Teachers: Tips for eating healthy at work!

With the new school year right around the corner, I thought it would be helpful to offer some tips to eat healthy at work! The beginning of the school year is stressful, and there certainly are a lot of unhealthy food temptations throughout the school day. Even if you're not a teacher, you can still use these tips, as I'm sure you can adapt them to to make sense for your workplace.

First, let's start with some general tips!

** Note: This post is not to suggest that you shouldn't allow yourself treats. If we deny ourselves what we really crave we'll want it more! These are just tips to be sure you have other options to eat besides the treat so you're not forced to eat something you actually don't want. **


Tips For Eating Healthy At Work!

1. Eat a satisfying breakfast so you don't start the work day hungry.
2. Pack your lunch. Avoid the cafeteria and eating out.
3. TUPPERWARE IS YOUR FRIEND.
4. Keep healthy snacks in your cupboards and a back up healthy lunch in the fridge in case you forget your lunch.
5. Avoid situations where you feel you will give in to temptation.
6. Do not worry if others judge you on what you do/do not eat. It's your life, your body.


And now, onto some temptations you might run into, and some strategies to make it through!


Temptation #1: It's 8am and there are free doughnuts in the faculty lounge.

Strategies:

• DO NOT make eye contact with the donuts. DO NOT smell them! 
• Eat a satisfying breakfast before you get to work so you are not hungry.
• Think about what that sugar is going to do to your body and how it is going to make you feel in an hour.

Temptation #2: The monthly pot luck breakfast is being served in the library, complete with sausage, pastries, breakfast potatoes, and juice.

Strategies:

• Bring a healthy dish to contribute.
• Eat before you get to the breakfast, and then just have a little taste of something that is yummy.
• Don't attend the breakfast. Take advantage of a quiet morning getting a jump start on the day!

Temptation #3: It's snack time, and Little Johnny brought in Rice Krispy treats for everyone.

Strategies:

• Decide whether you are actually hungry, or if you are inclined to eat just because the clock says it's snack time.
• Keep a variety of healthy snacks in your cupboard so if you are hungry, it's easy to grab something else.

Temptation #4: You forgot your lunch and the cafeteria is serving hot dogs.

Strategies:

• Keep healthy snacks in your cupboards and a back up lunch so you are not forced to eat something greasy from the cafeteria. (Examples: peanut butter, tuna, can of soup, instant oatmeal, healthy cereal)

Temptation #5: It's 2pm, your students are at their special, and you are craving a soda to get that last little kick of energy for the end of the day.

Strategies:

• Think about how all that sugar is going to make you feel an hour from now.
• Make yourself a cup of coffee or tea.
• Drink water.
• Remind yourself that a soda probably has the same amount of sugar as the donuts in the faculty room. It's like DRINKING a doughnut.

Temptation #6: It's Little Susie's birthday, and she stopped by your room at the end of the day to offer you a birthday cupcake!

Strategies:

• If you allow treats into your day, take it home to eat later.
• If you're hungry, politely decline, but then grab a healthy snack from your cupboard. (Wait until Little Susie leaves to do this!
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Temptation #7: Those damn doughnuts are still in the faculty lounge!

Strategies:

•  Do you really want doughnuts that have been sitting out all day? If you really want a doughnut, and plan to indulge, get yourself a FRESH, YUMMY doughnut. Not a "sitting out on a table for 7 hours" doughnut.

What are your favorite strategies to eat healthy at work?