Diet & Fitness

By Joanne Eglash
eDiets Contributor

Oh, the diet traps that can catch even the best-intentioned dieter when she enters the workplace:

--That glass bowl of M&M's on the receptionist's desk (just one or two or 15 candies are all right, aren't they?!).
--The vending machine in the coffee area (ooooh, they've got caramel-nougat-chocolate-coated candy bars for just 55 cents each!).
--The weekly let's-all-go-to-lunch-at-the-pizza-palace bash.

Sigh. So many temptations that even a saint would emerge with a chocolate smear on her face.

Before you grab a second Hungry-Boy-Sized handful of candy from the receptionist's desk, arm yourself with our tips for office workers:

1. Pack it up -- lunch, that is. Avoid the no-time-in-the-morning excuse by preparing a lunch that's on your diet plan the night before. Whether you're on a low-carb, low-calorie, and/or low-sodium program, staying on your diet will be much easier if you have a "green light" lunch ready to eat at noon. Bonus: You'll save money (let's face it: all those restaurant meals can add up to extra bucks as well as excess calories!) and save time.

2. Make room for exercise during the day! For example, if you invest in a pedometer (using those dollars you saved by eating a lunch brought from home) and eat lunch at work, you'll have time to go for a walk or to the park to exercise. Enlist your co-workers and friends on your daytime-exercise rounds.

"Researchers have discovered that exercising with friends and colleagues is one of the best ways to stay motivated yourself. And the bonus is: You're helping others to get fit and be healthier!" According to James P. Sargen, CEO of outdoor fitness equipment company TriActive America.

3. Feeling stressed? The bad news about stress: it can make you crave carbs, especially the sweet, crunchy kind. You bite into a sugary, munch-happy candy bar and feel (temporarily) calmed, pleasantly distracted from the cause of your stress, whether it's your boss's anger about a missed deadline or a colleague's temper tantrum over his lost client. Quick, take a hike (literally). Go for a walk outside if you can, or think up a reason to walk to a different area of the office. Just standing up and moving can improve your spirits (and burn calories). Breathe deeply, swing your arms and focus on something to look forward to after work (NOT food-related).

4. Snack smart. Don't play games with yourself by trying to "save" calories and/or carbs, thinking that you can bank them and then enjoy a big dinner. What is most likely to happen: You'll be so hungry when you get home that all your good intentions will vanish -- and you'll find yourself in Temptation City, with a carton of almost-emptied ice cream in your hot little hand.

Instead, plan your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack times the night before, so you can take them with you in the morning. If you're counting calories, you might want to take a mini-bag of carrots and a piece of fat-free cheese for a morning break, and half an apple spread with a tablespoon of peanut butter for an afternoon break. Counting carbs? A piece of string cheese for the morning break and a low-carb energy bar in the mid-afternoon will keep you satisfied through your work day.

Joanne Eglash is a writer and an editor specializing in health, weight control and fitness. She's written for a variety of publications and websites, ranging from Energy for Women magazine to KidsHealth.org.

Labels: atkins, calories, career, diet, health, healthy, healthy-food, lifestyle, low-carb, low-fat, lunch tips, nutrition, weight-loss

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