Is Your Office Making You...eat unhealthy foods? Part 3

Issue #5 = Office Celebrations

We're not talking here about the once a year Holiday Party but rather all the other celebrations throughout the year that involve food: cakes brought in by the Birthday girl/boy, leaving parties, drinks & snacks after work, celebrating promotions, new babies...! The list can be a long one, multiplied by the number of people in your office this can lead to quite a lot of extra food intake over the course of a year!

Solution

If these are not frequent occurrences then go ahead and enjoy them but if every week you find yourself eating cake to help someone celebrate some event it may be a good decision to come up with an action plan to limit your intake of these sneaky calories! You may decide to only indulge in the sweet treats for colleagues you work closely with, for example, or toast them with a drink but not the snacks, or plan to have the food at one event a month instead of every time.  Choose a plan that fits your situation.

Issue #6 = Inactivity

If your position is a 'desk job' then make a point of including activity in your day.  Sitting in one place for a long time can lead to boredom and tiredness which may have you reaching for a snack to try and wake yourself up.

Solution

Simple changes really can lead to big rewards!  

• Instead of using the photocopier that's right beside you, walk upstairs to the one on the next floor
• Go outside at lunchtime and power walk (even a few laps around the building if there's nowhere else to walk!)
•  Find a staircase without much foot traffic and run and up down it a few times or try 'step ups' up & down the bottom stair.
• Ask a colleague to be an exercise buddy to make it more fun & keep you motivated

Not everyone works in an office environment - perhaps you work shifts, you maybe drive for long periods of time or travel for work 

Let me know the difficulties you face at work.

Is Your Office Making You...eat unhealthy foods? Part 2

Continuing our series on overcoming obstacles to healthy eating at the office, we turn attention to the issues of meetings & the 3pm energy crash.

 Issue #3 = Meetings

Meetings can hinder our healthy eating efforts in a couple of ways:

Meetings with no food!
Our aim is to eat regularly throughout the day & not to go for long periods of time without eating.  Meetings, however, may be scheduled during the time you would normally be eating your lunch or they may start earlier but run over time.  We need the energy from food to keep us alert & fuel our brain & you want to be able to focus on the issues discussed at the meeting rather than wondering when you'll next be able to eat!

Solution
A nutritious breakfast & a healthy snack!  Including protein & whole grains in your breakfast will slow digestion & keep you feeling full longer.  Omelet with 100% whole grain bread, oatmeal plus a yogurt, low fat grilled cheese on wholegrain English muffin are good examples.  Add some fruit to these and you've got a great start to the day.
Plan a healthy mid-morning snack. When the boss calls that last minute meeting you'll be glad you packed that all important healthy snack or kept something such as trail mix or cereal bar in your desk drawer!

Meetings with food!
Ahhh the temptation of the pastry platter or the pizza or other catering option sent to tempt you!
Again, a good breakfast and healthy mid-morning snack will help you here as with those foods already under your belt (so to speak!) you'll be less likely to over-indulge. 
Walk the length of the buffet table to see what's on offer & plan what you'll choose rather than starting to fill your plate at one end and working your way down.  If salad and fruit are available make sure you choose these - remember the recommendation is for half your plate to be fruit & vegetables. 
If meetings form a regular part of your work it may be worth speaking to your colleague who's responsible for ordering the lunch about providing healthy options. A local sandwich shop, for example, may be willing to offer discounted prices for repeat company business.

Issue #4 = 3pm energy crash

The dreaded 3pm energy crash! That time of day where the vending machine is calling your name & you start clock watching & dreaming of dinner!

Solution 

There's not actually a magic food that can help once the dreaded 3pm energy crash strikes.  We all know a candy bar from the vending machine is going to give us an initial burst of energy but we're going to crash again before 5pm. 

What we need to do instead is look back over the day at what we did or did not eat & drink earlier.  Did you skip breakfast or lunch?  Have you drunk any water today? It's kind of like a car running out of gas - we have to fill the tank before we run out! Even if you're just sitting at a desk your body is busy working and using up energy and if you deprive it of food & water throughout the day, by 3pm it's simply running out of energy!

Next post: Office celebrations & Inactivity....

Is your office making you... eat unhealthy foods?

For many of us, the office is where we spend the majority of our day. But the choices we make there, the foods that are available (or not available!) & the routines we get into at work may be detrimental to our nutritional health.

A typical day at the office may go something like this:

Coffee on arrival at the office
10.30am: coffee /eat pastries provided in meeting
1pm:  packed lunch from home/local shop, restaurant, fast food   outlet/missed lunch as in a meeting
3pm:  energy CRASH! rush to vending machine for candy!
4pm: candy wearing off - trying chips for energy now
4.55pm: clock watching - starving & can't wait to get home for dinner!

Over the next few posts we'll explore some of the healthy eating obstacles in the workplace:

Issue #1 = Routine
We often  get into a routine of having the same drinks, lunch & snacks day in and day out without really thinking about it. 

Solution
Be aware of exactly what you are eating & drinking at work, write it down or use a food tracker app or website.  Then decide what changes you'd like to make to improve your nutritional choices at work & make them happen!  If you'd like to eat healthier snacks at work, take a few minutes the night before to put fruit in your bag or take time to prepare for whatever your personal goal is.

Issue #2 = Availability
Food options & break room facilities may be limited at work and the surrounding retail food options may be limited to fast food outlets.  The vending machine may be the only food available onsite & is likely not a great source of healthy foods!

Solution
Is there a microwave you could use to heat up pasta or last night's dinner leftovers instead of going for take out?  Is there a fridge to store sandwiches & yogurt in?  If not - can you take a cool bag and ice block to keep a packed lunch cold?  Keep nuts, dried fruit or cereal bars in your desk drawer as a healthy alternative to the vending machine.

Next post: the issues of Meetings & The 3pm energy crash...

Reach Your Health Goals in 2012!

Life's getting back to normal after all the fun of the Holidays.  Which for most people means busy schedules!

Are you going to make 2012 the year you:

~ finally start planning your meals?
~ lose those 10 pounds that you've been meaning to lose?
~ keep all your doctor appointments?
~ find an exercise regime that you actually enjoy & can stick with?

Whatever your plans I wish you the best of luck!

We all need support at times and don't be afraid to ask for it.  I was at an event recently where 2 guests there didn't want to come and meet me because they knew "they were eating all wrong" and just knew I'd tell them "don't eat this don't eat that"!  So sounds like this year I'll be working to improve the image some people have of dietitians!  This is certainly not the approach I take and I look forward to the opportunity to speak with these ladies in the near future!

 New Year is like a clean slate, a new chapter in our lives and people often have high hopes for the year ahead. If you are making resolutions - make 2012 the year that you make realistic ones with an action plan of how you're going to achieve them.  "I aim to lose a pound a week by drinking less soda & walking daily" is a more realistic and therefore achievable goal than "I'm going to lose 30lbs by March!"

I hope you manage to make 2012 "The year I finally achieved  ....."!

10 Tips for Calorie Free Holiday Shopping!

retail-guru.com

 We're all madly rushing around the Mall making sure we buy the perfect gift for everyone on our list!  While this might be the only exercise you manage to squeeze into your day at this time of year, Holiday shopping can bring with it sneaky calories!

10 Tips for Calorie Free Holiday Shopping:

• Eat a healthy meal or snack before heading off to the shops

• Plan your meal for when you get home to avoid last minute fast food

• Pack a bottle of water and a healthy snack, such as a cereal bar or fruit to carry with you

•  Be prepared to say 'no thank you' when offered a food sample in the store!

• Choose carefully at the food court (try a turkey wrap instead of a burger) or seek out a cafe which offers healthier options

• Avoid drinking your calories via soda or hot drinks with whipped cream on top!

• Don't be tempted by the smells from the food carts

• Sip on that water you packed as thirst can be mistaken for hunger

• Chew sugar free gum to keep your mouth busy

•  Use the stairs not the escalator or elevator

At the end of the day remember to take a moment to relax, take a deep breath and de-stress so you don't turn to food to help you unwind.

Happy Healthy Holidays!

I Pledge to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain!

Today is St Andrew's Day, the Patron Saint of Scotland.  Growing up in Scotland but now living in America, I find it really amazing that my children are doing things we used to consider 'very American,' such as riding a yellow school bus, going on 'vacations' & learning to spell color & favorite without a letter u after the letter o!

Another very American thing my children do is say the Pledge of Allegiance at school each morning. They also say a school pledge which mentions trying their best in all they do, making good choices & respecting others. I like to hear them recite these when I volunteer in class, it seems to me a good way to start the day by promising to work hard & treat others with respect & reminding ourselves to make good choices.

As the Holiday Season is just starting it's a good time to make a pledge to ourselves about our health.  Food has always been involved in feasts & celebrations & there's no reason it can't be enjoyed at this time of year without being laden with guilt about thoughts of weight gain or high fat intake.
You have the power to influence how you'll feel when January arrives - you can choose to start the New Year with great memories of the Holidays and no regret about your weight or health having not over-indulged in all the food you'll be offered this month.  What a great feeling that will be!

Take time today to look at your schedule for the coming month & highlight events which will involve celebrating with food - family gatherings, office parties, Mom's nights out and so on.  Pledge to yourself that at those events you'll enjoy the food  and also pledge that on the other days this month you'll choose your food carefully to balance out those times where you're going to indulge.

Tips:
~ Walk the length of the buffet table first & decide what you'll choose before starting to put food on your plate
~ Have a glass of water before eating
~ Make half your plate fruit & veggies
~ If you're drinking alcohol don't underestimate the calories from drinks & set a limit or alternate with water
~ Have a 2 course meal instead of 3 - have starter & entree at one event then entree & dessert at another event
~ Maintain or increase you exercise regimen throughout the month
~ Decide to eat the office treats only on Fridays rather than nibbling every time you go to the break room
~ Suggest an inexpensive gift exchange instead of a cookie exchange for your Mom's group

This is my Pledge to myself this Holiday Season:

I Pledge to myself on this day

To eat & drink the Healthy way

I'll plan ahead & enjoy my food

And always make my choices good

I respect myself, I want no regret

This will be my healthiest year yet!

~ Lyn Turton

Feel free to use my Pledge or write a personal one then put it somewhere you can see it every day.  If you need motivation to make healthy choices while celebrating this Holiday Season recite the Pledge in your head & think how great you'll feel when the New Year arrives! Take the pledge Facebook !

March of Dimes World Prematurity Day

November is Prematurity Awareness Month & November 17th 2011 is World Prematurity Day   1 in 8 babies are born prematurely in the United States & worldwide 13 million babies are born pre-term each year.

To raise awareness March of Dimes is asking people to share their experiences of premature babies.  

I remember well the mixture of excitement and anxiety you feel every day of your pregnancy.   Although my own children were born full term I have worked as a dietitian in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and shared the highs and lows of my friends experiences with premature babies.

As dietitians we work very closely with the NICU Doctors to nourish these precious babies and we celebrate every ounce of weight gain along with the parents.  Due to it's many benefits we promote the use of breast milk whenever possible & provide encouragement & support for Mom's trying to build up their supply ready for when their baby is able to tolerate breast milk. We never underestimate the physical & emotional effects on families, especially new Moms.

As a Mom I have seen how my friends have coped and been so strong for their premature babies.  One couple suffered several miscarriages before their baby was born 10 weeks early.  They sent regular photos to allow us to follow her progress and despite the many tubes she was beautiful from day 1!

 Another friend has had 3 premature babies and her energy & strength never fail to amaze me despite the many days spent at a hospital 50 miles away and the late night hospital admissions when a cold took hold of her little ones chest. 

As a friend you can help by providing meals for the family who spend many hours at the hospital plus additional time traveling to the specialist units, which may not be local to them.  Offer to babysit for siblings or do school pick-up & drop-off.  Or just be there for parents if they want to talk & let them know you're available to help with whatever they need.
 
For more information or ways to help please visit  March of Dimes