How to Survive the Workplace Eating Environment

Are workplace birthdays, meetings and events sabotaging your weight loss goals?

You try so hard to stick to your healthy eating plan… But there’s another birthday cake tomorrow… The team is ordering pizza on Friday… Your co-worker loves to bring in baked goods and treats every week… You’re all-day meeting provides muffins, bagels, cookies and soft drinks for meals and snacks.

It seems like there’s no way to avoid high-sugar and high-fat foods – that sabotage your healthy eating plan and make you feel like you’ll never reach your weight loss goals.

Use the following tips to take control of your workplace eating environment so that you can stick to your healthy eating plan and reach your weight loss goals:

• Celebrate birthdays just once each month for everyone with a birthday that month. That’s just one birthday cake each month, instead of one – or more – each week.
• When the team is ordering pizza, order salad as well. Have just one piece of pizza along with salad. Or skip the pizza and bring your own lunch.
• Skip sweets at meetings and events – opt for fruit instead.
• Choose water instead of sugar sweetened beverages such as soft drinks and juices.
• Eat a healthy snack before the meeting or bring it with you (e.g., yogurt & fruit; cheese & crackers; small handful of nuts; protein bar).
• Bring your own small healthy treat so that you can avoid the treats in the break room.
• Get everyone involved – start a workplace healthy eating challenge.
• If you are hosting a meeting or event that includes meals and/or snacks:
  • provide healthy options – such as a light lunch including salads and sandwiches or wraps filled with vegetables and protein (chicken, cheese, eggs, beans, lentils)
  • provide fresh fruit and yogurt for dessert
  • provide pitchers of water rather than soft drinks and juices