For alot of people, the workplace can sabotage your best intentions.  From stress to not-so-health-minded co-workers, you can easily lose focus.  The good news is, there are simple strategies you can follow to fool proof your work and stay in the right mind-set!

First, let's talk about stress because let's face it; every job leads to it!  Many people keep a stash of candy or make a bee line to a co-workers desk for a treat, when they're stressed.  Doing this every day can easily lead to weight gain. not to mention a mid-day energy crash.  The solution is to have a few stress buster strategies on hand.  Make it a point to resort to something other than food when you feel the stress coming on. Our favorites?  Going for a five minute walk, call a friend to catch up, or take a 5 minute meditation/breather session (just keep your door closed!).  For many people, it's as simple as learning how to say "No" once in awhile.  Balance is key to success, whether it's with your nutrition or at work and if your constantly taking on more than you can handle because your afraid to say "no", your may be heading for trouble.  Remember, while you can't control all stressful situations, you CAN control how you deal with it.

Another great tip?  Arm yourself (and your desk and work bag and the company fridge) with quick and healthy snacks like string cheese and fruit, a protien bar (great for those 3 pm pick me ups), fruit, nuts and protein powder.  By having something simple and tasty on hand, you can easily avoid that vending machine or your co-workers candy.  Which leads us to our next point...

How to deal with a co-worker who insists on unhealthy lunch spots or that you share their candy? Food is and always has been a wonderful form of bonding.  The challenge is when your lifestyle differs from those around you; it can feel awkward to explain your healthy choices.  The key is politely explaining that your working towards a healthy lifestyle and trying to save any "treats" for the weekend, when you really have time to enjoy your indulgences.  No one wants to come off as too "strict" with their food rules, and you don't have to be.  By explaining that your just trying to make healthier choices (without judging anyone else for their choices), and you prefer to indulge in a big dinner on Saturday night, you come across as a motiviated individual who still likes to have fun.  If your having trouble finding healthy choices at the local handout at lunch with your co-workers, limit it to once or twice a week, and look up healthy choices on their website ahead of time.  Sometimes you just have to remind yourself  that your goals are your own and stick to them.

And lastly, plan, plan, plan!  When we work with clients one on one in our offices or during phone coaching sessions, we always ask questions like, what time do you have breakfast?  What time do you take  your lunch break?  When can you fit in an afternoon snack at work?  The reason for this is so we can map out a simple food plan that works for your lifestyle.  If you don't plan ahead of time, you may have to miss a meal, which will only cause you to overeat later on. 

Living a healthy lifestyle while having a career can happen with the right tools and strategies in place.  Good luck!