Anyone who works in an office knows the struggles of maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. I’m probably one of the worst people for taking time out to eat lunch and have a break, there’s just never enough time in the day. Without all of the cakes that seem to appear at my office – there must be at least one birthday every week!
So, here are a few tips I try and stick to in order to maintain a good diet and snacking healthily in the office.
1. Meal prep.
It’s important to meal prep wherever possible. Preparing your snacks as well as your meals means that you know exactly what you have to eat and you can ensure you have the right snacks to meet your macro’s. It also means that you aren’t running to the vending machine as soon as you feel a bit hungry. This is where most office snacking becomes a danger. Be sure to plan your day’s food in advance.
2. Timings.
It’s important not only to prepare your meals and snacks, but also to ensure you don’t eat them all before 11am! Spread your snacks throughout the day so that if you do get peckish you have something to turn to before the vending machine.
3. Breakfast.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A lot of people say it, but it’s true! I find that if I skip breakfast I spend the rest of the day making up for it by eating 3 times more than usual. Try cooking 2 scrambled eggs and having them on a slice of brown toast for breakfast, instead of cereal. The eggs alone will give you a 12g protein hit and keep you fuller for longer.
4. Healthy ‘dessert’.
Try 50g of ‘Total 0% fat Greek yoghurt’ with a handful of blueberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The yoghurt is rich in protein which will keep you fuller for longer and the blueberries are a superfood, packed with anti-oxidants, iron and potassium. You could also add a drizzle of honey instead of cinnamon, or top low-sugar granola with the yoghurt and blueberries. (my personal favourite granola at the moment is the Tesco Fruit & Nut Granola – it only has 26g of carbs and 8g of sugar in a 40g serving!)
5. Fruit snacks.
Apples and bananas are rich in fibres and vitamins and low on sugars and calories. Perfect for fixing those sugar cravings!
6. Nuts & seeds.
There are a variety of different nuts you could go for. I usually have a bag of mixed fruit and nut (low sugar!) in my desk drawer. A handful is enough to fix my snacking needs and also up my fats!
7. Water.
Water will make you feel hydrated in your air-conditioned office. Try drinking at least 2 litres a day. If you struggle with drinking this much try coconut water. It’s rich in replenishing electrolytes to hydrate and restore energy.
Let me know how you get on with these, and if there’s anything that you try I haven’t suggested!
A.x
Amy Louise 