Three Quality of Lifehacks to Eat Healthy at Work
By: Quality of Lifehacks
Three Quality of Lifehacks to Eat Healthy at Work
What’s your favorite office snack? Is it candy, chips, cookies, or other treat?
It’s very easy to eat unhealthy while at work. Further, many people may eat breakfast, lunch and snacks at work. Add in a midday gourmet coffee drink, treats provided at meetings, and an office drink fridge, people can easily tank their diets while on the job.
With this in mind, here are three Quality of Lifehacks to eat healthy at work.
- Ditch the desk. Seventy percent of American workers eat at their desks according to the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra Foods Foundation. This can lead to people choosing quick and easy meals as opposed to ones that are healthy and nutrition.
In addition eating at the desk can lead to your workspace being a minefield for bacteria. This WedMD article shares:
“The desk, in terms of bacteria, is 400 times more dirty than your toilet,” says Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “People turn their desks into bacteria cafeterias because they eat at them, but they never clean them. The phone is the dirtiest, the desktop is next, and the mouse and the computer follow.”
Make it a routine to plan your lunches in advance and eat away from your desk. This can include eating in a break room/cafeteria, outside (at a park if possible), or somewhere that provides fresh air and/or natural light. This will encourage you to move around and take a break to enjoy your lunch.
- Go nuts! If you’re looking for healthy snack, nuts (barring allergies) are a great option. Nuts such as cashews, peanuts and pistachios are high in both protein and healthy unsaturated fats. In fact, nuts have about 6 grams of protein per 2-ounce serving. Further, nut butters such as almond, hazelnut, or peanut are also rich in healthy fats, protein and minerals. Aim to choose nut butters that do not have a lot of added sugar.
- Avoid the candy jar. Yesterday’s blog post, “Cutting back on sugar: Healthy ways to curb America’s mouth-watering obsession,” covered America’s addiction to sugar. Research shows that Americans eat the equivalent of 22 teaspoons of sugar per day. Sugar can come from processed foods, such as breads, salad dressing, soups, and more, as well as candy. The National Confectioners Association reports that over one-third of American workers have a communal office candy dish. To help reduce the amount of daily sugar you consume, start by avoiding the office candy jar and other office treats.
Share your tips on how you eat healthy at work.
