Poor eating habits can hurt your health and expand your waistline. It is important to ensure you eat healthy all the time – including at work where you spend a good portion of your day. These seven tips can help you eat better at work:
1. Bring your lunch instead of buying or dining out.
Most of the food options people take advantage of at work are high in empty calories and aren't very good for you. You can prepare healthy low-cost meals and eat them at work to both improve your health and save money.
2. Eat together with others.
If you make eating a social experience, you may eat less since you're also chatting. Studies also show eating alone can be bad for your health. Get to know your co-workers by dining with them.
3. Don't eat mindlessly at your desk (not even snacks!).
If you don't pay attention to the fact you are consuming food, you're likely to eat more and not feel as satisfied. Don't do other activities when eating. Just take the time to eat.
4. Stock your office with healthy snacks instead of hitting the vending machine.
When you get hungry and want a snack, the vending machine can be tempting. Unfortunately, it is full of unhealthy products. Instead of eating chips or candy, stock your office with snacks that are good for you like fruit and nuts.
5. Limit your coffee and soda consumption.
Many people drink coffee or soda all day at work because these drinks are often accessible and because going to the coffee machine can provide a break in your day. Instead of drinking these drinks, make a commitment to only drink water at work.
6. Skip the high-calorie foods at office parties or celebrations.
If you work in a big place, it may seem like someone's always having a birthday or other celebration that necessitates bringing in a cake or ordering pizza. Instead of dining on these unhealthy food options, eat your own healthy snacks and lunch. Better yet, see if the whole office wants to get on board with eliminating the bad food at celebrations. Others in your office may want to improve their eating habits too.
7. Don't eat if you aren't hungry
It's tempting to pick up a donut because someone brought one in or to grab a piece of candy from your co-worker's candy jar. Instead of just eating because the food is there, ask yourself if you really are hungry. If you're not hungry, but you want the donut anyway, promise yourself you'll eat a donut next time you actually are hungry if you still want one. This makes it much easier to refuse a donut you aren't hungry for. Chances are, when it comes time to eat the donut, you'll have forgotten about it.
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