To help kick off a healthy and manageable nutrition month, CPA Assist is pleased to share some helpful tips from registered dietitian and owner of Food First Nutrition Consulting, Emily Mardell. In her webinar, Healthy Eating 9 to 5, Emily identifies five common workday challenges that prevent working professionals from making healthy choices and how to overcome those challenges.
1. Rushed mornings
Time, or lack thereof, is the biggest barrier to “breaking-the-fast.” Approximately 40% of Canadians skip breakfast and when they don’t, many breakfasts contain at least one ultra-processed item and are prepared in five minutes or less.
Solution:
Consider setting aside time before your workweek begins for breakfast preparation. This can involve devoting an hour or so to breakfast recipes for freeze and thaw options (like overnight oats!) or planning simple, whole food meals, like apple slices, almond butter, and a glass of milk, to kick start your day.
2. A lack of options in the workplace
As many of our workplaces can be stressful environments, it’s very easy to forego healthy options, especially when catered events and meetings don’t offer options that align with our nutrition goals.
Solution:
Consider introducing healthy eating initiatives on an organization-level. This could include a fresh fruit program, active breaks, “walk & talk meetings”, and the creation of a workplace wellness committee to help the organization stay on track.
3. Poor lunchtime habits
Do your lunch habits align with your nutrition goals? Nearly 40% of Canadians skip lunch; when eating out, 58% of the time Canadians opt for fast food; and 30% of our daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods high in sugar, sodium, and/or saturated fat.
Solution:
Add lunch meal prep to your weekend plans and cook large batches to last through the week. You could also start a healthy lunch club with your colleagues. Or, if cooking isn’t your forte, substitute the cook and try a meal delivery service (like Hello Fresh or Chef’s Plate).
4. Mid-day slump choices
Most of us are familiar with mid-afternoon food cravings, but did you know that the top five snack choices are fresh fruit, gum, potato chips, chocolate, and candies? The average Canadian also consumes three and a half cups of coffee per day.
Solution:
Healthy snacks, proper hydration, and activity all combat the mid-day slump. So don’t shy away from satisfying your hunger, but eat sensibly portioned snacks that provide fibre, protein, and/or healthy fat; schedule movement breaks; and whenever possible reach for your water bottle first.
5. Commuter cravings
At the end of a busy workday, food decisions may be more impulsive and commuter cravings are a flag that your workday food routine can be improved. Are you getting enough protein in the day? Are you eating balanced meals?
Solution
Take a moment to reflect if your commuter cravings are a stomach, heart, or head hunger before reaching for something to eat. Stomach hunger is a physical hunger and our bodies’ way of asking for more calories so we have energy to continue through the day. Heart hunger relates to emotional needs and may cause you to believe food is the answer when time spent on self-care, meditation, or sharing affection with others would be more satiating. Head hunger is a psychological/environmental trigger which occurs when food is readily available or dangled in front of you, causing a sensation of hunger even though you’re not physically hungry.
To learn more about workday nutrition, check out the full webinar here: Healthy Eating 9 to 5.
CPA Assist provides confidential support to Alberta and Saskatchewan CPAs, CPA PEP candidates, and their immediate families, including up to two hours of dietary consultations per year. Access CPA Assist’s confidential support line at 1-855-596-4222 or cpaforbes@telus.net. For general information on the program, visit http://www.cpa-assist.ca. Questions? Please contact CPA Assist at contact@cpa-assist.ca.
