As for lunch, that will almost certainly consist of a sandwich and if the latest eating trends are to be believed, you are likely to be relying on a good deal of snacking throughout the day to keep your energy levels up. Many of us do not get to eat a proper meal until we finally sit down in a more relaxed environment at some stage at the end of the day and with modern technologies such as Blackberries and I Phones, it’s all too easy to never switch off from work and business commitments?! When we do get to relax and unwind from the stresses of our work, home and family life, the food we all seek can often be used as a “comfort” factor and indeed many of us have a reliance on that “large glass of wine” to help the process along as we crave to ease our tensions and fall all too often towards sleepless nights, with thoughts and anxiety turning over the never ending list of things to do in our non-stop lives.
If this sounds like you, then don’t worry you are definitely not alone.
Current consumer trends would indicate that many of us don’t get to eat breakfast at all, rather we rely on snacks and convenience foods that have poor calorific value and are unable to support our energy needs, often leaving us unable to perform work tasks at our best and adding to other stress triggers in our lives.
To help combat food stress, consider doing the following, balanced with weekly treats:
> Keep some mixed nuts and dried fruits in your work bag, office draw or car when travelling so as you can have one or two handfuls when hungry rather than fill up on confectionary or sugary snacks. > Keep fresh seasonal fruits on your desk and encourage work colleagues to do the same, perhaps this is something that your work place would help sponsor?
> Plan and prepare your lunch at home in advance, using quality produce with variation, avoiding fatty or high salt content ingredients. (do ensure that this is kept refrigerated prior to eating).
> Avoid drinking Alcohol through the week and give yourself periods away from consumption of fast foods & takeaways.
