Dieting while at work... Tips and tricks?

Options
tmoneyag99
tmoneyag99 Posts: 480 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Many of us have to work. If you're like me >60% of your waking hours is spent in the office.

So what do you do to help with the weight loss and food cravings and what not.


My tips and tricks... Everyone else offer yours up here.


1) Items kept at my desk
- A water bottle which I know the EXACT amount of fluid it holds. (makes counting water easier)
- Shot Glass. A shot glass is roughly 1oz and 1oz= roughly 3tbs. Helps with measuring cream for my coffee and salad dressings.
- My vitamins. I never remember to take them at home so I take them at work.
- Small things of salt, pepper and cinnemon. Cinnemon is great in coffee
- Dry roasted almonds. Good fat, kills salt craving AND a good source of Calcium.
- Dried Black Bean Soup for late nights. It's not ideal but far better than ordering in pizza or other take out. Plus easier on my wallet.

2) Community Fridge - Healthy salad dressing, 1/2 Cream for my coffee, Mustard, and A-1 Sauce. (A-1 will make anything taste good and is low call condiment.




Side note... 1 oz of half and half cream is almost the same calories as 1 serving of non-dairy creamer. IMO the 1oz of cream makes my coffee tastier. The problem comes in to play when people just pooor and poor and poor either. You wouldn't believe how many calories you are pooring into your morning coffee if you don't measure your cream/creamer! :)



I have an office - I will close the door 1x an hour and do jumping jacks 10 jumping jacks. By the end of the day I've done 80-100 jumping jacks. AND it gets my heart pumping.

Replies

  • steph1278
    steph1278 Posts: 483 Member
    Options
    I bring a 20oz water bottle with me to work and refill it 1-2x per day. I also bring my lunch and keep healthy snacks handy. I walk on my breaks and at lunch weather permitting and also have starting doing a set of 50 jump ropes(without the rope) every hour while I'm at work so by the end of the day, I have jumped rope 400 times. Gets the heartrate up and gets me away from my desk for a little.
  • GeekGirl23
    GeekGirl23 Posts: 517 Member
    Options
    I am lucky enough to have a mini fridge in my office that always has 2 water bottles full (chilling), and one on my desk.
    When I do my grocery shopping for the week I make sure I have easy hand fruits (Apples, oranges, grapes, bananas) and I bring enough for half the week then on wednesdays I bring in some more. This way I have enough to eat but nothing goes bad incase I didn't get to one. I also keep a 16oz bag of baby carrots in my fridge for those days I didn't have enough veggies in my lunch I can have that as an afternoon snack with something.

    For dairy I bring in string cheese and then on days I work out I have a greek Yogart parfet I bring in just that day. I always make sure when I cook dinner I make enough for lunch leftovers. I portion that out prior to eating dinner. Thus helping with any over eating tendancies.

    I also like you keep a container of dried unsalted/unseasond (raw) almonds. This always helps if I dip low and can feel it for a quick pick me up.

    I no longer pay attention to peoples candy dishes, cakes, goodies... My body now gets 6 meals a day and I feel satisfied all day. But it does take preplanning and knowing what you can have on hand that is quick and easy. There are a lot of containers made now that will keep items cold for 10 hours if you can't have access to a fridge.

    My co-workers think I'm crazy with all of it but I've lost 19 lbs in a month and a half.... whose laughing now!!
  • jennadelane
    jennadelane Posts: 127 Member
    Options
    - Shot Glass. A shot glass is roughly 1oz and 1oz= roughly 3tbs. Helps with measuring cream for my coffee and salad dressings.

    1 ounce actually equals 2 tablespoons

    I have an entire drawer full of food, be it snacks or lunch possibilities (all healthy of course!) My water bottle actually holds an entire 64 ounces, so I just make sure I have drained that by the end of the day. I also keep a measuring cup and a tablespoon measure in my food drawer so that I know exactly what I'm getting. The biggest thing that helps me in the office is keeping my eating schedule, some days its not possible but for most days it is. If I'm on schedule I'm less likely to devour the inevitable donuts co-workers bring in.
  • aerochic42
    aerochic42 Posts: 822 Member
    Options
    In addition to the water bottle that lives at work. I try to only eat the food i bring to work, unless I go out with coworkers, then I'll still munch on either my fruit or my veggies. If I leave snacks at work (even healthy ones), I will just eat them. Something with a package of 10 little packages will likely be eaten in 10 days or less. I just eat them because they are there not necessarily because I'm hungry or in need of something.

    I often go for walks at lunch, or walk around the building, which convienently is almost an1/8 of a mile long so a lap is 1/4 mile (ish) and will do squats or jumping jacks when in the bathroom.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    Options
    My job is pretty good for weight loss really - I'm a secondary school teacher. I wouldn't eat in front of my pupils, so all i take into my classroom is some water. We have a shared office with a little fridge in it, so I take my lunch in every day, usually salad, some fruit, a yoghurt. We only get half hour for break and half hour for lunch, so just time to eat something and have a coffee.

    Plus I'm on my feet most of the time, so that's good for burning off calories.
  • NataBost
    NataBost Posts: 418 Member
    Options
    I also have a water bottle at my desk. It has three 8oz increments on it, so I don't have to guess if I only drink a portion of it. I am pretty good about packing my lunch. My hubby and I have Igloo lunch boxes with ice packs just in case we get stuck somewhere outside the office or get hungry while running around.

    I try to keep packets of non-perishables around. I found organic beef jerky (without nitrates) online, so I am thinking about buying a few packets to keep at my desk. I also keep instant oatmeal packs in my drawer. I've also used Tuna packets and almonds as a snack.

    14496283.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • eazieske
    eazieske Posts: 212 Member
    Options
    YOU ALL HAVE GREAT IDEAS, I TRY TO HAVE HEALTHY SNACKS HERE AT WORK ALSO I BRING MY SNACKS EVERY DAY BUT I DONT ALWAYS EAT ALL MY SNACKS BUT I TRY
  • deb3129
    deb3129 Posts: 1,294 Member
    Options
    Planning,plannin,planning. Every night I prepare my breakfast for the next day, which I eat at home. And I make sure that I have ready whatever I will be eating for lunch at work the next day, as well as healthy snacks for the work day like fruits and veggies. That way I am never stuck without something good to eat when I am hungry.
  • p0kers0ph
    p0kers0ph Posts: 250 Member
    Options
    I have a 1 litre bottle of water that I am constantly sipping at, and fill up as soon as it runs out.
    I also snack on blueberries, grapes, apples, things I can pick at.
    I have a stairs up to my office so I'm always running up and down those lol
  • shelbiejo
    shelbiejo Posts: 283 Member
    Options
    #1 best thing to do is bring your own healthy snacks to have at hand and pack any meals you will need!
  • Snail313
    Snail313 Posts: 214 Member
    Options
    I am very active at work, I do not have a desk job and often I don''t have time to think about or eat food. I always bring cinnamon and splenda for my coffee and if i bring my own cup a put a little bit of 1% milk in it before I leave the house. I usually bring a yogurt and something like pretzels and carrots with me. I will order lunch sometimes from work if they are having something good, otherwise I usually just wait until I get off to eat. I really need to start bringing my lunch!
  • gogidget
    gogidget Posts: 70 Member
    Options
    I bring a weeks worth of healthy, fresh food items and keep in the work fridge. Also, keep re- filling a large water bottle from the office filtered water tap.
  • Kelley528
    Kelley528 Posts: 319 Member
    Options
    I bring all my meals and snacks to work. The only time I buy food is if im in the mood for a fresh salad. Luckily the buffet i go to for the salad has measuring spoon servers so I know exactly what I am putting into the salad. Other than that, I bring my own breakfast, lunch and snacks. I bring pineapple or strawberries for a sweet snack, an apple for the end of the day, if i want chips i bring the true snack size bags for 80 calories. I usually wind up having 2-3 healthy snacks at work plus my two meals.

    I think the key is bring enough with you and dont eat out on a daily basis.
  • nixism
    nixism Posts: 258 Member
    Options
    We have a fridge/freezer here, so I have healthy lunches each day at work - salad/soup/toast/etc. Once a fortnight I usually get sushi or a subway 6" for something different. We have a toaster here and also a toasted sandwich press, so it's easy to do somehting quick if I don't have time to make a salad. We also have a supermarket beside my work, so I just pop there on a Monday lunchtime, stock up for the week and I'm sorted :) I always have my water bottle with me and am often boiling the jug for green tea :)
  • fitwithin
    fitwithin Posts: 210 Member
    Options
    I always pack a good lunch with salad, protein (normally chicken), and green vegetable. For afternoon snack, I have a protein bar. I also bring snacks like celery sticks and Waldon Farm chipolte ranch dressing (0 calories). I bring 3 Ozarka waters (24 oz) to work. I usually drink half of one on the way to work and put one in the freezer when I get here. It makes drinking water a lot easier when it is nice and cold. It took the place of my 3 large Diet Dr. Pepper's a day. When I am craving something else, I make myself some ice tea with hot water and 2 tea bags.

Categories