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 Maintaining a balanced diet at work can be a challenge – birthday celebrations, vending machines, the afternoon ‘choccie run’, fundraising drives and eating out can put a strain on our diets and on our hip pocket.
Look Before You Leap
Most fast food restaurants and restaurant chains post nutritional information about their food offerings on their web sites – check them out. If you decide what to order before you arrive, it could make it easier to avoid the less nutritious, options.
Keep Healthy Snacks In Your Draw
Foods such as fresh fruit, muesli bars, nuts - such as raw almonds or walnuts - dried fruit and yogurt all make for great, snacks which can help your mind and body stay alert throughout the day.
Plan Your Lunches
Preparing lunch at home can not only be a healthier option, but more friendly on the finances. Making salad at the beginning of the week can provide for a few days or a large pot of soup for the colder weather. Taking in store-cupboard ingredients at the beginning of the week, such as tuna, salad vegetables and crackers, is also an option.
 'Sometimes' Foods
Office celebrations, such as birthdays, farewells and other events, can all impact upon what we eat and when - sometimes, we may feel obliged to eat a piece of cake, even when we don't want to, just so we are not rude Do not always feel obliged to take a piece every time they are offered and if you do not feel like eating cake, don’t be afraid to say no. But remember that it is ok- and even important to indulge in these ‘sometimes’ foods every so often as our bodies require them to maintain a healthy balance.
Eat Mindfully
Mindful eating means listening to your body and giving it what it requires in order to run most effectively. It is an important skill to learn; trusting your body’s needs and eating slowly in order to savor everything you put into it will help you to work out which foods fuel your body and which foods encourage your body (and mind) to crash. Eating mindfully relaxes you so you digest better, slows down the pleasure and makes you feel more satisfied.
Location, location, location
If you can help it, try to eat somewhere else away from your work station. Moving away from your computer, desk or phone to eat may help you to focus more clearly on what you are eating rather than what you are working on. Getting outside for a break can also help to clear your head and get your body moving if you have been sitting at your desk all day.
Don't Be Afraid To Special Order
Most cafes offer a variety of food options which can be more nutritious than other choices on they have on the menu. If you are concerned about giving yourself enough choice, perhaps you can ask for your vegetables and main dishes to be served without the sauces.
Share
Sharing entrees, appetisers and desserts with colleagues is a great idea. It allows you to sample something that you really want to without feeling as though you have over-eaten.
More information on Nutritional Health
Article: Eating Healthy At Work - How Hard Is It For You?
At an office where I work occasionally, there's an interesting attitude to lunch. At exactly 12.30pm everyone stops work and gets together to eat. Often it's something brought from home and pretty healthy - a salad or leftovers from last night's dinner. Anyone still glued to their keyboard is urged to stop, have a break and eat.
Read more ...
References
The Butterfly Foundation
Helpguide
The Age
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