The workplace abounds with food challenges. On any given day you're expected to dodge mindless snacking, office celebrations and stress-induced vending machine runs. Sometimes it can feel like the only way to stay on your plan is to hide under your desk and avoid your coworkers. (And that's no way to climb the corporate ladder.)
You can create a healthier office environment for yourself, says Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, a Connecticut-based registered dietitian and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. If you know what you're up against, you can arm yourself with the tools (mental and otherwise) to stay on track.
The Worst Workplace Food Pitfalls (And How to Avoid Them)
The food landmine
These nutritional tripwires appear in the form of a dish of chocolate kisses, a reappearing plate of doughnuts or bagels, or an ever-present box of leftover pizza. They seem harmless, but indulging in the office candy bowl can pack on the calories and ultimately cause a weight gain, according to research published by Brian Wansink, PhD, Cornell University food psychologist and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think.
What to do: Stock your own stash. "Make sure you have healthy snacks on hand so you can avoid the temptation," says Stokes. Carrot sticks and hummus, peanut butter and rice cakes, strawberries and fat-free yogurt—you get the picture. Satisfying, low Smart Points® value snacks will keep you humming along!
RELATED: 4 Easy Snacks to Satisfy Any Craving
The working lunch
If your calendar is filled with lunch meetings, you might be faced with an endless stream of take-out or catered lunches. Such meals often leave you with few healthy choices. A typical fast food lunch is often enough of a nutritional bomb to blow a person's daily Target for the day.
What to do: Plan ahead. You can eat with the pack, but keep your portion sizes small and order condiments on the side, using them sparingly. Stokes recommends snacking on something filling and nutritious beforehand to cut your hunger. Try a handful of almonds or a low-fat cheese stick.
RELATED: Beat the Lunch-Prep Crunch
The pause that refreshes
Soft drinks and energy drinks can soak up your daily Target quickly. "Those are just empty, wasted calories being racked up," says Stokes.
What to do: Drink smart. Buy a sporty water bottle and keep it filled with H2O on your desk. If you want a flavor hit, munch on orange slices or enjoy our 0 SmartPoints Water Enhancers.
RELATED: 5 Drinks to Satisfy Your Soda Pop Craving
The vending machine.
You can stand there and stare through the glass panel for an hour, but you'll be lucky to find one item in a vending machine that is worth its SmartPoints value.
What to do: Make sure you're never caught in an emergency "I need a snack" situation by keeping your desk stocked with healthy snacks (which are also better for your budget). If you must visit the vending machine, Stokes suggests looking for whole-wheat pretzels, whole-grain low-fat crackers or low-fat microwave popcorn.
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