Eating at work can be difficult, especially when you find yourself in meetings throughout the entire day. It can very simple to grab a donut and coffee in the morning and just go on about your way.
You want to eat healthy at work! But the fact of the matter is making bad food choices like that will only lead to a lifestyle of unbalance and more importantly unhealthiness.
Please trust and believe us when we say we have been there and done that, and we know the outcome, in the long run, will only make you wish you had started changing your eating habits sooner.
Thanks to City Girl Savings, check out these six ways you can eat healthy at work and still keep your energy up!
#1 Step Away
In some cases, stepping away to get lunch may be harder than one can imagine. You may be in jam-packed meetings with only a few minutes to get to each of them. That alone can be stressful and makes it tough for you to even run to the cafeteria.
When we are unable to step away, the chances of eating something that is unhealthy and not satisfying is higher. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 83 percent of Americans find themselves eating and snacking at their desks.
That means more than 50 percent of us mindlessly eat and snack on unhealthy items at our desks while working.
#2 Don’t Skip Breakfast
Skipping the most important meal of the day can be the worst thing you can do for your health. Eating breakfast is the one meal you do not want to skip, because it is the first meal your body is consuming food after sleeping for hours. It is vital to eat a healthy breakfast to help you settle into a hunger-free morning.
We are all aware of when we do not eat for a long period of time—sometimes we get angry. Being upset at work is the last thing anyone wants!
If you find yourself in hurry out the door be sure to grab a fruit or a slice of whole-grain bread with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter. That way you have something in your stomach until lunch hour.
#3 Be Prepared
It is always nice to have snacks stored away at your desk drawer. As the saying goes, it is always better to stay ready than to have to get ready. When you find yourself unprepared when hunger strikes, it will have you making bad food choices and dealing with the aftermath later.
If you don’t like to store healthy food snacks at your desk, perhaps you can find print out menus from the surrounding food establishments and review them in advance to know what options are healthy and deliverable.
Simply make a note of your favorite options so you don’t have to stress about what you would like to order in the future.
#4 Healthy Alternative
Instead of packing a bag of fried greasy chips to snack on, you may want to opt for the healthier versions of those and get baked chips. The same goes for your sweet tooth: if it is that time of the month and you are craving something sweet, don’t grab a candy bar! Instead, try a granola bar that has a natural sweetener in it.
There will always be options but it is up to you to navigate and funnel through what it is you need compared to what is you are craving at that moment.
If your office vending machine only carries unhealthy options, then pack the snacks that you find healthy and bring them to work. You are not only saving money but you are making healthy decisions.
#5 Craving Control
Having control of your cravings can be extremely difficult. At certain times of the day, it may seem like you have been hit by a truck full of different cravings and you are nowhere near a meal to satisfy it. Typically, around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, a lot of folks go through an afternoon lull.
What that means is our blood sugar drops, fatigue sets in, and we are in dire need of a pick-me-up. To ensure your cravings are under control, know what foods to grab on the fly.
If you really need something sweet, try grabbing dark chocolate for the day and pair it with some fresh fruit for maximum antioxidant and energy boost.
#6 Pack a Lunch
Bringing your own lunch to work is one of the best solutions to ensuring you will have a healthy, balanced lunch at work. Whether it is a frozen dinner or leftovers from the dinner of the night before, bringing your own lunch to work will guarantee you have a meal for the day and more importantly it is something you will enjoy.
Do not feel pressured to not bring your lunch to work because your colleagues don’t. Be the trendsetter of making those healthy choices and watch how many people follow your lead.
Related: 5 Healthy Snacks for the Office
Now that you have a few ways you can eat healthier at work, we hope you start to implement them. The most important thing to do to ensure you stay on track with eating clean at work is doing what is best for you, first and foremost.
What are your favorite tips for eating healthy at work?
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