If you’re anything like us, you end your day thinking about what you would like to eat the next day only to rethink your entire list in the morning and grab your standard pack of cookies to dunk in chai.
All the promises to eat healthy ‘tomorrow’ (always tomorrow), are almost always shattered due to lack of preparation and of course, the strength to stare down that chocolate biscuit crying to be eaten; one shouldn’t hurt, right? Wrong! It never stops at one – make it a mantra.
Office munching adds hundreds of calories to your day without you even realizing it and it definitely does not help that most of these desk jobs require a lot of, well, sitting at your desk – severely affecting the balance needed to keep the extra pounds off.
What we can do is a little homework, a little prep and a quick little prayer to get you through the work day without piling on the guilt (and pounds) that comes with desk snacking.
The Usual Suspects
It comes as no surprise that the usual snacks that most people reach out for are: chips, cookies (I mean, can you even have chai without them?), chocolate bars – usually for a mid-day sugar rush, doughnuts that always seem to be available at the coffee counter and of course, birthday cake. It’s always somebody’s birthday and there seems to be an abundance of cake making rounds through the office.
However, one culprit that usually sneaks its way away from the unhealthy lists, with all its innocence, is that cup of coffee right next to you. It isn’t the coffee per say but the sugar and milk that goes along with it that can rack up the calorie intake to up to 150 calories PER CUP, add that to the three cups that you may be sipping your way through and you have one whole meal right there.
The ‘Easy to Say’ solutions
Say it with me: ‘POR-TION CON-TROL’. Not to be completely unrealistic, the best way to ensure that mindless desk snacking doesn’t force you to go on a full-fledged diet is to pick a somewhat healthier option and control its portions too. Yes, it’s a two-step process.
Now let us say a teary goodbye to chips and greet our friend ‘The Unflavored Packet of Popcorn’. The best alternative to the calorie packed, deep fried, artificially flavored snack is undoubtedly popcorn. Since it is a 100% whole grain, it is packed with fiber which means that it takes longer to digest and helps you curb cravings. Just don’t load up on butter and cheese please!
For the sweet cravings that hit, especially come noon, there are a variety of ‘easy’ swaps. Trail mix is easily put together and just as easily over consumed. Keep in mind that the store bought varieties have plenty of added sugar that can be just as bad as a chocolate bar, if not worse. Follow our lead and mix up: unsalted almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, popcorn, raisins or dried cranberries, coconut chunks, dried apricots and dark chocolate chips. Let’s use a little restraint and common sense and keep the chocolate chips and dried fruit to 15%, shall we?
How can we preach and not include the glorious-ness that is fresh fruit? I know, another list replacing dessert with fruit, which let’s face it, it really just cannot. However, you can pair it up to make it more interesting and help with the sugar withdrawals. Nut butters are great with apples, pears and bananas; drizzle some honey on them and voila! We have dessert–ish. Oranges, grapefruit, strawberries and pineapple are all rich in Vitamin C and other minerals, while maintaining the fact that they are delicious! So give fruit a shot, it isn’t all terrible (we’re looking at you, apples!).
The Hard to Do Solutions
You do NOT need three cups of coffee. You most likely need to take a break to go to the coffee station with a friend. So while we’re there, let’s grab some green tea. If that isn’t your cup of tea (haha), then opt for an Americano over a Cappuccino and some stevia over the sugars.
It’s your work bud’s birthday but I’m sure they won’t mind if you have 2 bites of cake rather than 2 slices of it. Bonus: avoid the judgment that comes with wanting to have cake after you just had lunch and a reluctant green tea. Maybe a cookie.
Notable snack suggestions
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- Homemade Salsa with Toasted Tortilla Chips
- Roasted Chickpeas
- Cottage cheese with cucumbers and carrots
- Fresh Olives
Good luck and happy eating!!
