Let’s face it, eating healthy at work is not fun or easy. The bottom line is that work equals stress, and for most of us, stress equals eating (usually unhealthily). Being able to manage your diet at work is a key tool that will allow you to maximize productivity on the job while also feeling good about yourself. Everyone wants to be healthy and fit, but dedicating the time and energy to be able to consistently make the right food and exercise choices, especially while working a grueling schedule, can seem like a daunting task. Here is a list of five easy and healthy choices to make while at the office rather than daydreaming of donuts and other delicious treats.
Pack Your Lunch
Packing a nutritious lunch is a key tool in being able to resist temptation to reach for that bag of potato chips from the vending machine or the pasta primavera from the cafeteria. Bringing lean meats, whole wheat breads as well as nuts and water instead of those greasy alternatives will not only make you feel better about your choices, but give you sustained energy when that “2:30 feeling” rolls around.
Avoid the Vending Machine!
The vending machine is for lack of a better term, your mortal enemy at work. This big box of horrors is most always filled with salty and chocolaty snacks that will ruin your diet and leave you feeling bad just minutes after that wrapper hits the trash can. Try alternatives such as celery and peanut butter, apple slices, almonds and raisins to replace those waist-busting treats.
Take a Walk during Lunch
Ah, our cherished lunch break. Our time to relax, unwind….and continue to sit. This is the completely wrong idea for most people who are looking to maximize their day. After you eat (a healthy and satisfying meal of course) try taking the second half of your break outside and get moving! Even just a 20 minute walk at a moderate pace can get your blood pumping and release crucial endorphins that will uplift your mood for the second half of the daily grind. Instead of sticking your nose in your neighbor’s business or reading about which celebrity said this and that, make your lunch break a productive one!
Stay Hydrated
Water, unlike the vending machine, is your best friend while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Having a glass of water handy at your desk will not only keep you hydrated, but keep you feeling fuller throughout the day. Instead of snacking, drinking a few 8oz glasses a day is an essential tool to looking and feeling great. Replace those sugary drinks and carbonated beverages with a good ol’ glass of h2o.
Stick Together
There isn’t an easier way to stick to a healthy diet at work than having a buddy who wants to keep healthy with you. Sticking together while the rest of the office is digging into some birthday cake for the third time this month will help to ease the pain as you watch those empty calories go to waste. This teamwork can often lead to a workout partner (another essential tool in living a healthy and active lifestyle) so team up, and everyone wins!
This article is terrific! Great suggestions to follow (especially those who have the willpower). Where I work, the people who run our building announced the opening of a gym where we can exercise on our breaks or after work, for just a one-time $10 fee. Using the treadmill or other available devices there is just another way to be able to get rid of unwanted calories!
To make sure you avoid the vending machine, stock up during weekly shopping trips on healthy alternatives such as protein bars, pre-packaged 100 calorie items such as nuts and crackers, and individual packets of oatmeal and cream of wheat. Keep a supply on hand in your desk drawer to avoid temptation and on days when you forget to pack a lunch. Not only will you save money, you will save on calories. Also fresh fruit will last for a few days on your desk so when Monday rolls around bring in a few extra pieces of fruit for the week as well!
Thank you for your suggestion to get moving during lunch, but I need my lunch 1/2 hour to eat! By the time I go to the cafeteria, find an empty seat, and set up my lunch (yes, i bring lunch every day) I don’t have the time to walk. If I spent the time getting outside to walk during my breaks I would take 10 steps and then rush back to my desk. I make sure I get up and walk a bit every 20 minutes here in the office, though. And I’m trying to drink plenty of water, too.
Any exercise suggestions for people like me with barely 30 minutes for lunch?
I like the way you showed the convenient plastic containers for packing lunch. Yes, they need washing after you use them but at least we aren’t adding plastic & paper bags to the piles of trash we toss every day. These are sold in sets that nest for storage and they can be carried in a travel tote.Instead of all those tiny tubs of flavored yogurt you can buy a quart size of plain and add fresh fruit. Try little ways of decreasing your trash and the use of plastic baggies. Good for the planet, and good for your health-
I love being able to go outside during my lunch and take a walk. The fresh air wakes me right up and gets me moving.
Some excellent ideas & tips here! I’m going to try to do at least a couple of these a day. Taking steps, even just a few towards getting more healthy and fit is not just physically beneficial but so mentally uplifting as well!
This article is right on target. I was recently diagnosed with diabetes and got a wake up call to improve my eating habits. I started making changes, substituting fruit instead of chips or cookies, smaller portions and dropped the soda. I found with these simple and relatively easy changes that I feel better and have actually dropped over 20 pounds!
I find it so hard to eat healthy when I am at the office. There is always a pile of chocolates or cake sitting in the kitchen. I make sure I bring my lunch daily plus some healthy snacks so I don’t give in and junk out.
I have an hour for lunch and half is spent at the gym in my office building. It’s a great way to keep your eye on the prize of good health. I never did any exercise at home either in the morning or evening. Always something else needed to get done. Now, it is better use of wasted lunchtime! There is still plenty f time to eat!
This is my passion for 2015. A healthier lunch. If I pack my fruit and chop up a salad the night before, then finishing off my lunch in the morning is easy. I add a yogurt and a tiny plastic container of dressing to my thermal bag. Then if we had leftover chicken from dinner I add a few slices on top of my salad. And water, of course. I’m watching this blog to see if anyone has some new ideas.
Great ideas for eating healthy and trying to get more exercise. I try to walk every chance I get especially at work by walking up or down the stair instead of the elevator or around the office. Eating healthy is something I try to do everyday, but staying away from the vending machine is hard. Once in a while won’t hurt when you just have to have that certain something and plenty of water to go with it.
I want to suggest a great snack. It’s a fruit & nut bar that’s gluten free, dairy free, soy free, vegan & kosher. All that was in the one called Apple Pie was dates (which is always the main ingredient in this brand), almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon. No lie-there are no chemicals, no salt, no sugar, nothing artificial in these bars.
Hint at the brand name of the bar: think of the lovely lady in Dr. Zhivago.
I find that the buddy system works great for me. We help each other behave on those days when we’re weak and tempted and could easily run amok. A little friendly, positive reinforcement can help you stay on track.
At my sisters workplace, there was a small group of women who were trying to eat healthy and lose weight so everyday someone would bring in a healthy low in calorie lunch for the group. It made it easier to stay on track and with a variety of different meals.