Easy Health in The Office

Running from commitment to commitment throughout the day can leave little time for sitting down and enjoying a proper meal. It is an understandable temptation to throw down a few dollars for a quick fix at a fast food chain. Especially considering today’s economic climate, this is happening even more often for many people.   Slowly the waistline expands, and that run you promised seems to slip by every day without notice.   There are several easy ways to stay healthy without spending too much time, and all it takes is a little planning.  

1. Plan for tomorrow. Before you put your head to the pillow, plan out your meals for the following day. If you work a 9-5, pack your lunch and plan exactly what you are going to have for breakfast. Especially at the end of the day when you appetite is satisfied, you will be more likely to make healthy decisions. Pack a salad or instant oatmeal with some dried fruit in your briefcase for the next day’s lunch. Plan to grab a coffee and granola bar for breakfast at the local cafe. Don’t plan on snacking, and don’t bring along change that will turn the vending machine into a temptation.  
2. Let go of the morning carb overdose. It is tempting in the weary eyed hours of morning to grab a bagel and cream cheese or cinnamon bun from Starbucks. Each of these is likely over 500 unneeded calories and all carbohydrates. Instead try grabbing an apple, granola bar, oatmeal. All of these do have carbs enough to energize you, but aren’t overloading your body with glucose that you won’t be able to burn off with your limited morning activity.  
3. Start with a salad. Your office’s cafeteria has a plethora of bad-for-you options, and those hunger pangs at lunchtime make them all so darn tempting. If you are feeling these temptations, tell yourself you will start by eating a full salad, and if you are still hungry you can go back for something else you’d like. Nine times out of ten, if you give the salad fifteen to twenty minutes to digest after you’ve finished it, you will be much more satisfied than you anticipated, and the temptation to give in to the unhealthy foods will be gone!  
4.  Take the stairs. No matter what floor you are on, if it is a single digit number and there is air conditioning in the building: take the stairs. This needs no explanation, your body will thank you.   
5.  Lots of water. If you use our tips and still find yourself hungry throughout the day, try keeping a full glass of water by you at all times. Drink it obsessively. You will be cleaning out your system and keeping your body healthy, as well as creating the illusion of being full to satisfy those temptations. It should be noted that obscene amounts of water in a short amount of time can be unhealthy, so be careful not to overdo it. You may be visiting the bathroom more than your coworkers, but you will be healthier (and who really cares what they think anyway, right?)   If you have any workplace health suggestions of your own, feel free to share them in the comments for all the readers to benefit from.