While at Work

Workin' 9 to 5, four 10 hour days, split shift, or job sharing while you sit symbiotically with your computer, jumping in and out of your car on sales or service calls, or teaching a room full of children. That's the flexible work force of the 21st century! What isn't flexible is your need for food during the workday. And eating healthy at work is a challenge due to limited time and unlimited not-so-healthy choices.

Time is of the Essence

The time crunch of your life might force you into this unhealthy pattern: you run out of the house with nothing to eat or, at best, a doughnut, pastry or banana. Then you skimp on or work through lunch. By dinner your stomach is growling. You proceed to chow down the majority of your day's calories. Then your next stop is the couch! You know this pattern is unhealthy. It's time to break the pattern and begin to eat enough during the day to provide your body with the energy (calories) it requires. That means you need to take the time to eat, put a game plan in motion, and choose healthy food options.

To Eat Healthy at Work -- Preplan

A catch as catch can eating style costs you in three ways.

  1. Time: it takes time to go and get food at a busy restaurant, eat it and get back to work.
  2. Cost: no surprise here. Restaurant meals cost more than brown bag meals.
  3. Health: fast food meals here and convenience store snacks there usually don't get a gold star for healthiness.

Preplanning helps you save time, save money and eat healthier. Try these strategies:

  • Before you shop, think about the food you need for the period of time between supermarket shops, then prepare a list.
  • Shop regularly. Have foods in the house to make healthy breakfasts and brown bag lunches or at least fruits and vegetables that can become part of your lunch or snacks.
  • If you want or must eat in restaurants, choose restaurants with healthier offerings.
  • Before you cross the threshold of the restaurant, have your healthy order in mind and don't be persuaded by the sights and smells of unhealthy items.

Brown Bag It

  • If your work situation is such that you can brown bag it at least a couple days a week, go ahead. You'll save time and money and eat healthier.
  • Opt to bring a complete meal or partner what you buy in a store or cafeteria with what you bring. A complete meal might be a sandwich or last night's leftovers, along with pre-cut carrots, apple and drink. Or maybe you bring leftovers or low-fat frozen meal and complement it with vegetables, a pear, yogurt and/or drink. Or perhaps you reverse it. You buy a sandwich and bring pretzels, sliced cucumbers, yogurt and/or an orange. Whatever you bring, assemble it the night before so it's ready to fly when you are.

Whether you take the fast food route, brown bag it or do a bit of both, remember a few minutes of preplanning and strong willpower can help you stay on your nutrition track at work.