The workplace can be a minefield of diet-busting temptations. Here are eight tips to eating healthily at work. And yes, it is very possible to do so.

Up to 60% of our waking hours can be spent in the work place, where we will most likely eat one or more meals as well as snack throughout the day. So, considering that roughly a third of our daily calorie intake happens at work, it only makes sense that we adopt a healthy eating regime at work

1.    Plan your meals for the week on Sunday

Ok, so this is easier said than done, but when has anything to do with dieting ever been easy? If you want to change your eating habits at work, you will need to put in the extra effort and alter your mindset when it comes to food. On stressful workdays you might find that you don’t have the time to go to the salad bar down the street and – in order to not pass out from hunger – make that trip to the vending machine or buy a quick pie at the shop around the corner. These foods may be loaded with energy, but will undoubtedly cause weight gain to those who do little exercise.
To avoid buying these fast foods, plan your lunches in advance. On Sunday, cook a big batch of pasta or meals that you can freeze and take to work throughout the week. You can also do this with night-before leftovers. This is a cheaper option if you consider the daylight robbery that exists in strategically placed vending machine snacks.

2.    Avoid going home starved

If you eat lunch between 12pm and 1pm and have supper at 7pm, you will most likely arrive home hungry, feeling weak and tired. At this stage you are more likely to fix yourself the easier, quicker meal rather than the healthier, balanced meal. To avoid arriving home starved, you should plan a snack to keep the wolf from the door. This can be a healthy sarmie, fruit or salad.

3.    Eat healthily to improve work productivity

The food you choose to munch should complement the type of work you are doing. If you are sitting at a desk all day, and do little exercise, you should not be eating foods that are high in energy, like chocolates and sodas. If you are running around after pre-school tots all day, you will need food that will give you sustainable energy (such as low G.I. carbs).
You may also need to eat according to how the rest of your body reacts to the work you do. For example, if you work at a computer all day, you are at risk of developing Computer Vision Syndrome. Protect your eyesight by eating foods rich in vitamins A and E.
If you sit at your desk for hours at a time, you are at risk for developing inflamed tissues and joints in your lower back. Furthermore, constant keyboard use may cause inflammation in your wrists. To protect yourself from this, you should incorporate fish oils into your diet, as well as other foods rich in the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E and selenium. Fruit and vegetables (especially those that are orange and yellow) provide vitamins A and C. Avocados, fresh nuts and olive oil are high in vitamin E whereas fish oils, eggs, and cereals will supply you with the required amount of selenium. It is also a good idea to get up and walk about every hour to stretch your limbs.

4.    Always have a bottle of water close by

You should aim to have around eight glasses of water a day, especially at work where centrally heated offices can cause you to become dehydrated. This can cause fatigue and low productivity. So bring a bottle of water to work and take regular sips throughout the day. Try to avoid sugary soft drinks and fruit juice.

5.    Beware of the caffeine

For those of you that think that caffeine is a necessity at work - beware. Excessive caffeine can make you jittery, nervous and increase stress. Try to cut back from the endless cups of coffee a day and have one cup in the morning instead. Alternatively, you could substitute your coffee with herbal tea which is low in caffeine and have more health benefits (such as improving digestion).

6.    Snacking: do it the right way

It’s time to get rid of that stash of junk food and emergency sugary snacks you keep in your desk and exchange them for nutritional snacks. If you want to be in good shape and keep your blood sugar levels balanced, chocolates and sweets should be avoided. Instead, stock up on mixed nuts (such as walnuts and almonds); dried fruit; small sesame bars; sunflower and sesame seeds, rice cakes and muesli.

7.    Do not skip breakfast

Look, sometimes the last thing you want to do (after waking up and rushing to work) is eat, but your mom was right; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you don’t have time before work, why not organise breakfast at work? Many offices have a fridge and a microwave, and if that is not available to you, bring fruit and yogurt to work.

8.    Conquering temptation

Those birthday cakes, boardroom snacks and colleague’s jar of goodies are tempting, but are a sure way to break a healthy eating plan. Be strong or ask to split a piece of birthday cake with a colleague (you won’t be the only person trying to eat healthily).
Remember, if healthy dieting was easy, we would all look like Ryk Neethling. Its hard work, but nothing worth having comes easy and this includes your health. So how important is your health to you?

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