Vote in This Week's Poll: Is it hard to eat healthy at work?
It's easy to give into temptation, especially when everyone else is giving in as well but, before you know it, you're putting on a few extra pounds.
I want to know about your working environment. Do you find it hard to eat healthy at work? Or do you ignore the temptations and do your own thing? Vote in this week's poll and then leave a comment to tell us how we can stay healthy at the office.
Poll: Is it hard to eat healthy at work?
1. Yes, there's always junk food around
2. Yes, I eat out for lunch and it's hard to make healthy choices
3. I try to eat healthy, but am tempted by sweets and other junk food when I get tired or bored
4. No, my office is very healthy
5. No, I bring my lunch and make it a point to avoid junk food
6. Other-please explain in comments
Comments
Great question, Paige. My office has a WHOLE CAFETERIA, staffed by Aramark. Here’s some of the menu options today: chicken parmesan, turkey meatball stroganoff with noodles, chicken wings in hot sauce, and build your own gyro! Not to mention the desserts and shelves stocked with crackers, cereal bars, cookies, you name it. It’s not all bad news: there’s a salad bar; occasionally they serve Weight Watcher recipe foods; there’s usually fresh fruit around. But it’s tough to plow through all the awesome smells to get to the food I should be eating.
I am very fortunate in that I work at home, so as long as I keep only nutritious foods in my frig and pantry I do okay. One day a week is my “free day,” when all bets are off!
I think this all boils down to will power (does’t everything?). On most days, I bring a healthy lunch and keep healthy snacks in my desk. However, there are days when I have all day meetings and lunch is ordered. For those times, I try to make good choices like removing the bread from the sandwich, not eating the cookie or chips provided, or taking smaller portions of pasta if that is the only choice. It’s the same theory as eating out - make the best choice you can with what you have!
Most often I try to bring a lunch but the donuts and other treats are quite tempting! For me, it’s everything in moderation. If you deprive yourself of things, you will probably eat more of it. So if you absolutely cannot pass up the donut, only have half. When the cake comes, take the smallest piece and scrape off the frosting. Sometimes just getting a “taste” of the treat is enough to satisfy the craving.
Actually - I bring my own food everywhere.
Actually, I find it very easy to stick to my diet during the week for the very fact that I am in the office. I eat breakfast before I go at around 730 usally cereal or an english muffin, take a banana break at 11 everyday (which isnt always a banana but sometimes a different piece of fruit) then I eat another snack at 1 like a granola bar or some trailmix, I take my lunch at 3 (cause I hate the cafeteria to be full of people and their good smelling lunch and besides my afternoon goes quicker) and i always bring lunch, either a weight watchers smart1 or 1/2 a turkey sandwich and an apple or something like that, then i go to the gym after work at 530-6ish and eat dinner around 730-8. If I want a snack after that while Im watching tv i get one of those 100 calorie packs of something and it works great…. now the weekends…. thats a whole nother story…
yes and no.
I think there are a lot of choices you have to make as an individual, and if you eat a healthy breakfast, pack healthy snacks etc - it is much easier to say no to temptations of donuts or cake.
I bring lots of filling ‘good for me’ snacks to eat throughout the day. When there are other things like lunches etc that I must attend, I try to balance the ‘bad food’ with good exercise, and will also try to fill up before hand on a healthy snack (like an apple and cheese stick etc)before going in.
When we go to restaurants for lunch, even mexican ones where the salsa and chips are my downfall - I try to make good, smart choices about what my meal is going to be, and to put the chips far across the table. (but load up on the salsa on what ever it is I’ve ordered cause it’s good for you)
Until I really became aware of food knowledge, I think I got stuck often in this rut, now — because I know how to make healthy choices. I think I come out ahead.
I lost 50lbs last year through diet and exercise — so I must be doing something right.
No it’s not . It dipends on the individual and how we want to take care of our bodies and minds,,,It’s okay to eat a donut or a candy bar of whatever ,,as long as we do it in moderation. Nevertheless most people are either overweight or obese in this country ..Too bad.
One can eat “healthy”, I suppose, if it comes in a package with “Snickers” or some such after it on the wrapper. But “healthily” - the adverb - … never!
It is not hard for me. I bring my own lunch and healthy snacks to work. It is very important for me to have my food ready when it is time to eat,and I know I will not eat any of the junk food at work. It is very easy to plan and take my own food.
It is not hard just plan what I have to take for lunch and my snacks.
Actually, no. I work in a restaurant, so I get to pick and chose what to eat be it chicken or fresh fish, veggies and salads.
I find that I do amazingly well at work. I pack a lunch filled with fruits, veggies, and a turkey sandwich. I have nuts and raisins for a midmorning snack. The problem is similar to another comment I saw….when the weekend hits, it’s like the flood gates open and it’s a free for all! I find work easy to stay disciplined (granted I don’t have a cafeteria or sweets at my disposal) but when I’m off my schedule and the weekend is open, I slip up.
I work at a daycare and we provide the food. The food that is prepared isn’t exactly the healthiest, just the cheapest. So its hard for me to loose weight when I eat with the kids.
I do something even worse than eating junk. I sometimes get too busy and I don’t eat lunch, which means going too long without food in my stomach. Then, when I finally do eat, I’m really hungry and I eat too much or too late in the day. I try to remember to at least bring a healthy snack and I’m getting better at doing that every day.
I work at a preschool and there are always birthdays and what not going on. They also have their own kitchen for snacks and lunch, thankfully most of the snacks are healthy, but when youre starving you really don’t look. So I bring my own lunch and my own snack and hope that I dont get the urge to eat their stuff, when they eat their snack I eat my own healthy snack. It works pretty well. I have managed to avoid the cupcakes and pizza every friday, it makes me feel good, when it’s over to look at the empty boxes and know that I defeated the “urge”.
I work at home now so it’s not really an issue. Back when I worked in an office it usually wasn’t a problem as there was limited access to food. I brought my lunch and mid morning snack and it was usually pretty healthy food.
If I elimated all the food I eat 15 minutes before bedtime because I feel like the food is giving me a hug I would be thin as a rail. This is in spite of having a partner who is affectionate and cuddly in bed. I’m not quite sure what it’s about.
Curt