Last week we started discussing the way that your workplace habitat can lead to weight gain and an overall detriment to health. And we named some simple changes you can make to rectify the situation — although you can probably get creative and find solutions on your own that meet your specific office needs. Here are a few more common traps and our thoughts:
- Pizza day. You work hard, and you deserve a reward. But so often employers reward their staff with food, like donuts and pizza. And hey, it’s hard to resist a free meal. But if you know it’s a free food day and that there isn’t going to be a healthy option, bring in one of your favorite meals as a replacement — like sushi or a fresh sub sandwich. It can still be a treat day for you, and you’ll feel even more rewarded because you’ll know you made the right choice.
- Stress eating. When we’re at work, we often don’t take the time to pause and enjoy our meals. It’s a common sight: Workers sitting in front of their computer screens, mindlessly bringing food to their mouths. By walking away from your desk and taking an allotted amount of time to actually eat slowly and pay attention to your snack and meal breaks, you’re less likely to overeat or choose foods that are worse for you.
Regular visits to the gym are a great start to combat workplace sluggishness brought on by making poor food choices or not exercising from 9 to 5. You can even make a pact with fellow co-workers to join Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym together and encourage each other’s commitment to fitness and health.
But if you feel overwhelmed by external factors that are built into your lifestyle, you may want additional nutritional guidance that keeps you motivated — from a medical standpoint. Updated recommendations from the American Academy of Family Physicians and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggest that guided help from medical professionals can improve how a person behaves when it comes to weight control. In this case, seek a referral to a behavior management program with 12 to 26 sessions in your first year in order to break daily workplace patterns and get results.