Christmas music is in the air. Trees are trimmed. Holly adorns the office. And just a few steps away the break room, teaming with holiday treats, beckons. If you are hemmed in on all sides by Christmas deliciousness and your waistline doesn’t know where to turn for help, read on for tips in pulling off healthy holiday eating at work.
Don’t be stressed about the holiday treats flowing into your office! Here’s a guide to healthy holiday eating at work:
- Make a pre-game eating plan
- Drink low-sugar holiday beverages
- Pick a few treats and pass on the rest
- Avoid break room treats or
- Use break room treats as a reward for good work
- Get right back on the wagon if you fail
Holiday Parties: Plan for Success
The key to healthy holiday eating at work is making a plan ahead of time. If you’re generally aware of what food will be present at the party, you’ll be less likely to be caught off guard and overindulge. Do a little research ahead of time to see what your coworkers will be bringing to the office party. Is your colleague is bringing his dynamite crab dip? Is your boss making her to-die-for triple chocolate ganache brownies? Estimate the calories you want to allot to those things and pare down other calories earlier in the day.
Drink Low-Sugar Holiday Beverages
Hot cocoa, syrupy holiday cocktails, and punch are packed with calories and sugar. Avoid excess weight gain and harm to your teeth at the holiday office party by choosing low-sugar beverages. Sparkling water mixed with a little juice, spirits with club soda or a diet mixer, or a little wine are better-for-you options. Drinking water between beverages will keep your mouth healthier and help you from overdoing it.
Choose a Few, Skip the Rest
Your amazing boss has rolled out an incredible holiday lunch buffet for you and your team. What to do? Before getting in line, take a quick inventory of what’s available. Make a plan to choose only a few rich items and fill the rest of your plate with fruits, vegetables, or salad. Practicing healthy holiday eating at work will help you keep your attention on the task at hand and collaborating well with your colleagues instead of becoming fixated on the food.
The Break Room: Is It Worth It?
When the afternoon slump rolls around and your empty stomach reminds of you of all of the leftover holiday treats waiting for you down the hall in the office break room, ask yourself: is it worth it? You’ve worked hard this year to exercise, drink lots of water, go for walks during the day when you can. Is it worth undoing your hard work for the holiday leftovers that have seen better days? If it’s not, plan to bring a festive snack to enjoy that’s healthier and superior to the empty calories available in the break room. Spiced nuts, specialty popcorn, or fun cheeses are special afternoon snacks you can treat yourself to help maintain healthy holiday eating at work.
Use the Break Room as a Reward
And if something in the break room is worth indulging in—Mack from finance’s cheesecake, for instance—use that to motivate yourself to perform a difficult work task. Resolve to motor through the morning without stopping to check social media or online shop. After a well-spent morning, the break room can provide a little fuel to keep up the good work in the afternoon. It should not, however, be an always-available option for whenever you feel like it.
If You Fail
Overindulging during the holidays is difficult to completely avoid. If you do overdo it, make sure to get right back on track at the very next meal—not next month. Don’t let one mistake be an excuse to eat poorly at other times. Poor eating habits formed during the holidays can be difficult to shake off in the New Year.
Affiliated Dentists wishes you and your loved ones a happy and healthy holiday season!
Affiliated Dentists offers, among other services, general dentistry in Madison, Wisconsin:
Affiliated Dentists East Office
100 River Pl, Suite 220
Madison, WI 53716
Phone: (608) 222-3231
Affiliated Dentists West Office
5601 Odana Rd
Madison, WI 53719
Phone: (608) 274-9077
