Anyone who works at a desk and in front of a computer will tell you that they get hungry at work. In fact, most people find themselves eating and craving more food at work than they do at home or over the weekend. And t turns out there is actually a reason for that, and it isn’t because you are hungry.
The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study recently that found people consume 1300 extra calories from food at work each week, and this is why.
You’re dehydrated
Many adults confuse thirst for hunger and most people don’t drink the recommended two litres of fluid a day. If you’re feeling hungry have a glass of water and wait a few minutes to see if it quenches your craving.
You think you’re hungry because others are eating
Working in an office often means cakes to celebrate birthdays, afternoon drinks on Friday or morning tea meetings. We tend to eat when everyone else eats, in addition to our usual lunch. It’s best to resist temptation here and acknowledge you are only hungry and eating because others around you are doing so. Are you actually hungry? Or just eating because you can?
You eat because you can, not because you are hungry
Many people eat when they’re bored and being bored at work is no exception. The key to avoid eating food for boredom’s sake is by breaking you day up into different aspects of your job to avoid feeling bored by any one task, and have set meal times.
You have more access to food
A common theme that runs throughout almost every office is that there is always a variety of biscuits, cakes, fruit, muffins, snacks and vending machines lurking on every table and around every corner. Remove all unnecessary snacks from your desk and keep food in the fridge so you have to physically get up to go and get it. Avoid taking multiple tea and coffee breaks, because out of sight means out of mind, and visiting the coffee machine four times a day means access to extra food four times a day.
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