The Workplace and our Waistlines
The office environment is often a factor contributing to weight gain. Work is a place where stress can be a daily companion and healthy habits often take a back seat to hectic, unpredictable schedules. The result: overeating and under-activity. Here are some suggestions to help you beat on-the-job situations that are most likely to wreck your waistline.
Mindless Nibbling: Temptation is everywhere at the office – chocolates from a client, doughnuts left over from a meeting, home baking that someone has brought in. When food is readily available, people tend to eat more, either out of boredom or habit. 200 extra calories a day can add 21 pounds in just a year! Work around it.
• Be aware of every morsel you put in your mouth. A jelly doughnut has 289 calories and a handful of chips has 152. Stop and ask yourself: "Is it worth the calories?”
• Devise some non food ways to cope when you get stuck on a problem or need a break. Get up and get a glass of water or chew some sugarless gum.
High-tech Living: Technology has made it easy to never leave our chairs. Work around it.
• Build movement into your day. Get up once an hour for five minutes. Instead of always sending e-mails, walk down the hall to a coworker's office. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Use a washroom on a different floor. Leave your lunch in your car so you'll have to leave the office at noon. Do some isometric exercises at your desk.
• Schedule two 15-minute walking breaks daily – and stick to the routine.
The Shrinking Lunch Hour: Lunch used to be a meal away from your desk; now it's a sandwich gobbled in five minutes between phone calls or skipped entirely. Work around it.
• Don't work while you eat. Concentrate on your food. Paying attention to how it tastes helps you feel more satisfied.
• Bring your lunch from home.
• Be prepared for those days when you might be caught off guard. Keep an instant soup or a protein bar in your desk drawer.
Stress Eating: High pressure work days can lead to weight gain in two ways. Many people respond to tension and anxiety by eating. Stress can also make you crave carbs and fat – just the mix found in cookies and chocolate. Work around it.
• Making sure you have some protein at lunch as protein keeps glucose levels steady throughout the afternoon so you are less susceptible to stress hunger.
• If you feel you need a break, turn to activity instead of food. Try standing and stretching.
• Plan for a 3:00pm snack. Bring healthy items from home – an apple, a yogurt or cheese.
Travel and Entertainment: People who travel or dine out frequently for business face special challenges. Restaurant food is often high in fat and comes in large portions; it's harder to exercise on the road; and long flights mean hours of inactivity. Work around it.
• Entertain clients in restaurants that serve lighter fare, such as Japanese or seafood places.
• Have half your restaurant meal packaged to take home.
• Skip the cocktails. A beer has 150 calories, a pina colata has 336. If it seems rude to not join in, nurse a single drink and have a glass of water on the side.
• When traveling, try to arrive at your destination so you have enough time to go for a walk or work out when you get in.
• Make the most of travel time. During lay-overs, have comfortable shoes with you so you can walk around the airport. On the plane, stroll up and down the aisle every hour.
Planning strategies helps us feel more in control when a situation arises. Never give up on your goals - you can and will achieve them; constantly remind yourself of the positive decisions you make every day!
Dr. Doug