Throughout the work day, there are many temptations – including candy, cookies, soda, and of course the regularly scheduled employee birthday cake! With all of these goodies within reach, how can you stop yourself from “grazing” throughout the day, and increasing your waist size before the end of the next fiscal year?
The good news is that there are some alternatives to these office munchies, and they don’t all require you to stick to a stringent anti-eating policy. In fact, by turning to goodies that consist of fiber and other healthy snacks, you can still join in the fun, without all of the extra calories.
One of the first things you must do is determine whether you are actually hungry or only having a craving. For example, if only ice cream will do the trick, then it is highly likely that you are experiencing a craving – and because cravings typically only last for about 10 minutes or so, the best thing you can do is distract yourself by making a phone call, listening to music, taking a short walk, or reading.
Stick with Fiber Rich Snacks
One way to beat the office hunger cravings away from sugary treats is to bring foods to work that are good for you – and keep them readily available in the office fridge or a desk drawer. For instance, rather than having a slice of cake, you could pair three mini pita rounds with one serving of hummus. This light, 150-caolorie snack is packed with fiber and should help in warding off that snack food craving that may otherwise be satisfied with a bag of M&Ms.
Another great way to compensate for the work day munchies is to opt for ten multigrain wheat crackers with a tablespoon of peanut butter. This under-200 calorie alternative helps you to keep blood sugar stable along with giving you that full feeling for a longer period of time.
Other Great Treats
If you feel the need for something sweet, reach for a skim latte instead of a chocolate crunch bar. Although you may be consuming an equal amount of calories, the caffeine that the drink contains will actually help you to quench your food craving.
As an alternative, try eating roughly one ounce of nuts and then drinking two glasses of water. In most cases, you will be able to rid your hunger cravings within about 20 minutes due to the change in body chemistry that this snack can cause.
Instead of treating your need for one type of food with another, you could also try some foodless techniques that will help in ridding the nagging – and the growling – in your stomach. One way to is simply disallow yourself to go near the snacks. If you happen to have goodies hidden in desk drawers or other secret locations, get rid of them. This alone will help you to stop thinking about the need to snack.Foodless Craving Killers
Oftentimes a work environment includes stress – and stress is a huge trigger for food cravings. So, to combat this double bladed sword, rather than eating your way through it, take another route by practicing deep breathing or visualizing a calm and stress-less scene in your mind. A great way to achieve success with this is to use an iPod or other device to listen to muscle relaxation or similar types of audios.
Janet Lynch loves to write about all things fitness and diet. She works with the newest dietfooddelivery service where she helps people meet their diet goals with the power of convenience.
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Thanks. It helped me a lot.