Staying Healthy With A 40+ Hour Workweek

27 Jul 2025

When you're working 40, 50, or even 60 hours a week, staying healthy can feel like an uphill battle. Long days, unpredictable schedules, and limited time often mean nutrition, movement, and sleep get pushed to the side.

But with the right systems in place, you don’t need hours in the gym or an entire Sunday spent meal prepping. Focusing on the minimum effective dose and simple, high-impact habits can help you feel and function your best—even during the busiest weeks.

1. What’s the Minimum Effective Dose for Exercise?

You don’t need long, intense workouts every day to stay healthy. Research shows that 2–3 strength training sessions per week, paired with daily movement, can go a long way in supporting:

  • Blood sugar balance

  • Muscle retention

  • Metabolic health

  • Longevity

Here’s what the science supports:

  • 2–3 full-body resistance workouts per week (20–45 minutes each) are enough to build or maintain muscle, support hormone balance, and improve insulin sensitivity.

  • Walking 7,000–10,000 steps per day is associated with a lower risk of early death and cardiovascular disease. Even 5,000+ steps with intention has benefit.

  • Short movement breaks throughout the day (such as 5-10 minutes of walking after meals) support blood sugar regulation and digestion.

The key is consistency. Not perfection, not intensity—just showing up regularly.

2. Meal Prep Without Losing Your Weekend

Meal prep doesn’t need to be elaborate. What matters most is having easy, nutrient-dense options available so you don’t rely on takeout or processed snacks when time is tight.

Build your week around a few simple staples:

  • Cook a few pounds of ground beef, chicken thighs, or hard-boiled eggs

  • Roast a tray of frozen or fresh vegetables

  • Make a starch like rice, potatoes, or quinoa

  • Keep grab-and-go items on hand (pre-washed greens, canned fish, avocado, etc.)

From there, mix and match. Combine a protein, vegetable, starch, and healthy fat. You don’t need a recipe for every meal—just ingredients you can build from in under 10 minutes.

Store ingredients separately to keep meals fresh and flexible throughout the week.

3. Prioritize Protein at Breakfast

What you eat in your first meal of the day sets the tone for your energy, focus, and appetite.

Most people grab something light or carb-heavy in the morning: cereal, toast, a granola bar, or just coffee. But this creates a blood sugar spike and crash pattern that leads to low energy, cravings, and late-day snacking.

Instead, start the day with a protein-rich, nutrient-dense meal. From a circadian rhythm standpoint, your body is primed to digest and utilize nutrients most efficiently in the morning—especially protein.

Cortisol is naturally elevated during the first few hours after waking. This makes breakfast the best time to fuel with amino acids, support your metabolism, and reduce stress on your system later in the day.

Benefits of a high-protein breakfast include:

  • Stable blood sugar and fewer energy crashes

  • Reduced cravings throughout the day

  • Better appetite regulation

  • Improved mood and mental clarity

A 2013 randomized controlled trial from the University of Missouri found that women who consumed about 35g of protein at breakfast had significantly fewer cravings and less evening snacking than those who ate a low-protein breakfast or skipped it altogether (Leidy et al., Am J Clin Nutr).

Aim for at least 25–30g of protein in your first meal and include healthy fat and fiber for longer-lasting satiety.

Simple, high-protein breakfast ideas:

  • Eggs with sautéed greens and avocado

  • Greek yogurt with berries and chia or hemp seeds

  • Protein smoothie with whey isolate, spinach, and nut butter

  • Leftover steak or ground beef with potatoes and olive oil

This one change can significantly improve how you feel and perform throughout the day.

4. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Walking

Even if you can’t make it to the gym, walking throughout the day provides powerful health benefits. It’s one of the most effective and accessible forms of movement.

Ways to increase daily movement:

  • Take walking meetings or phone calls

  • Walk for 10–15 minutes after meals to support digestion and blood sugar

  • Use stairs instead of elevators when possible

  • Park farther away or get off the train one stop early

Short walks add up. They reduce stress, improve metabolic health, and support energy levels without requiring any extra equipment or recovery.

5. Make It Sustainable, Not Perfect

The goal isn’t to have a perfect fitness routine or gourmet meals every day. It’s about building a system that works even during your busiest, most unpredictable weeks.

Focus on repeatable habits:

  • Strength train 2–3x per week

  • Walk daily

  • Keep staple foods on hand

  • Prioritize hydration and sleep

  • Start the day with protein and whole foods

These behaviors move the needle—and they’re sustainable even with a demanding schedule.

Working full-time doesn’t mean putting your health on the back burner. It just means being strategic with your time and focusing on what actually matters.

My biweekly newsletter contains more detailed blog posts, advice, and nutritional information. Sign up by clicking HERE!