Let’s face it, food is a good distraction at the workplace. We live in an era where most of us sit at a desk all day, and this sedentary lifestyle is one that our bodies aren’t used to. That has created a range of “new age” issues such as back pain, muscle aches, and health disorders.

However, there’s plenty of things we can do in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, starting with food. Maintaining healthy eating habits at the workplace can be challenging, especially when you’re surrounded by temptations. Here are some tips on how to maintain healthy eating habits at the workplace:

1. Prepare your food in advance: Nothing like homemade healthy meals to fill you up, and keep you healthy. Preparing your food in advance means you know exactly the portion your body needs to be full. Although in some office cultures, lunch is a time to socialize with your colleagues and is considered an integral part of the day. What do you do? Prepare your lunch anyways, and order the lightest salad on the menu. In that way, you’ll be full by the time you get to lunch and you won’t end up eating ready made restaurant meals.
2. Eat anywhere but your desk: You are more likely to overeat if you have lunch at your desk. When eating is not a separate part of your day with a separate environmental setting, it no longer becomes a fulfilling activity, instead it becomes a passive activity that bears no value, hence you end up snacking, chewing, and eating junk food passively. Moreover, the act of leaving your desk and eating has been shown to reduce stress and stimulate more productivity. Eat anywhere but your desk, it’s called a lunch break for a reason!
3. Surround yourself with healthy snacks: Whether it’s a fruit and nut mix, some apples, yogurt, or a few pieces of dark chocolate, surround yourself with healthy snacks in order to contain your stress-induced hunger. Also, it makes it easier to refuse temptations from coworkers.
4. Hydrate: It’s easy to confuse dehydration with hunger, especially at work when you’re overwhelmed with the tasks at hand. Keep a large bottle of water at your desk at all times, and make sure you finish it before you head home
5. The 15 minute rule: When all else fails, and you can’t resist temptation any longer, distract yourself with a 15 minute activity, specifically a 15 minute walk. Studies show that a 15 minute walk cuts your chances of snacking by 50%.