Whether you work at home, in an office, from your car, in a hospital, in the air, in a bar, underground or a combination of the above, we all have one thing in common. We all need to stop for meal breaks!
So often we agonise over what food we give our children (organic buck wheat pasta, anyone?) but when it comes to our own ‘food as fuel’ we can get a bit lazy.
It’s easy to get stuck in a routine of ‘I don’t have time to make my lunch so I’ll just grab something from the café.’ But when this happens every day, instead of every now and then, it can take its toll not only on your wallet but also on your waistline.
By taking the time to make your own lunch (or breakfast, or dinner, or snacks depending on the time of day you work) you are saying ‘I count. What I eat is important, and it is a priority for me to be healthy.’
You also have a say in what goes in (vegetables, whole grains, proteins) and what stays out (additives, sugar, bad fats, processed food).
Action Points:
- If you always go and buy a chicken salad roll from the local deli, why not buy the ingredients and make your own? And yes that means the good stuff too. Buy the avocado, the nice crusty roll, the BBQ chicken, the pesto – make it your way and it can be a healthy lunch that you will look forward to.
- Make sure you have enough food, so that you aren’t tempted by the biscuit jar or the brownies at the café. Keep snacks such as tuna, yoghurt, rice cakes, nuts and fruit at work so that you can grab them as soon as hunger hits.
- Make extra dinner the night before so that you have tasty leftovers to reheat. Grilled chicken or roast meats make a delicious sandwich; and casseroles and curries are great in cooler weather.
- If you have a ‘cake pusher’ who likes to offer everyone sweet treats (there seems to be one in every workplace), try to have some yoghurt or nuts before morning tea so that it’s easier to decline.
- Start a tea club and bring in lots of delicious flavoured herbal teas. Take turns making tea for the team (which means less time standing next to the biscuit tin!).
- Come into work early and have breakfast there if you don’t have time to eat it at home. Keep your smoothie powder, some cereal or oats in the cupboard; and some bread in the freezer to make toast.
- Keep a big bottle of water on your desk to sip throughout the day. If you need something special to drink every now and then, keep some sparkling water in the fridge and add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.
- If you’re a stay at home mum, or work from home, it’s still important to take proper meal breaks. By preparing your meals in advance you won’t even have to think ‘what am I going to eat’ as it will all be ready to go.
- If you find yourself dreaming of an unhealthy snack, try to distract yourself by making a cup of herbal tea or munching on a few nuts.
- If you don’t have access to a fridge, pop everything into a freezer bag with a frozen water bottle.
- If you’re working late and everyone decides to order dinner in, try to opt for healthy options such as sushi or sandwiches instead of pizza or Chinese.
- If the boss buys the team biscuits or sweet treats, put the motion forward to switch over to a fruit basket instead.
Take the time to refuel with healthy options and keep moving closer to your weight loss goals.
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