An office job is somewhat like your freshman year of college — food, snacks, and lunch meetings in frequencies that neither your pocket nor stomach are ready to handle. One of the things amongst the Do’s & Don’ts of being at the front desk that stuck with me during my training was, “You’re going to gain weight; it’s unavoidable”. Despite my meager efforts to dodge the inevitable, I, too, fell victim to the bottomless candy bowl. With secret cabinets filled with cookies, Taco Tuesdays with the girls, and a loaded snack drawer behind me, I knew I was in for it. Don’t let yourself fall victim to the bowl, here are some tips on how to battle it out!
1. Invest in a water bottle.
Buy yourself a refillable water bottle that you can bring with you anywhere. We should be drinking about half our body weight in ounces daily! This may sound daunting, but just think about it – by having a water bottle with you, you end up consuming water just out of convenience AND you get to take a walk to the water cooler a couple times a day, too!
2. Eat breakfast.
Make sure to put something in your stomach before you head to work to get your body running properly. Grab a banana, Greek yogurt, or oatmeal on your way out – it’ll fill you up for a couple hours and it just might rescind the reach for a KitKat.
3. Pack a lunch.
This one may take some adjusting and a little extra preparation, but it’s well worth the effort. Prepare a lunch for yourself the night before and include some healthy alternatives (i.e. for sandwiches, opt for wheat bread instead of white & white meats instead of reds, etc.). By taking this step, you’re also freeing up your lunch hour for a short power walk! Derek from the Irvine office utilizes his lunch hour for a walk or two around the block a couple times a week. Way to go, Berger!
4. Stay active.
This is the one I’m still struggling to stay on top of. Most of us can agree, it’s a little difficult to get your workout in with an 8:00am to 5:00pm job and commuting factored in. If you’re not a fan of the outdoors & power walks are not for you, grab some office buddies & head to the gym! Heath from the Ontario office headed to 24 hour fitness during his lunch hour last month with interns Sky, Jetz, and James. Great job, guys!
5. Treat yourself.
Yes, staying on track is important, but what’s also important is treating yourself. Take that trip to the candy bowl; the key is moderation. Allowing yourself a snack here & there actually makes it easier to stay on track for the long haul.
So there you have it, the Office 15 — debunked, definitely avoidable, and not worth adding to your list of stressors. Just remember to make healthy choices & be good to your body, it’s the only one you’ve got!