Since starting the Love Your Life Program, I have influenced so many people along the way including my coworkers. I have earned the title of “Food Nazi” and banned processed junk food from entering my office. Dessert is only allowed during birthdays or celebrations, but even then I rarely participate.
Work environments can be hazardous to your program if you are not cautious.
Corporate office buildings are very accommodating with restaurants and vending machines filled with inexpensive sugary snacks and sodas.
Similar to many, our kitchen used to be stocked with bagels, brownies and other forms of dessert to compliment a morning cup of coffee. Not to mention, there was always a large candy bowl welcoming our guests.
Those days are long gone!
I, the Food Nazi transformed our office into a healthy one! My weight loss achievements and healthy pre-packed meals became contagious. Slowly, everyone started to follow in my footsteps.
Our marketing girl replaced her chocolate cake with cottage cheese and frozen blueberries, and our receptionist joined Weight Watchers and a boot camp class. We all kept each other in line, but I was the toughest of the Food Nazis.
If you currently work in an environment that is hazardous to your waist line, then I suggest that you start making some changes to create a healthier one.
Here are some helpful suggestions to staying healthy at work:
Always keep a water bottle at your desk: My glass 20 oz bottle gets filled around 6 times during my work day. Drinking water hydrates me, flushes me out and keeps my satiety in check.
Pre-pack your meals: I dedicate my Sundays to prepare most of my meals for the work week. I usually bake some chicken and fish, steam my veggies and boil a pot of brown rice. Everything takes me less than two hours to prep, cook and store in containers. Prepping my meals saves me so much time during the week and allows me more free time to engage in other fun activities.
Enjoy a 30 minute break away from your computer: If it’s a sunny day, then lunch is almost always served outside. Why not get some vitamins from my food and the sun! If it’s raining, then I’ll sit by the window and watch. Rain is beautiful and relaxing and by eating slower, I can gauge my hunger level to prevent me from overeating.
Stock your kitchen with healthy snacks: Yogurt, protein shakes, veggie slices, fruits and nuts can always be found in the kitchen fridge. But, I only stock enough for a few days. If you stock more, you’ll be tempted to finish off the whole week’s supply. Click here if you need some delicious snack ideas.
Exercise and get away from your desk: I try to rock my heels to work so I can get a workout walking back and forth to the bathroom. I also like to take a sprint down and up a few flight of stairs before lunch time to get my heart pumping.
Drink some Green or Herbal Tea: Drinking a hot cup of tea after my lunch always soothes my belly and seals any false craving that I have. Not to mention the great nutritional benefits that it contains.
If you are already a Food Nazi at work, then I would love to hear how you keep order. Do you give the evil eye? Or do you simply snatch their bag of chips and slam dunk it in the trash can?
I find that at work being the food Nazi is a big responsibility!
People although slow to come around do eventually follow suit when they
noticed that everyone else around them begins to adopt healthier habits! I am a motivator at work and I enjoy not only helping people make healthier food and exercise choices I also listen when the want to celebrate their accomplishments with someone.I have found that when people feel that you generally care about their well being as well as helping them they are more likely to make changes for the better and stick with them!
My husband is a food nazi and I absolutely hate it!In fact we rarely eat together any more because I have become so uncomfortable having all of MY food choices analysed. Don’t get me wrong, I think having healthly options at work is a great thing. I just don’t think anyone should demand it of everyone. After all, we are all adults and should have the right to choose how we want to live our lives and what we want to put into our bodies is no one elses business.
It has also been my experience that no one in the office likes the food nazi…and they are the fasest way to break up any break room gathering as no one likes to be judged.
And in case you are thinking “well this fatty’s husband is probably right to control what she is eatting…” I am very fit (5’5″ – 120) and teach fitness classes at a local gym 3 nights a week.
Hi CG!
Thank you for posting your comment, and no, I didn’t think that you were a fatty lol. It’s been over a year since this post and yes, you’re right.
It’s not cute to be pushy when it comes to anything. I naturally became the food nazzi without saying a word. I think people around me felt influenced without my preaching but in the way that I looked and felt. If you’re fit and healthy, there should be no reason for your husband to put any pressure on you unless he’s jealous of your accomplishments lol. We are all in charge of our bodies, and everyone’s happiness is relative to their perception of what happiness is. I’m upset at Mr. Hubby!
I hope you both communicated regarding this issue and that you can enjoy your lunches again.
Thank you for stopping by and would love to hear from you more!
xoxo
Ghada