Working From Home and Unlimited Access to Food!
Hello, Friend! Happy Tuesday!
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I work from home. Which means I work about 10-20 feet from my kitchen at all times. Which means I have access to food all day long.
I fully admit that there are some days I find myself making multiple trips to the cabinet/fridge for a few bites of this or that all day long… many times when I’m not even hungry. (Don’t misunderstand me, there’s nothing wrong with having a snack if you need one, just make sure it’s an appropriate amount and fits within your goals… I’m talking about mindless eating here!)
Something like this:
I imagine this is also something many of us dealt with when we were home during the pandemic. Or maybe you work in a place where there’s access to food all the time. Same thing.
I’ve also talked to people who work from home that actually find themselves eating less during the day too because they don’t have food prepared and don’t care to make something or go get something to eat… same kind of problem from the opposite side. I imagine the suggestions below can help with this side of things too!
Anyway… How does this increased access impact what and how much we eat?? How can we manage our intake to make sure we’re not eating too much?
Good questions, and we’ll get into some solutions in a second, but first, why do we gravitate towards food like this in the first place?
Well, food tastes good. And chances are when we’re eating more than we’d like it’s typically the more highly processed foods that we’re eating, not necessarily the fruits and veggies (though if that’s you, great!). These highly-processed foods are designed to keep you going back… they’re salty, and sweet, and tasty.
We also might “use” food to fill a void… have work you’re not excited about doing? stressed? feeling sad? Food can help! (Or it seems that way anyway!)
Bottom line, working from home—or having an all-access pass to food—while being surrounded by the kitchen and food all the time can present various challenges, especially for individuals striving to maintain a balanced and healthy diet.
Okay okay okay… Let’s dive into some common problems people might encounter, along with potential solutions:
Problem 1: Constant Access to Food
Potential Solution: Designate specific meal and snack times. Having structured eating times can prevent constant grazing throughout the day. Additionally, practicing mindful eating, where we pay attention to hunger and fullness cues, can help make conscious food choices. You might even “pack” your food for the day as if you were leaving the house, even though you’re not, and only eat those foods.
Problem 2: Emotional Eating
Potential Solution: Once we recognize that we are “using” food, we need to find alternative ways to cope with emotions, such as journaling, practicing relaxation techniques, movement, or engaging in hobbies. We might also be able to identify triggers for emotional eating and develop strategies to address those triggers without turning to food.
Problem 3: Overindulgent Snacking
Potential Solution: Keep healthy snacks readily available, such as pre-cut/washed fruits, vegetables, or nuts. Plan and prepare snacks in advance to avoid reaching for less healthy or filling options. Depending on your personal relationship with certain foods, consider not buying things that you tend to overeat.
Problem 4: Lack of Physical Activity
Potential Solution: Incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine. This can include home workouts, stretching exercises, or even short walks during breaks. An extra trip up and down the stairs when you get up to use the bathroom? Great! You can even set reminders to stand up and move every hour to break up long periods of sitting.
Problem 5: Social Influence
Potential Solution: Open communication with family members or people around you about what you’re working on and the importance of maintaining a healthy eating environment is key. Tell people what you’re working on and ask for help! Support from those around you can make it easier to stick to a balanced diet.
Problem 6: Boredom/Emotional Eating
Potential Solution: Find non-food-related activities to combat boredom, such as reading, journaling, puzzles, or creative pursuits. You might even create an actual list of enjoyable activities to engage in when they feel bored, emotional, stressed, or restless.
By addressing these common challenges and implementing these solutions, we can create a healthier work-from-home environment and maintain a balanced approach to our nutrition and overall well-being.
If this is something you experience or would like to curb, pick one or two of these suggestions above to help you… don’t try to do all of them at once! And let me know if any of them are particularly helpful or unhelpful!
Not sure what foods you want to be prioritizing anyway?? I’d love to help! Send me an email at sara@nutritionforlifeproject.com and we’ll chat!
As always, thank you for reading!
xoxo,
Sara