Food Tips for Busy Workers

One of the major perks of living in our modern-day America is that many of us have quick and easy access to food. From organic ingredients to microwaveable dinners, grocery stores and ordering services are filled with options for every kind of eater and cooking ability.

However, as with all benefits, this one comes with its own set of difficulties. Busy Americans often struggle to find time for meal and snack prepping, and so will eat whatever is nearest in reach (even if the food isn’t wholesome).

The good news is that it’s possible to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle while working any office job. This article explores the benefits of healthy eating at work and provides food tips that you can incorporate into your lifestyle.

The Importance of Healthy Eating

Healthy eating goes beyond bragging rights or the adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” It even goes beyond physical appearance and how well our clothing fits. What we put into our bodies impacts nearly all other aspects of our lives, including work.

According to indeed , research shows that healthy eating influences work performance. When employees eat healthfully, they acquire increased concentration, focus, creativity, memory, and energy levels. Physical, mental, and emotional health also improve or worsen depending on our food choices.

A commonly overlooked food factor is its ramifications on sleep. Food choices, portion sizes, and intake timing can encourage or hamper peaceful sleep. As discussed in our article The Power of Sleep: How Restful Nights Can Boost Your Business Operations , the amount of sleep we get has repercussions for our overall well-being. When we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies feel more sluggish and may send signals that mimic hunger even when we don’t need to eat.

Food in the Workplace

When it comes to work, most of us require sufficient nutrition to perform at our best. Yet, the nature of work and the workplace often makes it difficult to eat as we should.

Many of today’s jobs are so demanding and fast-paced that workers skip meals altogether. Other jobs may induce boredom or stress, which, like sleep deprivation, can result in pseudo-hunger that leads to unnecessary calorie intake. Many break rooms are home to tempting baked goods or vending machines with highly processed snacks, the side effects of which are easily excused when hunger pangs strike. And as wonderful as happy hours can be in moderation, the beverages and appetizers enjoyed rarely make the list of health-boosting foods.

Those of us who work from home are not off the hook either. Our kitchens are usually a few steps away, making it almost effortless to grab snacks whenever we feel the urge (and whether or not we technically need them).

Clearly, some forethought and preparation are necessary to ensure that we are eating to perform and feel our best.

Tips for Success

Below are tips to help you succeed in eating healthfully at work. Take a look and see which of them might boost your current lifestyle.

Embrace your decision.

One of the hardest parts about change is permitting yourself to go after a change you want. In our fast-paced culture, eating healthfully and consciously is not always the norm. Friends, family members, and co-workers may not understand your choice to change your food habits at first and may give you a hard time for it. By permitting yourself to adjust your eating habits, you’re setting yourself up for more peace and success.

Remove and replace tempting foods with healthy ones.

We tend to eat whatever is readily available. If you have unhealthy food nearby that tempts you to overeat, removing it from your workspace will make it impossible for you to grab it when you’re hungry. Keep nuts, fruit, grain crackers, or other healthy choices nearby so that they (and not sugary, processed options) are the closest snack in your proximity when hunger strikes.

Eat breakfast every day.

Breakfast concludes the body’s pause from food during the night hours. Even if you are not hungry first thing in the morning, eating a nutritious breakfast will help get your system going, fuel your energy, and help prevent increased hunger later in the day.

Bring your own food to work.

If you work in an office or other in-person location, consider bringing food with you. This will give you far more control over what you eat. It can also save you money since preparing and bringing your own food tends to be less expensive than purchasing a meal or snack from the local café or convenience store. Keeping healthy snacks in your desk drawer or the office refrigerator will ensure you have what you need when you need it, even if you forget to bring food or don’t have time to grab something before you leave.

Eat snacks.

While snacking can get a bad reputation when misused, it is not in itself a “bad” action. Eating snacks at specified times throughout the day will stabilize your blood sugar and energy levels and prevent excessive hunger before mealtime. You may need to experiment to see which snacks and snacking times give you maximum energy.

Drink water.

Often, thirst and dehydration come disguised as hunger. Try drinking your recommended water amounts for a week or two and see how keeping hydrated curbs headaches and keeps you more satiated and energized throughout the day. Choosing water over juices and carbonated beverages is a great way to avoid unnecessary calories.

Remember the other health factors related to hunger. Taking care of yourself in other areas, such as getting enough sleep and reducing stress, will support your healthy eating goals. Our bodies, minds, and choices are holistically linked; healthy living will become increasingly easier as everything syncs.

Have a plan for business outings.

If you work for a company that regularly eats out or attends happy hours, develop a personal plan for success in those settings. Look at the menu beforehand to determine which food options fit your goals. Learn to bring your salad dressing, eat a snack ahead of time, or (depending on the situation) bring your food with you to an event or gathering. Determining your plan ahead of time will minimize your chances of going off course, although that is fine to do occasionally (see our last tip).

Don’t be too strict.

Healthy eating is a lifestyle. This means it is acceptable and even wholesome for most people to enjoy an occasional splurge. Problems arise when we indulge too frequently or to the point of impacting work or health. When you strive for healthy habits 90% of the time, you can enjoy the occasional slice of cake in the breakroom with more peace of mind.

It’s a Team Effort!

Whether in the workplace or any other context, healthy eating works best when you enlist a team. You may have noticed that this article did not provide a list of “healthy” foods; this is because every person’s health and body is unique.

Talking to your doctor or nutritionist or conducting some online research will give you access to specific meal plans, food options, and recipes that are right for you. You’ll be surprised how many quick-and-easy options and meal-prep hacks exist for every dietary need.

Additionally, letting others know of your plan is a great idea for success. studies have shown that humans are more likely to achieve their goals when they share them with someone else. While you don’t need to broadcast your choices to the world, telling a friend, family member, or co-worker about your healthy eating ambitions may make it easier to stay on track.

For extra support, using noom or one of the other great apps available today can help with accountability and tracking. Each app has different focuses and features; finding the one that works for you is like finding a personal business coach to help you along your path!

Aim for the Long Game

Healthy eating in the workplace is essential. Yet, just as with scaling a business, making many radical changes at once may cause collapse.

Take your health and eating habits one step at a time by making minor adjustments and planning for the long game. In this way, you’ll benefit yourself and your work output for years to come.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to eat your way to a happier, healthier, and more productive you!

WRITTEN BY: KATIE BARNETT