil Soup

7. Grilled Fish with Steamed Vegetables

8. Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp

9. Vegetable Omelette with Whole Wheat Bread

10. Mung Bean Salad

Now comes the three steps to prepping your meal. Are you ready?

STEP 1: Download this Recipe Book and take notes on which dishes you like and what changes you want to bring to each dish.

STEP 2: Download and print (if possible) this  Weekly Meal Planner and start preparing the week's meal!

STEP 3: Enough planning. Start cooking! Get the ingredients of the dish you will be packing for the office tomorrow ready the night before. Wake up 30 mins earlier and start filling the lunch box! Remember, start with baby steps, do not over-commit to complicated recipes, and try to have fun! 

The benefits of cooking are genuinely superb and can enhance life. It can also strengthen relationships with self, partner, and family. 

Happy Prepping, GA Fam. We wish you the best of health for you and your family.

Love, 

Gorkha Athletics Team