Office Snacking - How To Make Healthy Choices

Most people enjoy a snack, especially when they have so much to do in the hectic and fast paced world we live in. Multitasking is now the norm which is why it is far too easy to grab something whilst you are on the go. It is certainly not uncommon to be composing an email, being on the phone to a client, acknowledging a colleague who is walking by, wondering if you turned the dishwasher on before you left work and trying to devour a flapjack and drink a coffee that is going cold - all at the same time!

I have to be honest - I love snacks and I love sugary snacks. I know how easy it is to fill your working day with a snack here and a snack there and not realise the extent of unhealthy food you have consumed in one day. Sugar is addictive and like any addiction, requires a lot of determination and will power to change your lifestyle.

The NHS recommends that adults should not be consuming more than 30g of free sugars - these are sugars which are already added to food and drink and found naturally in items such as unsweetened smoothies -  and that it should not make up more than 5% of your daily diet. Unfortunately, even the simple and enjoyable act of buying a coffee at a well known coffee shop during your tea break could contain around 68 g of sugar which is well over double the total amount you should be consuming in one day. Add your favourite chocolate bar to the mix and you begin to realise just how much sugar you are unwittingly consuming.

Making the decision to swap the convenience food for more healthy alternatives can have a hugely positive impact on your wellbeing and actually increases your productivity at work by maintaining energy levels that would normally have taken a dip after consuming sugary products. Sugar causes the brain to create a surge of ‘feel good’ chemicals and the body begins to crave more and more, causing addiction very quickly. After glucose enters your body, insulin is released which absorbs excess glucose and stabilises blood sugar levels. After this happens, blood sugar drops once more. This is the ‘sugar rush’ followed by the all too familiar fatigue and lethargy which many people can identify with.

Planning ahead is essential. Before leaving for work, or the evening before, decide what healthy snacks you will be taking into the office. Sliced vegetables, chopped up fruit, nuts and seeds are all good choices and having these readily available will reduce temptation to snack on other less healthy items. Snacks that contain plenty of nutrients and almost no calories are also excellent choices such as greek yogurt. Snack foods rich in protein can keep you feeling full and these include food such as hard boiled eggs or whole grains.

Staying adequately hydrated can often be overlooked as it is easy to mistake thirst for being hungry. The NHS recommends that people have 6-8 glasses of fluid each day so top up your water bottle regularly throughout the day.

Practice mindful eating especially during your breaks, where you can fully enjoy and savour each bite, allowing you to appreciate the flavour and texture, while at the same time letting your body and mind rest and recharge.

Educate your colleagues regarding healthy eating and encourage them to do the same, perhaps setting fun challenges so you can inspire one another.

Healthy snacking is certainly not about depriving yourself of anything but more about discovering healthy food and nourishing both body and mind so you can function at your best. By striving to make positive choices with the way you eat, you will very soon notice the difference in how you feel and how productive you have become.