Weight loss and preventing weight gain can be very difficult if you’re a busy person who doesn’t have time to shop, or cook healthy meals during the week! Not to mention, the workplace is, typically, a junk food haven. Office donuts, cookies, chips, sodas, and candy vending machines are incredibly tempting, especially when you’re hungry. Also, unhealthy snacking may be the majority in your office so the “everybody’s doing it” attitude adds to the temptation of giving in. Not being hungry can be the most effective way of combating the weight gaining food that’s in your workplace. It only takes five minutes to put together a healthy snack pack that will keep your hunger satiated and blood sugar levels even. Here are five tips to help you achieve your goals even at the workplace.
1. Always have a healthy snack pack on hand.
I know that food prep the night before work is the last thing on your mind but I promise, this will only take five minutes of your time and it will be so quick that you can even manage this on the morning of. Shop ahead of time for convenient foods that are conducive for weight loss--things that are in a package or require no preparation. My favorite (and fastest) snack pack is an apple, string cheese, little baggy of raw nuts, and plain Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey. If I have a little more time on Sunday, I’ll chop some veggies, boil five eggs and that way I can add a hard boiled egg, and veggies dipped in hummus or peanut butter. If you have healthy foods on hand, you will be far less likely to make a trip to that office vending machine! To see our healthy and convenient snack foods, click here.
2. Spend two hours on Sunday to food prep the hard stuff.
Every Sunday, I budget two hours (maximum--sometimes it takes just one hour) and I cook my protein in bulk. For example, I’ll chop up several chicken breasts and pan cook them and then portion out the chicken into plastic baggies. If dinner comes the next day and I’m starving and don’t feel like cooking, I’ll throw together a salad and put the chicken on top. Or since I’m a fan of dips, I’ll prep some cucumber yogurt dip, tahini dip, or hummus (or you can just buy them premade), chop some broccoli into florets so when dinner time comes, I simply put my chicken and dips on a plate and throw my broccoli florets in the steamer.
3. Make extra dinner.
If you’re one who manages to cook a healthy dinner after work, double up on those portions and package half of it for the next day’s lunch. It’s very convenient to buy a fancy bento box lunch container that has all of the compartments so you can place your different foods in the proper sections--these adult lunch boxes are around $8. If you don’t want to spend your precious time after work cooking dinner, then check out our delicious entrees here.
4. Stock up on sugarless drinks.
The office vending machine soft drinks and fancy coffee drinks can be a weight loss sabotage with all of the added sugar. Like with food, when you stay satiated with healthy foods, you are far less likely to give in to office treats because you just won’t be hungry. Same goes for beverages--when you stay hydrated with water, you are far less likely to crave other ways to hydrate. Always have your water on hand and have plenty of it--if water is too boring then try sparkling water with added flavor or make your own fruit infused water with produce such as lemon, mint, cucumber, and orange. If you need your caffeine (I know I do!), get a plain coffee from the work place coffee machine and just add your own creamer (preferably with no added sugars).
5. Make good choices at restaurants.
Of course work lunches are bound to happen and you can still attend, but just try to make the best choices. For example, if a dish comes with chicken, rice, and potatoes, sub out those starchy high-carb items for two green items such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, green beans, or a side salad. Or let’s say, you go to a burger or sandwich place--most restaurants will lettuce wrap your burger or sandwich which cuts out at least 40 grams of carbohydrates.
I do admit, reaching weight loss goals can be far more difficult when one adheres to a hectic schedule. With a little bit of prep-work and making a few small changes and substitutions, work place weight gain can definitely be overcome. If you’re thinking, no, I really have no time to prep food then definitely have at our “no-prep or time required” weight loss foods here!
