Before I get into the tips, let me say this.  I’m very much into efficiency and suggesting actual meals is not an efficient approach, in my opinion.  Everyone has different preferences, goals and cultural tastses to consider.  I find that when you teach folks general guidelines, they’re more equipped to make better food choices.  So, here’s a basic food framework that I discuss with my clients:

• Try to include protein with each meal (especially if you’re active…and you should be!).
• Unless you’re doing something active later in the day (you should be…notice a theme yet?), restrict the amount of carbs you consume.
• Forgo soda and juice for water -  this will prevent you from consuming unnecessary empty calories that can sabotage your goals.
• Consume foods that are as fresh and raw (veggies and fruits)  as you can tolerate – they are more nutrient-rich/bio-available and contain more enzymes.
• Most things are fine in moderation (although this seems to be what folks in this country struggle with).

So with no further ado, here are some tips to help navigate the meal minefield while at work:

1. Pack your lunch – Bringing your own lunch to work has a couple of advantages.  You’re not only able to monitor what goes into your lunch bag – you’re also able to control the ingredients and condiments. 
2. Stay away from appetizers – Unless you’re anti-social or literally chained to your desk, you’re bound to go out with your colleague(s) at some point.   Restaurants offer many decent choices these days, but appetizers typically aren’t one of them.  Most of them are fried or or use ingredients that don’t really support a healthy lifestyle.  Save those calories for a healthy entree.
3. Portion control at office parties – Unlike most restaurants, where you’re able to read the main ingredients of a meal, pot luck dishes at office parties are a hodgepodge of the unknown.  That green-bean casserole looks tasty and those barbecue meat balls may make your mouth water, but I’d recommend some self-control at these events.  Since the primary goal of the “chefs” is to impress colleagues with tasty food, you can bet that most of the meals include ingredients that willprobably sabotage your health and fitness goals.  And, there’s really no way to know what’s in all these dishes or the quality of the actual ingredients.  So you have two choices: 1) watch your portions or 2) be a food snob and pass on the dishes altogether.  And, I haven’t even gotten to desert yet.
4. Bring your own snacks – Leave the chips, pretzels and candy in the middle aisles of the grocery store where they belong.  Opt for things that will satiate your hunger like nuts, high-quality protein shakes, fresh fruit/veggies.  Inevitably, there will be times when your TPS reports will be due and lunch is not an option.  These snacks will help you avoid unhealthy choices or overeating at dinner.

I know there will be times when you deviate from any semblance of a healthy food choices.  That’s fine, just do it in moderation.  The problem is that this is where most Americans tend to struggle.

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Coffee or tea?  Red Bull or 5 Hour Energy?  Coke or Pepsi?  Capsules or tablets?

All of us know someone who absolutely cannot get their day started without their cup of joe, soft drink, or caffeine shot.  Many fitness enthusiasts use caffeine supplements for a pre-workout jolt.  And students use various forms of caffeine to cram for finals.  As a matter of fact, one needs to look no further than the ubiquitous Starbucks/Caribou/(insert favorite coffee shop) retail locations.  Tea cafes are starting to grow in popularity as well.  So it’s easy to see how caffeine, in all it’s permutations, has grown to become the world’s most popular psychoactive drug.

Our ancestors used daylight and their circadian rhythms to govern their sleep patterns.  Once the Industrial Revolution became a way of life, we had no choice but to adapt.  Moving indoors cut us off from our natural environment and disrupted sleep patterns.  The electric light tricked the brain into thinking that it was time to be awake.  And the popularity of caffeinated beverages gave workers another weapon in the arsenal that enabled them to bypass normal bedtimes.  And so it persists today.

Although I don’t drink coffee or soda (I do drink tea on occasion), caffeine in small doses is generally accepted as safe.  However, people these days tend to have some issue with moderation.  Some research suggests that some of the side effects of excessive caffeine consumption include addiction, elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, jitters, diarrhea, plethoric amounts of urination (diuretic effect), tolerance (which leads to overuse) and its ability to block some nutrients from entering the bloodstream.

So, what’s a viable, natural alternative?

Many people have started using sublingual (Latin for “under the tongue”) B12 as another option for a natural ‘pick-me-up’.  The difference between sublingual B12 and traditional forms (anything ingested) is that the sublingual method enables the substance (B12 in this case) to be quickly absorbed into your bloodstream thereby providing a quicker and more intense energetic effect.  Ingesting supplements subjects it to the hostile environment of the digestive tract, which can alter its effectiveness.  Typically, I suggest that you get your macro/micro nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from clean whole food sources.  But, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not practical to have that approach all the time – schedules get out of whack and life gets a little crazy.  Plus, certain groups of people (eg – vegans) tend to be deficient since the best food sources are meat and dairy.

I tend to have pretty good natural energy levels.  However, like every one of you, life gets hectic and that can wear me down.  So, I have used B12 (coupled with chlorophyll) before workouts or sporting events with very good results and none of the side effects of caffeine.  If you are a caffeine junkie, I highly recommend that you slowly ween yourself off of it, and give sublingual B12 a try.  And as an added benefit, you’ll enjoy the other positive, long-term effects of B12 on your health as well.

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Every living organism on the planet has a basic rule etched into their DNA: adapt or die.  At a very basic level, it’s no different with our bodies.  Our cells will collectively adapt to what we do or don’t do.  It doesn’t take an expert in biomechanics to realize that our bodies were designed to be on the move.  Only 10,000 years ago agriculture became the dominant lifestyle for our ancestors.  Prior to that, we were mostly nomadic and were either foraging or hunting for food.  Both of these activities required a significant amount of movement.

To put this in perspective, the earth is estimated to be 3.5 to 4 billion years old.  The Hominid species, to which we belong, has existed for approximately 4 to 6 million years.  Modern humans, commonly referred to as Homo Sapiens, have been around for about 200,000 years according to scientists.  So the 10,000 years agriculture has existed is a relative blip on the evolutionary timeline.  Even then, there was more physical activity as we tended our gardens and fields where crops grew.  The point is that our bodies have really had no time to adapt to sedentary lifestyles.  And, why would one want it to when it’s designed for and  capable of so many physical feats?

Add delivery food, scooters, cars, elevators, escalators, public transportation and the like to the equation, and it’s easy to see why we hardly have to move anymore.  The unfortunate reality is that some of this is necessary because of how society has evolved around work.  So, it is up to each one of us to take the initiative to get our bodies moving before natural selection gets the best of us (question to self: would our bodies ever really adapt to sloth, Big Macs, and pizza?).  Following are 3 reasons to engage in some sort of physical activity during the work day:

• Obesity - Studies continue to support the undeniable link between inactivity and gaining unhealthy weight.  The primary reason is food choice and how our body adapts to energy metabolism.  Essentially, the less active we become, the less efficient our bodies become at utilizing glucose (sugar) and lipids (fats).  And, if your meals resemble the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) in any fashion, then highly-processed carbs are undoubtedly the cornerstone of you’re diet.  In addition to the plethora of diseases that arise from the inflammation caused by processed carbs, there is a more obvious and immediate impact.  When you consume a diet dominated by processed carbs and your activity level is too low, those extra calories that are not used by critical body systems (eg – nervous system) or stored as glycogen are stored as fat.  In simple tems, if you eat too many calories (processed carbs, in particular) and don’t move enough, you will get fat.

• Venous Thromboembolism- In addition to the obvious obesity risk, sitting for prolonged periods of time poses another, more subtle (but no less deadly) danger.  Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)/pulmonary embolism (PE), or venous thromboembolism,  is basically a blood clot in a deep vein.  We’ve all heard that we should get up and walk around on long flights.  DVT and PE is the reason experts recommend this.  This 2008 study conducted in New Zealand examined the link between seated immobility (office, home, flights) and venous thromboembolism.

• Heart Problems – A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, suggests that sitting for long periods of time can lead to heart issues and worse.  The interesting part of this study was that scientists discovered that it may be more beneficial to spread your activity throughout the day as opposed to one long exercise session per day.  Many folks are relatively sedentary throughout the day, but exercise for a specific period of time after work.  Ironically, this may not be an efficient use of the time you set aside for physical activity.  Some of you are aware that exercise is cumulative.  For instance, if you performed 3, 10-minute bouts of activity, some experts say that equals 30 minutes of exercise for that day (take the steps, walk around your building, etc.).  Add a moderate or intense bout of exercise to that, and that should be sufficient for your daily activity.

In short, it would behoove you to get off your behind frequently throughout the day.  Inactivity breeds inactivity.  We can all find time during work to chat, surf the internet, or talk on the phone.  Do yourself, your health and your figure a favor – get up and move something.

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Women’s Health

A cup of joe has never been my “cup of tea,” but I’ve read numerous studies on the subject over the years.  In the past, there had been concerns about women’s health and drinking coffee.  While there are studies that suggest that eliminating caffeine can affect PMS, fibrocystic breasts, and mineral absorption, none have have produced any causative, conclusive clinical link.  Females during their child-bearing years and those that breast feed should exercise caution, as should be done with any chemical that you ingest since it’s passed to the fetus/infant.   Proponents of coffee tout a wide array of benefits such as reduced risks of Type 2 diabetes risk, cirrhosis, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.  Some even used it to aid in weight loss.  Again, all of this is circumstantial and there are much more effective ways to improve your health, so take it with a grain of salt (or sugar).

Designer Coffee

When I hear about some of the menu options at popular coffee shops these days, the ingredients sound like the dessert section of a restaurant menu.  I guess coffee with cream got too boring (or the profit margins were too slim for manufacturers).  Vanilla bean frappuccino and pumpkin spice latte not only sound like Italian pastries, but they can negatively affect your health if consumed in excess.  High calories ingredients like HFCS and dairy won’t do your heart or waistline any favors.  I’ve written about the dangers of HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup) in a previous post, and will continue to write more as this is a controversial topic.  So, use some moderation as these beverages contain sneaky calories that can derail an otherwise healthy lifestyle.

Caffeine

Caffeine, coffee’s principal ingredient, is an addictive stimulant, and can result in full-fledged addiction in some people.  How many co-workers do you know who simply cannot get their day started without their cup of joe?  In low amounts, it does produce a sense of alertness, well-being and even euphoria.  In some, it can cause insomnia, however.  Although it doesn’t present the same risks, caffeine sounds eerily similar to other substances.  This is because, it crosses the blood-brain barrier and increases dopamine which affects the pleasure centers in your brain.  Again, its effects are not as insidious as illicit drugs , but the mechanism is the same.  Also, once the “high” from caffeine wears off, consumers tend to fight fatigue and even depression.  Taking all of this into consideration will hopefully make you think twice about drinking any caffeinated beverage in high amounts.

Bottom Line

A recent Harvard University study research suggests that one or two cups of coffee a day is probably not harmful.  Higher amounts over a long period of time can have a negative impact on your health though.  Adding sugary, high fat, high calorie ingredients coupled with a poor diet will turn your harmless cup of coffee into something altogether different and invite all the associated risks that come with it.

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• Establish a healthy lifestyle reputation from the start – Every colleague at every job I’ve ever had as an adult knows how serious I am about wellness.  Since all of this is established very early, colleagues already know I most likely won’t be eating any of the food.  If you’re already healthy and consistent, be humble, but proud and establish it with your co-workers from the get-go.

• Bring your own nutritious dish – Another option is to prepare and bring your own dish or two.  That way you’re confident that the ingredients and quality meet your standards.  Plus, you’ll avoid the haters who may label you snobby or uppity for not breaking bread with them.

• Moderation – If you’re one of those fortunate folks who possesses the increasingly rare ability to control your cravings, then those tempting whispers to sample every dessert and gorge yourself with soda will fall on deaf ears.  Assuming you’ve been relatively consistent with your lifestyle, one piece of pie will not sabotage your wellness goals.  This same mindset applies to alcohol as well since downing it in all its permutations adds empty calories (I call it “sneaky calories”), which can add up pretty fast.

• Stick to veggies, fruits, salads – If the peer pressure is just too much to handle, but you refuse to spike your insulin for the sake of being cool, then opt for a small plate of salad and fresh fruit.  Inevitably, there’s always one colleague that had better things to do than stay up late for a midnight bake-off.  So, they either whip up a quick salad, mixed fruit or just stop by the grocery store and pick a veggie tray.  Ironically (or not so ironically), these dishes tend to have the most left over once the party’s done.

• Eat something healthy beforehand – A quick snack before your party or happy hour will help to curb the hunger a little and make you less inclined to overeat the mostly unhealthy options.  Plus, having something in your stomach before happy hour will offset the drinks you may consume, if moderation is used.

• Be the designated driver – This way, you’ll not only avoid unwanted, sneaky calories from booze, you can take solace in the fact that you’re doing your friend/colleague and the public a great service.

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Is being chronically fatigued a recurring theme when you wake up in the morning, after lunch, on the way home from work or any time in between?  Caffiene-based solutions like soda or a cup of joe are poplular, convenient, and inexpensive (unless it comes from Starbucks).  However, recent studies suggest that the most effective way to combat chronic fatigue is with chronic exercise.

Researchers at the University of Georgia reported that healthy adults who perfom at least 20 minutes of exercise, three days a week reported feeling more rejuvenated.  Moderate exercise includes a wide variety of options like brisk walks, walking up hills, light jogging, biking, swimming, light resistance training, dancing…essentially any activity that will raise your heart rate to 55%-65% of your max heart rate (220-your age).  A simple way to gauge your moderate-intensity activity without having to do any calculations is that you should be able to hold a simple conversation while doing it.

Workplace Exercise

If you work behnd a desk or have obligations in the evening that make working out difficult, you have a few options.  I’ve seen colleagues form groups that get together around lunch time to walk around a specified route.  If you’re fortunate enough to have access to a gym in or near your building (as I do), by all means, take advantage of that option.  You get cardio, resistance, and shower (in case things get really intense).  I’ve also seen folks walking the steps in the building, which is a great exercise for the lower body.  Keep in mind that exercise is cumulatve, so a few minutes here and there add up over the course of a day.  This is why I always suggest people to park as far as they can from the entrance to the building, and to take periodic waks througout the day.

Stay Active, Eat Healthy

Trust me, I know very well how hectic things can get in the office which can prevent you from being somewhat active while at work.  There’s really no easy way around it, you just have to make sure that you carve out some time during the day to do something active.  In addition to the fatigue benefit, a brisk walk can also help you vent and relieve stress, a common feeling in the workplace.

Eating a diet that is supportive to an active lifestyle is probably just as, if not more important, than performing the actual activity.  So, moderate activity and limiting your intake of processed carbs (white bread, pasta, soda, packaged snacks, desserts, etc.) will go a long way toward eliminating that feeling of fatigue from your day.

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