Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
You worked hard like a dog for your new body. Every solid, toned inch is 100%. But those at the office, they just don’t get it. They ooze from cubicle to cubicle, pizza-stained ties and pasty, unhealthy skin, happy to slurp sticky sodas and lead a life less extraordinary while you strive for more…
And they want you to come back into the fold They want you to eat junk and spend leisure hours doing a whole lot of nothing. Don’t do that Unlike poor Michael Corleone, you don’t have to be sucked back in. We’ve come up with a few tips to keep you stay health at the office. despite the bad habits of your co-workers.
1. Head ‘em off at the pass. The thing is, if someone brings in a box of bear claws, they’re going to seem a lot more attractive if you’re hungry. So eat that balanced breakfast and have those healthy snacks on hand for the time between meals.
2. Find food that stays fresh. The frustrating thing about healthy food is that it doesn’t keep; so, unlike Oreos, which would keep in your desk well into the next eon, a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, yogurt, and cottage cheese go bad quickly if not refrigerated. And if you do have a fridge at work, going there to get your healthy eats can be quite an ordeal when you have to walk past a caravan of crud sitting on the kitchen counter. So here are a few things you can keep at your desk that might last a little longer at room temperature:
Uncut fresh fruit
A handful of raw nuts (be careful with this one—less is more)
A tub of protein powder (just add water!)
A handful of whole grain cereal
That may not seem like much, but there are hundreds of variations of at least three of those.
3. Get the heck out of Dodge. It’s 10:50 AM. You’re sweating bullets. It’s “Pizza Friday” and, in about one hour, the walking dead will be shuffling to the kitchen for multiple slices of gooey cheese and sausage on Chicago-style crust. Even if you stay in your cubicle, the savory scent will find you. How will you resist?
Well, when the going gets tough, the tough scram. At 11:50 AM, grab your good walking shoes and go for a stroll, have a picnic, go shopping, whatever. Just get out. That way you’re avoiding the horror and getting a little cardio and vitamin D all in one fell swoop.
4. Hook up to a slow drip. You have the lunch and two snack times sorted out, but you never know when some supposed good Samaritan is going to swing by your office with a bowl of bite-sized Snickers, tempting you when you still have two hours until your next official eating time.
If this is a problem, parse out your snacks. The trick is, you have to plan out the size of said snack in advance. So after breakfast, set aside X amount of whatever and graze on that—but when you’re done, you’re done. That’s the key.
The exception to this is raw, green veggies. It’s really, really hard to eat too much broccoli or celery, so if that’s your snack, eat yourself sick.

5. Give in to the dark side. It’s okay to be a little naughty sometimes. It keeps you sane, it makes a diet more palatable and, well, it tastes good. The key is moderation. First off, pick the amount of cheats you have in a week. For someone trying to lose weight, one or two is a good number. For those who have already reached their goals, more are okay.
When the pizza comes, if this is going to be one of your weekly cheats, get your piece, love it, lavish it, pray to it, build a monument around it, and eat it—but then you’re done. That’s it. That was your cheat. No more. No, not another “half piece” or “cut off little bite.” Just be done. Same goes for the candy bowl. Eat your mini Almond Joy and then walk away. Birthday ? Eat a small piece of cake. If they give you too much, cut it in half and dump half on someone else’s plate, or pass it on until a smaller piece comes your way.
6. Back against the wall. Sometimes, there’s an eventlunch with a client or an office partywhere all those “goodies” are unavoidable. When this happens, much of the above advice applies. Eat beforehand, use it as a cheat, etc.
If it’s at the office, make yourself a conservative plate, picking foods you know are at least sort of reasonable. A pasta salad is probably a better call than marshmallow salad, for example. Once you’ve finished your plate, throw it in the trash and be done. Get a glass of water in your hands so they aren’t tempted to wander into the M&M’s bowl and relax.
If it’s an outing, a few simple rules help with any restaurant experience. Choose a lean meat/protein. Eat half of whatever they serve. Choose salad or fruit instead of fries. Order water instead of Coke. You should be all right.
7. It’s a matter of public record. Put your “Before” and “After” photos on your desk. When temptation calls, have a look. Remember how far you’ve come. Reaffirm that long-term happiness outweighs a temporary sugar rush.
It was hard work getting this far, so follow these few simple tips and it won’t be for naught. The only thing you’re going to get pulled into is a size 2 (or 30-inch waist) pair of jeans, you sexy beast you.
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Friday, March 27th, 2009
Isn’t always easy to staying healthy at work , With all your coworkers sneezing and sniffing around you, it may seem impossible. Find how to stay healthy at work with these health tips:
1. Wash Your Hands. Often.
This means every time you use the restroom, before you eat, after you sneeze or cough and any other time your hands feel dirty. Also, keep a bottle of hand sanitizer at your desk, for when you can’t get to a sink.
2. Keep your workspace clean.
Clean your phone, computer keyboard and anything else that you use frequently. Even if you are the only user, germs can live on these objects and you can reinfect yourself.
3. Eat balanced meals every day – including breakfast!
Many people are tempted to skip breakfast because it takes too long to eat in the morning or in an (misguided) effort to lose weight. It has been proven that people who eat breakfast are healthier and more likely to remain at a healthy weight.
4. Avoid coworkers who are sick.
You would hope that coworkers who are contagious would stay home from work. Unfortunately, this is usually not the case. If they do show up, try to avoid direct contact with them (without being rude, of course).
5. Drink AT LEAST 8 glasses of water a day.
Sodas and coffee may help you stay awake, but they will also contribute to dehydration. So you need to be sure to drink water also. Just keep a water bottle with you all the time, drink throughout the day and you will probably get what you need.
6. Take frequent breaks throughout the day.
When you are feeling tired or sore, get up and walk around for a few minutes. Or try some of these tips for stretching at your desk. Taking breaks and keeping your body in shape will help you feel better and make you more productive.
7. Use your vacation days.
It may feel like there is never a good time to be away from the office, but people who do not take vacations are more likely to be sick. Vacations are a good way to relieve stress, which has been proven to contribute to illness. So even if it is just a few long weekends, use your vacation days and don’t take your work with you.
8. Quit smoking.
It is pretty common knowledge these days that smoking is bad for your health. Smokers get sick much more frequently than non-smokers. You are also getting less work done if you have to take frequent smoke breaks throughout the day. And no, smoke breaks do not promote productivity like exercise breaks do. Nicotine is a stimulant and actually increases your body’s stress level.
Share Your Thoughts
If you take these tips into consideration and implement them into your daily work routine, you should notice that you feel better and will remain healthier. With so many illnesses going around this time of year, you should do everything you can do avoid getting sick. If you have any more tips on staying healthy in the workplace, don’t keep them to yourself, share them in the Prevention Forum!
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