Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds
Issue link: https://diversitywoman.epubxp.com/i/169650
DW Life Workday Willpower Eating healthy in the workplace can be challenging. Here are some practical tips for avoiding the doughnut and potato chips pitfall. By Sherri Eng ttorney Yuliya Oryol tries to eat healthy. But that's a challenge come Friday, when her San Francisco law frm sets out doughnuts and bagels for the staf. Trow in the end-ofthe-month parties complete with cake, snacks, and wine, and any hope of sticking to a nutritious diet simply goes out the window. Oryol admits that it's a test of her willpower to steer clear of these calorie-laden goodies. "It's hard to avoid these things when you're in the ofce, especially if you're rushing to get to work on time and as a result skipped breakfast," she says. "Or, you're on a conference call all morning and skip lunch, so you resort to bagels and other junk because you don't have time to go outside to grab a salad or something healthy." THINKSTOCKPHOTOS A di ve rs i tywoman. com When it comes to making healthful choices, the workplace is full of pitfalls. As women work their way up the corporate ladder, they're facing increasing responsibilities and greater demands on their To Your time, which often leads them to make unhealthy decisions. "When you're in the workplace, you have no control. You're on the go and you don't have time to think about being healthy," says Monica Reynolds, MD, a cardiologist in White Plains, New York. Following are some work-induced health mistakes women make—and ways to avoid them. Skipping breakfast. We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yet, it's the frst to fall by the wayside when we're hurrying to get the kids out the door and ourselves to work > on time. Starting the day with a healthful breakfast, which should include some protein, helps reduce hunger later in the day, gives you energy, and improves your concentration. Some women may view skipping breakfast as a way to lose weight, but studies have shown the contrary. Tose who don't eat breakfast tend to overeat at their next meal, which, in turn, may cause weight gain. "People think, 'Well, I didn't eat breakfast, so I can make lunch two meals,'" says Rebecca Solomon, clinical nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Even if you don't have time for a full, sit-down breakfast every morning, there are easy ways to get in this all-important meal. Although it might be convenient to eat a doughnut or pastry with your morning cofee, try to resist the temptation. Easy, healthful, portable breakfast foods include a piece of fruit and a cup of yogurt. "Have a supply of items in your refrigerator that you know you'll eat and can grab on your way out," says Solomon. "Put a sticky note on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror to remind yourself to grab your breakfast." She also suggests keeping packets of instant oatmeal or all-natural bars—she likes Kind whole-nut and fruit bars—in a desk drawer. Skimping on lunch. Te lunch "hour" seems Health to have gone the way of the three-martini lunch: many ofce dwellers skip lunch completely or scarf down the midday meal at their desks. Eating quickly at your desk while continuing to work isn't that pleasant, and Solomon warns that it can also lead to weight gain. Te body does not register satiety if food is consumed in less than 20 minutes. So if you simply slow down and savor your food, you will fnd that a small amount is just as satisfying as a larger portion. Better yet, don't eat at your desk. Try at least to go to the ofce lunchroom, or eat outside at a nearby park. Fa ll 2 0 1 3 DI V E RSI T Y W O MAN 57