eating at work...

amandajsp

I work every weeked in an emergency room, 12 hr shifts x3 days and the shifts vary (day, midshifts, nights) I need help with eating habits during the weekends. I eat great all week and exercise with no problems. I generally don't exercise on the weekends and figure all the time on my feet at work is enough. However, we're always ordering food, have candy drawer, and make trips across the street to the gas station. All my calories are in junk food! I try to pack food and fruits for snacks, but I can't pass on the chocolate and other goodies...I need to give myself a good pep talk and realize it's mostly a willpower thing, but I'm wondering if anyone else has/had these problems and maybe has some ideas or motivation to help me out! It's so hard when everyone else is eating carefree!

stratdl

You could get some chocolate protein bars and put them in the candy drawer (or another drawer just for yourself). The Special K protein bars are about 180 calories or so (which is "cheaper" calorie-wise than a candy bar!) and they don't taste too bad. My hubby (a consummate carb-o-holic) seems to like them, so they may satisfy your craving for "junk" food that's on the sweet side.

On the salty/crunchy side, does the gas station have Baked Lays or something similar? You could try looking for those.

You could also try making some healthier versions of baked goods (if you're into that sort of thing) and bring them in to work (if you have the time). Try the Almost No Fat Banana Bread from the Allrecipes website--it's actually listed here in the database as Laura's Almost No Fat Banana Bread.

...hope these suggestions help! :happy:

Cheers, :drinker:
Deborah

mszSHOGAN

If you MUST consume junk food then I would bring some 100 calorie packs/cakes. They help me take the edge off when I'm craving sweets.

ildi007

I make "goodie-bags" for myself for the same problem. I count out things into zip-lock baggies, it's easy to track how much I'm eating and log it in. Ideas for bags: 25 almonds (160 cal) ;dried apricots, 8 pieces (100 cal); home made muffins, made in the miniature pan size, to fool myself, about 40 cal each mini muffin, depending on the recipe, multigrain tortilla chips with sesame seed from Costco , 10 chips about 140 cal. Also great snack: string cheese (fat free) and Dryer's Dibs ice cream, snack size bag.
I also have Kashi chocolate-almond bars, if you drink lots of water (or, if you like me, tea...) with it, it's very filling, and yummy too.
Costco sells tiny frozen fruit cups, they are as sweet as ice cream, but pure fruit. It's a new thing there...
It could be hard to see everyone eating doughnuts, chocolate, etc in front of you, but just keep telling yourself "I want healthy body" (or if you are like me... I want flat tummy!"
Good luck!!:flowerforyou: