Thursday, September 26, 2013

Office Life

Office jobs can be challenging-especially if you go from a fast paced, on-your-feet job to sitting at a desk all day. There are definitely a lot of benefits to office life (weekends off!) but there are also a lot of downfalls...like these:




I have worked at the same company for almost six years and I have gained about 30 pounds in the process….YIKES! I originally started in customer service, where we were required to work 5am-5pm every first of the month. It wasn’t too bad, especially when lunch was catered in for us. I was in the department for about four and a half years, so that’s a lot of lunches! That doesn’t even count the week in October they celebrate the department and have lunch and snacks brought in all week long, or the endless donuts, bagels, cookies, and birthday cakes that are constantly being left in the break room.

 

Needless to say it can be a bit difficult to behave yourself when there are tasty temptations around every corner. A few months ago I decided not to be so tempted by all the treats, and so far it has been pretty successful! I have included a few tips that may help you in passing up the plethora of food at your work, as well as tips to get up and move throughout your work day.
Avoid, avoid, avoid
I know it is easier said than done, but if you know food is in a certain area and you may be tempted to have a nibble (or two) stay away. For example, today a bunch of bagels were brought in and I really thought I wanted one. Then I got to thinking about my goal and how I would feel after if I did eat one. So, I stayed out of the break room until the temptation passed.

Walk
Get up and walk around on your break or lunch. Get a walking partner to go with you-not only is this good to help you move around, but it also gives your eyes a break from staring at the computer.

Stretch
If you can’t get outside to move around, do it at your desk. Stand up for a minute or so and stretch. Bring in an exercise ball and alternate sitting on it and siting in your chair. Or better yet, get one of these…..
 


Or better yet, one of these….
 
Healthy Snacks
If you are actually hungry, and not just eating because it is there (been there, done that….Hello extra 30 pounds!) then make sure you keep healthy snacks in your desk. I have peanuts, granola, and protein bars in my desk. I also usually bring an apple or banana, or some veggies with hummus to snack on.

Contests
Get others involved in your quest to become healthier at work. Start a walking club or start a contest. Everyone loves a little healthy competition. Get everyone who is interested to pitch in five dollars and put it toward a gift card to Starbucks, a running store, or the movies. Who ever walks the most miles, or loses the most weight in a set amount of time (one month, three months, you pick!) will be the winner.

Share
When all else fails-you’ve avoided it, you’ve walked and stretched, and the healthy snacks are not doing the trick-then share. Or take half a donut, bagel, etc. My co-worker brought in pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting yesterday….yea-it was a little difficult to pass that up. So when I ran through my handbag of tricks, I caved in and had a small sliver-and I mean small-just enough for a few bites to fulfill my craving. I’ve heard a few times, from different sources, that when you’re craving something it is better to have a small amount than to deny yourself because you will eat other snacks and waste those calories instead. (Sorry for the long sentence!)

I hope these tips will help you out as they have me. Nobody is perfect, and you’re going to want that piece of cake or donut occasionally. It is learning to know when you want it because you’re hungry, and when you want it because it is available. Good luck!! You can do it!

Questions…

1.       What temptations does your work have?

2.       Are there any other tips you know of to avoid the snacks or help you move around?

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