Eating Healthy While Working from Home

Okay, I’ll admit it, I have a filing cabinet drawer with a bulk stash of Skittles and Starburst right next to my desk in my home office. I don’t really think about them that often, unless I’m having an especially stressful day, forgot to eat lunch, tell myself I’ve eaten great lately and deserve some, let’s see…I guess I COULD come up with about 10 more reasons I give myself that it’s okay to snack on them while I’m working. The bottom line is, it’s just not a good idea to have junk food in close proximity to you, especially if you work from home.

When I worked in a regular office, we all had our stashes in our desks; however, it was a bit different. If you were going to eat some of your stash, you either had to do it in secret or share it with everyone, and, if you ate a lot, someone was bound to make a comment! At home, the only thing that happens is the kids swarm me and want me to give them some as well, and since I planned ahead and bought in bulk, sharing doesn’t deplete my candy storage.

So, is it possible to stay healthy when your at home working and can take a break anytime you’d like to grab some candy, a bag of chips, Twinkie, Skittles…need I go on? Of course! Here are some general tips for keeping your snacking habits under control when the kitchen is just 10 feet away:

Plan for your cravings- You KNOW you’re going to have them! You just have to make sure you have something on hand to satisfy them that’s not loaded with sugar or fat! When I’m craving something quick that’s got fat and sugar, I like to have cottage cheese and fruit. You can even buy them (I think it’s Knudsen brand) premixed. They are low in calories and sugar, and actually give you some protein. There are lots of other combinations of healthy foods that can satisfy cravings as well, apples and peanut butter, hard boiled egg and string cheese or crackers and low-fat spread.

Don’t keep junk food in your desk- This one should be a no-brainer, but for me, it is pretty difficult. The alternative? Keep some ‘one serving’ healthy snack packs around for when your cravings kick in. I like to throw in a bag of microwave popcorn for only 100 calories, it usually satisfies me for the afternoon.

Take a 15 Minute Break- If you succumb to your cravings, which all will do, take a 15 -20 minute break from working. Going for a walk around the block, or a couple sets of crunches can help you work off some of those newly eaten calories, rejuvenate you for the rest of your workday, and help stave off more cravings later on.

Don’t let working from home get the best of your ‘belly’! While it can be a more difficult task to manage your cravings when working out of a private office, with a little self-control and preparation, you can find healthier alternatives for when those snack attacks sneak up on you!