Are morning teas at work widening your waistline? Try these tips to avoid the office eating trap.
Michelle was a slim size 10 when she started working as an executive assistant at a large law firm. She had just finished university, went to the gym for at least an hour each day and was always too busy to eat. The new job was fabulous; her boss took her to work lunches, the other assistants were always inviting her to morning tea, and Friday-night work drinks were fantastic. After three months at the new job, Michelle noticed she had gained five kilograms.
What had happened? As most of us spend more than eight hours a day at our workplace, it has a strong influence on the way we eat. The office lolly jar, celebratory morning teas, the vending machine and an ever-increasing number of food outlets selling delicious lunch treats are just some of the temptations we are exposed to during the working day.
When this extra eating is combined with sedentary office jobs and long commutes, slow, inconspicuous weight gain is often the result. Food behaviourist Dr Brian Wansink has shown in food environment research that, basically, if food is there we will eat it. One study found that individuals who could see M&M's on their desk through a glass jar ate double the number of M&M's than colleagues who had the chocolates under the desk.
