Being hungry at work can lead to high-calorie junk food, and weight gain. By planning ahead, bringing your own healthy snacks and following the six tips presented in this article, you can cure the midday munchies that consume your workday.
Snacks You Can Munch On (Guilt-Free!)
While you should choose a snack that is right for you, here is a list of 17 healthy snacks for you to consider:
- Healthy Crackers
- Low Sodium Popcorn
- Trail Mix
- Mixed Fruit
- Yogurt
- Pistachios
- Peanuts
- Almonds, Cashews
- Baked Chips
- String Cheese
- Granola Bars
- Seaweed Snacks
- Carrots
- Dark Chocolate
- Berries
- Apples & Peanut Butter
- Celery Sticks
Not only is it important to choose the right snacks, but it is also important to have a detailed plan to ensure you are making healthy decisions that keep you from overeating or eating too little throughout the workday.
Here are five tips for healthy eating at work:
Stay Away From The Vending Machine
Forget the vending machine exists and bring your own snacks. When held captive by the vending machine, you are limited to very traditional snacks that are usually unhealthy. Instead, bring your own healthy snacks and save yourself some hard earned money.
Choose Water
Eliminate the sugar-filled soft drinks, and choose to drink cold water (try adding fresh fruit to it for something different!) instead. The average soft drink has around 250 calories in each bottle. Coffee can have its own negative effects as well. On the other hand, water doesn’t have a single calorie and can be very helpful in helping you think clearly throughout a long work day.
Plan Your Snacks/Meals in Advance
While you shouldn’t starve yourself, it isn’t good to give in every time you want a snack. Instead, plan your snacks and meals in advance. You should have a general idea of the times throughout the day when you are the hungriest. Take these times into consideration when planning your snack schedule and you should be able to stay satisfied throughout the day.
Eat Breakfast at Home
Another great strategy for healthy eating at work is to eat breakfast before you leave the house. This will allow you to resist office muffins, donuts and coffeecake when you get to work–which should inevitably help you keep your overall calorie count low. Of course, if you are truly hungry then eat a snack. By eating breakfast, however, those annoying moments of hunger at work will become much more infrequent.
Be Willing to Say No
Lastly, be willing to say no to food at work. I’m sure you probably have that one friend at work who is always offering you tempting snacks and unhealthy lunch options. In these moments, be able to exercise the self-control to say no and stick to the plan that you put into place beforehand.
