The "Growing" Corporate Scene

As newbies to the work force, this has been a hot topic between friends and I recently. We have been discussing the "corporate" lifestyle and the non-healthy atmosphere, and supplemental weight gain, that comes with it. There are several culprit situations that I can identify leading to my friends' weight worries.
1. Lunch - Many meetings take place over lunch with clients, forcing people to eat at restaurants. Additionally, many offices order lunch in on a regular basis. Even though they are staying in the office to eat, they are still eating food from restaurants. This still makes it hard to control the type of food provided and portion sizes.
2. Happy hours - Many corporations use happy hours to increase office moral, dabbling in some social mingling. Other times happy hours are used to network with other professionals. Either way, these after hour events come with several hundred calories of alcoholic drinks and perhaps an added appetizer (because you're starving after work) that is most likely not a spinach salad with light dressing.
3. Traveling - Many jobs involve traveling to other cities, forcing the worker bee to stay in hotels and eat out three meals a day. This is when it gets really tough. You don't know your way around a city, so you settle on whatever is closest to your hotel or whatever you can order at the hotel bar. Its on the company's tab, so money is usually no object, and you end up over-ordering/over-eating. Also, being out of town gets you out of your regular work-out routine (if you have one.)
4. Caffeine Addictions - Looking at a computer 8 hours a day, 5-6 days a week is not the most energizing activity. So, millions of Americans have to turn to their favorite caffeine source. Coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks...anything!! There are several issues with this. If you are drinking caffeine sources all day, then you are dehydrated and your body is going to start holding on to fluid, making you feel and appear bloated. If you are drinking regular soda, then you are also consuming hundreds of calories of just sugar - all day, every day. Not looking so good.

So, to sum up, if you are out of town and tired, you're screwed!!

5. General Issues: Office candy bowls, morning bagels, co-workers going out to eat together, wanting to get out of the office - so you go out to lunch, being drained after work and not wanting to work out, sitting all day at a desk, vending machines, etc. The list goes on and on.

The work force is set up in a way that people are failing when it comes to health. You have to go out of your way in order to stay fit and healthy. So, how do you do it?

1. Lunch - If you have to go out to eat, the best thing to do is look at the nutritional facts ahead of time! Make sure you are eating something that is going to re-energize you instead of slow you down - grilled chicken salad with cheese and a light dressing as opposed to creamy potato soup and rolls. If you have to get out of the office, pack your lunch, eat it and then go for a walk around the block. Pack your lunch and take it to a near-by park. During days that are too hot or too cold, pack your lunch, eat it, and then run an errand - pick up your dry cleaning, fill up your gas tank, anything. You can get out of the office without eating at a restaurant. If your office orders in, eat the main dish provided, but still eat the fruit that you packed instead of having the rolls, mac and cheese, potato salad, or whatever other high calorie side provided.
2. Happy Hours - make sure to have a snack at the office before you go. This way, you won't be tempted by appetizers. You don't have to drink alcohol. Ask the bartender to poor you a diet soda, lemonade, or water in a cocktail cup with a lime in it. Done. No one will ask to sniff your drink. If they do, don't do business when them. They are creepy. If you want to drink, just watch the amount. It adds up fast.
3. Traveling - This does take some organization and the ability to eat out healthily. Plan ahead. Ask the hotel if they have a gym - map quest healthy restaurants, etc. This is where you just have to put the effort in.
4. Caffeine - When you are falling asleep, go for a quick power walk (around the office, or outside)- works just as good as caffeine and it burns calories. Keep water on your desk at all times so that you are more likely to drink it!
5. Others - These situations take will power and talking to whoever is causing the issue. If Sally Sue continues to replace the candy in the reception area, talk to her and see if she would be willing to replace the candy with different kinds of mints. Be a leader! Get people to go to the park or on a walk. Suggest one day a week where everyone brings their lunch and goes for a walk around the block! More people might be into it than you think.

You just have to realize that it is doable. And although being in a corporate setting is difficult, it is not impossible to stay corporate and stay healthy!