Healthy Eating at Work - 7 Tips

There are pros and cons to working outside the home.

If you work at home and get a bit bored then, I can tell you from experience, the fridge is always beckoning and temptation is constantly a few steps away.

But if you're not careful, a job can be just as hazardous to your weight loss efforts.

Here's how to prevent your work getting in the way of you losing weight.

1. Take Your Lunch to Work

Take 10 minutes every day to pack your own lunch so you avoid the over-sized sandwich and fast food offerings that you might otherwise opt for.

2. A Bag of Apples

Always have apples on hand (or other healthy snacks) to avoid the temptation of the chocolate machine. Apples don't make much mess and the pectin they contain helps fill you up.

(And if you tend to get in from work ravenous, an apple on the way home can also help you from emptying the fridge before you have a chance to make dinner.  )

3. Eat Breakfast at Home

Breakfast before you go to work so you're not tempted to collect a coffee and muffin on the way. If you really don't have time or don't like eating breakfast so early - pack your breakfast as well as your lunch.

4. Walk as well as Eat

Use you lunch hour to take a walk - a bit of a breather will help reduce stress (and stress eating) in the afternoon as well as burning a few calories and keeping your metabolism stoked.

If you have a nearby gym, you could fit in a 30 minute session on the cardio machines or weights and still have time for a shower and sandwich.

5. Avoid the Treats

Just because someone has a birthday doesn't mean you have to eat cake like it was yours (and accept seconds for good measure). Just because they want to off-load their chocolate gifts on the girls at the office, doesn't mean that you have to be the one to sae their diet by breaking yours.

If you feel it would be impolite to refuse, take a piece of cake or chocolate "for later" and  "forget" to eat it.

6. Drink Water

In an over-heated workplace, it's easy to become dehydrated. Keep a glass of water on your desk so you always have something to sip. This is also useful to help you cut down on caffeine. While coffee or tea can tempt you into having a cookie or something like it at the same time, water and cookies does not  have the same attraction.

7. Workplace Meals

If your work place has a good subsidized restaurant make the most of it and eat your main meal at lunch time if this means you won't have to cook in the evening. Choose lean protein with plenty of vegetables or salad and fruit or yogurt for dessert. Then swap your evening meal for a lighter snack or sandwich.

Comments

[May]

These are awesome tips. Another one that I have done is by pushing other coworkers to eat healthy by having a group "Salad Day." We all bring in items for a group salad and help each other eat healthy.

I also make sure I have some fruit, such as the apples mentioned, nearby so I don't feel the urge to grab the chocolates.

The key is moderation, as there will be a company lunch or a party you cannot avoid and want to still be a part of.

[Alexa Cooper]

I really liked the last tip with the restaurant. I have noticed that many people like to go out during lunch and then eat a large meal after work again, cause they are used to eating large dinners. It is wise to just change and have a large lunch and a small dinner.

[Janice]

Thanks for your comments Alexa.

That's a great tip May.

Usually a large percentage of your co-workers would prefer healthy eating over too many tempting treats so this would work in many places of work.

You can be sociable without eating chocolate and cake!

Thanks

Janice
editor Think Slim