Jackie Stanley

Healthier living means making healthy choices, both at home and at work. Many employers are recognizing that healthier employees are more productive and place less strain on health insurance premiums, and have adopted company-sponsored wellness programs. These programs include everything from workplace fitness centers and health screenings to offering incentives for quitting smoking and losing weight.

If you are fortunate enough to work for an employer that sponsors a wellness program, it makes sense to take advantage of the perks that they offer. But, the fact that your company doesn’t offer a wellness program does not mean your efforts to get fit, lose weight, and live well have to be put on hold during the work week.

Here are a handful of healthful tips that will support you in living well during your 9-to-5 workday:

Take a Stretch Break
Pause at least once every two or three hours to get up from your desk and stretch. You can bend over and touch your toes, or you can clasp your fingers and raise your arms overhead. Stretching improves flexibility and increases circulation. It is also a good way to clear your mind and relieve any stress that may be building up in your neck and shoulders.

Avoid Eating at Your Desk
One way to reduce your consumption of empty calories is to declare your desk area or work space a food-free zone. If you think about the food usually consumed at your desk, it tends not to be healthful. Limiting your intake of unhealthy snacks is critical to achieving your weight loss and wellness goals. The key to limiting your intake is closely monitoring your portions. It is almost impossible to pay attention to how much food you are consuming while you are answering e-mails and talking on the phone. That’s why developing the habit of eating away from your desk can lead to a healthier (and possibly slimmer) you.

Spend More Time at the Water Cooler
Make it a point to stay hydrated throughout the day. This is important for two reasons. Often, when you think you are hungry, you are in fact thirsty. Drinking lots of water is one way to stop the hunger pangs that often derail your weight loss and wellness goals. Secondly, according to F. Batmaghelidj, M.D., author of You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty!, “Water is the main source of energy formation in the body. Even the food that is supposed to be a good source of energy has no value to the body until it is hydrolyzed by water and energized in the process.”*

Control Clutter
One the biggest threats to our overall health and well-being is stress. And nothing triggers stress like being surrounded by piles of papers and stacks of clutter reminding you of everything you need to do. Pausing periodically throughout your day to organize your desk and tame the paper tiger will go a long way in improving your overall sense of well-being.

Find a Partner
Making a commitment to live well while at work is not easy, and you will need support. Finding a coworker who has similar goals and is willing to encourage you in staying focused on your goals can be your secret weapon in the battle to adopt a healthier lifestyle at work. You can meet at regular intervals to discuss your progress and offer suggestions in overcoming specific challenges and celebrate your victories. The most important thing you can do is hold each other accountable for doing what needs to be done in order to live a healthier workday life.

---

*Batmanghelidj, F. Water: For Health, For Healing, For Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty! New York: Warner Books, 2003.