Snacking at Work

jen_howard

The hardest thing for me is to stop snacking all day at work. I sit at a desk ALL DAY and nibbling keeps me awake. What am I supposed to do?

MysteriousMerlin

I know the feeling. I try to get low calorie snacks, and will sometimes invent things to keep myself busy, like making lists of things, or finding something to read on the internet (I can get lost in wikipedia, lol).

I also give myself a time frame. I won't have a snack before a certain time, like 10:30a. I also don't keep much within reach. Right now the only thing available to me are Nature Valley granola thins. They're 80 calories per serving.

Try coffee? :drinker: I drink it for most of my day, it helps me with appetite and keeps me awake. I stop around 2pm though.

thickerella

Ice cold water helps snap me up. Also, I find the crunch of raw carrots satisfy that need to have something munchy between my teeth.

mapenguinkeeper

I keep healthy snacks in my desk - popcorn, unsalted nuts, tamari rice crackers. Lemon water is also very filling and the tartness wakes you up.

vanillasugar

I bring things like grapes, blueberries, cherries, cherry tomatoes etc to snack on. That way, I can keep just popping stuff in my mouth all day but the calorie count stays low.

jaecamp1

I drink lots of coffee I would suggest bringing healthy snacks if you feel the need to pop stuff in your mouth. Maybe some sliced up cucumber or celery? I would just make it something low calorie that you can eat slowly over the course of your shift, that way five minutes later you aren't looking for more. At home I love roasted asparagus when I feel the need to partake in some mindless munching in front of the tv or whatever.

MinnieInMaine

There's nothing inherently wrong with snacking, it's the choices you make and portion control, just like with any other meal choice. Every day I pack my bag with at least 4 snacks with another 1 or 2 as backup in case I'm having a hungry day. I'd rather have plenty of healthy snacks on me rather than risk being hungry and having to resort to the snack shack or vending machine which is almost all high calorie junky stuff. I graze pretty much all day long...

Some ideas: protein bars, bananas, apples, oatmeal (pre-cooked or instant), greek yogurt, 100 cal snack packs of almonds, dry cereal, low cal snack bars, frozen edamame steam packs

MyJourney1960

i also sit at a desk all day. I used to keep "healthy" snacks but i stopped. I just don't want to be munching all day long - a habit i'm trying to break - whether it's cookies or carrot sticks - i'm trying to break the habit.

I bring breakfast and lunch. i keep rice cakes (whole grain, 28 cals each) in my desk, and cottage cheese, yogurt, etc in the fridge, plus 2 fruits. I might actually start bringing a PB&J sandwich for the afternoon (not sure). so i have breakfast around 9 or 10 am. then i have lunch around 1-2. then in the afternoon, around 4-5 i have something - fruit, yogurt, homemade pudding cups, crackers with cheese, etc. In between i drink a lot of ice water and 2-3 cups of coffee.

Brunette122

i also set timed snacking. i'll eat breakfast at 8 with lots of lemon water, have a snack at 10:30, eat at lunch at noon, and then a snack at 2:30-3 mark.

dunnodunno

Some of my favorite snacks to take to work are:

Fruit (apples, oranges, grapes, blueberries, etc.)
Yogurt (you could either get flavored or plain & throw in granola or fruit)
String Cheese
Jerky

dswolverine

I can't keep snacks at my desk otherwise that will just trigger my mindless eating. I too do the timed eating thing where i designate certain times to eat lunch and snacks. I try to snack on healthy things like plain yogurt, hard boiled eggs, baby carrots with hummus and other things that actually satiate. I love rice cakes but they do nothing to put a dent in my hunger!

seltzermint555

This might sound extreme/nutty but could you try NOT snacking at all and see how it goes? Imagine you work in a place where you risk being fired if you consume anything other than water during the working hours (minus lunch break of course).

I worked retail for years, and that's how it was. So when I started working in office jobs, I COULD NOT get over the way people snacked at their desks on everything from nuts to sliced up apples to burritos. LOL Seriously, I think that old retail mentality of "no snacks on the sales floor ever" was so ingrained in me that even though now I may have a kids Clif Z bar at my desk when I know I'll have a later than normal dinner, it feels "wrong" to me!

Honestly though I think it's not very professional to snack a lot at your desk especially people who eat breakfast and lunch at work at their desk. That does not seem like a healthy balance to me. OF COURSE I understand some jobs don't allow "real" breaks etc...I don't want to offend anyone, as I said this is just my opinion. I eat my breakfast at home and my lunch either at home, in a restaurant, or in the break room at work. So that's my .02. I drink cold water or hot flavored teas at my desk.

ETA: If you are really having trouble staying alert and awake, that is kind of worrisome. Is there any way you can get up more frequently for walks around the office? I know some jobs aren't conducive to that, especially if you're "tied to" a phone or something. Maybe try sleeping more at night? I'd be a little concerned about some sort of imbalance if I was that tired.

arabianhorselover

I have had jobs that I find boring for many many years. I used munching all day long as a way of coping with that. It is part of my compulsive eating problem. I am trying to break that habit. It is not good for me or for my teeth.

Mokey41

If you had nothing there to snack on then what would you do? You don't have to have snacks at your desk or be eating constantly. Get up and move around for a couple minutes if you're falling asleep. Plan your day so you have times to move. Drink ice water instead of eating. Snacking constantly is a learned habit that can be unlearned or replaced with something else.

StacyReneO

It's really hard for me to because our office kitchen is stocked full of candy, chips, cookies, cereal, soda - any unhealthy snack you can imagine. I try to keep snacks in my desk but all that crap in the kitchen calls out to me. And it doesn't help that I have to actually BUY snacks for desk and everything in the kitchen is free.

AusAshMommy

One Word: Gum

I chew sugar free gum to keep from snacking & keep awake!

avskk

We have an office kitchen stocked with tons of junky snack foods, as well as cheap vending machines 15 feet from my desk. Even though I'm usually only here part-time, I made it a point to bring in some healthy snacks to keep on hand after my first week. I have bottled water and Coke Zero in the fridge, a big Tupperware with pre-weighed baggies of cut vegetables, a package of string cheese sticks, and a selection of single-serving bags of popcorn chips. I just tend to get snacky at the same time every day, and without healthier options on hand I was zombie-walking to the machines all the time.

scarrletti_girl

Try drinking coffee or tea instead of eating or try smaller portion snacks with water or lower calorie snacks and then exercise it off when you get home.

danyleewell

I work at a desk all day long too, one thing I learned from my fitness coach is to eat every 3 hours. Your belly gets use to eating and basically the muscles have spasms which make you think you are hungry. You only need food as fuel, not to pass time. I have a set schedule of three hours, I keep sunflower seeds, peanuts, crackers, cookies, things like that in my purse and will eat them. Make sure you measure everything in baggies first so you can keep log your food without worries. Then if you get hungry in between chew sugar-free gum.

avskk

Er, was that last post literally advising people to eat on a schedule regardless of hunger, but then when they're legitimately hungry chew gum instead of eating? What the what?

OP, just keep some healthful, pre-measured snacks on hand and account for them in your day. Try not to have them unless you're legitimately hungry, but don't beat yourself up if you occasionally snack "mindlessly" on healthier options.

seltzermint555

I can only speak for myself but gum does ZILCH to suppress hunger for me.

It does make me feel all minty-fresh and kill the desire to eat more after a meal, though. So there's that...

avskk

I just don't understand why you'd want to suppress hunger but then eat every three hours like clockwork. How about... have a snack when you're hungry for it and don't eat when you're not? Good Lord.

AusAshMommy

What I meant was that when I chew gum it makes the urge to snack go away and it keeps my mouth active so I stay awake vs. going for a sweetened drink, like my Tea Mix I keep at work - only now it's going to waste because I've substituted water instead...if your truly hungry eat, and yes healthy options are better than nothing.

Bianca42

I stopped keeping packages of snacks at work, because I was eating way too many. When I pack my lunch I pack 4 small snacks. I eat 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. I also drink tea and water throughout the day and have a couple sugar-free hard candies. It totally helps me to curb the constant need to snack.

kayla1025

Im the same! Desk job and dont really get up.. I have a 30min lunch that I go sit in my car to eat lunch which sucks! I try to bring healhtier snacks such as sliced fruit or baby carrots. I also totally agree on the gum thing!! Chewing helps with hunger and keeps you a lilttle more awake... it keeps your mouth occupied so you dont want to keep munching on stuff

Mborroto25

This might sound extreme/nutty but could you try NOT snacking at all and see how it goes? Imagine you work in a place where you risk being fired if you consume anything other than water during the working hours (minus lunch break of course).

I worked retail for years, and that's how it was. So when I started working in office jobs, I COULD NOT get over the way people snacked at their desks on everything from nuts to sliced up apples to burritos. LOL Seriously, I think that old retail mentality of "no snacks on the sales floor ever" was so ingrained in me that even though now I may have a kids Clif Z bar at my desk when I know I'll have a later than normal dinner, it feels "wrong" to me!

Honestly though I think it's not very professional to snack a lot at your desk especially people who eat breakfast and lunch at work at their desk. That does not seem like a healthy balance to me. OF COURSE I understand some jobs don't allow "real" breaks etc...I don't want to offend anyone, as I said this is just my opinion. I eat my breakfast at home and my lunch either at home, in a restaurant, or in the break room at work. So that's my .02. I drink cold water or hot flavored teas at my desk.

ETA: If you are really having trouble staying alert and awake, that is kind of worrisome. Is there any way you can get up more frequently for walks around the office? I know some jobs aren't conducive to that, especially if you're "tied to" a phone or something. Maybe try sleeping more at night? I'd be a little concerned about some sort of imbalance if I was that tired.

Its not very professional to snack a lot at your desk? That doesn't make sense to me at all. I've never thought about eating as unprofessional.

seltzermint555

This might sound extreme/nutty but could you try NOT snacking at all and see how it goes? Imagine you work in a place where you risk being fired if you consume anything other than water during the working hours (minus lunch break of course).

I worked retail for years, and that's how it was. So when I started working in office jobs, I COULD NOT get over the way people snacked at their desks on everything from nuts to sliced up apples to burritos. LOL Seriously, I think that old retail mentality of "no snacks on the sales floor ever" was so ingrained in me that even though now I may have a kids Clif Z bar at my desk when I know I'll have a later than normal dinner, it feels "wrong" to me!

Honestly though I think it's not very professional to snack a lot at your desk especially people who eat breakfast and lunch at work at their desk. That does not seem like a healthy balance to me. OF COURSE I understand some jobs don't allow "real" breaks etc...I don't want to offend anyone, as I said this is just my opinion. I eat my breakfast at home and my lunch either at home, in a restaurant, or in the break room at work. So that's my .02. I drink cold water or hot flavored teas at my desk.

ETA: If you are really having trouble staying alert and awake, that is kind of worrisome. Is there any way you can get up more frequently for walks around the office? I know some jobs aren't conducive to that, especially if you're "tied to" a phone or something. Maybe try sleeping more at night? I'd be a little concerned about some sort of imbalance if I was that tired.

Its not very professional to snack a lot at your desk? That doesn't make sense to me at all. I've never thought about eating as unprofessional.

I think it looks really tacky. Am I the only one? I guess so.

Like I mentioned, maybe it comes from those long ago years of retail. But when I go into an office, let's say my insurance agency or financial planner or especially doctor's office...I am always kind of taken aback when the secretary (or agent) has food laid out across their desk. It seems like they're less credible and prepared, and I lose confidence in their abilities. I think of food/eating as something for kitchens, dining areas, break times. Not during work.

Wow I sound mean! LOL Not my intention, this is just the way I feel.

laineybz

I bring an apple, a fromage frais yoghurt, grapes, melon and a low cal hot choc. Defo helps me.

KerryITD

I've discovered that if I start off with snacking on things with no protein, it sets me up badly for the whole day. If I have plain yogurt, cottage cheese, or a hard-boiled egg as my first snack, I have no problem moderating. Same goes for breakfast, actually!

mitch16

I pack my lunch bag with a known number of calories every single day, including all of my snacks. I might throw an extra 100 calorie granola bar in just in case. There have been days that my lunch bag is empty by noon (oops), but I try not to snack above and beyond that.

Drinking green tea helps, too. Lots and lots of green tea. And then you can count all of your trips to the restroom as exercise (kidding!).

MissMeghan802

I used to be the same way. Now i drink lots of water and chew gum.