Helping employees control their eating habits

It is never easy to give up soda, potato chips, and all of our unhealthy eating habits. When you work at a desk job, you may find that you get the munchies a lot and you have to deal with a lot of sitting which can put the weight on you quickly. Employers will start to notice that their healthcare costs are starting to rise because they have too many employees that are simply out of shape. Employers need to step up and do something about their employees bad eating habits. Here are a few things you can do:

• Start offering healthy office snacks. Employees will eat what you put in front of them. If you have a vending machine filled with sugary and salty snacks, there is no question why your employees are overweight. Get rid of the unhealthy foods and start offering healthier options like granola bars, trail mix, and water.
  
• Instead of bringing doughnuts to the meeting, bring in some fruit trays. This is a great way to help your employees make better food decisions because they will not have the temptation to snack on the unhealthy foods.
  
• Take your employees out to lunch and go to a salad bar. Show them that you are committed to living a healthier lifestyle and they will start to follow your example. It may take awhile for it to catch on, but employees will start to notice a difference in the way they feel when they make healthier food choices.

Since healthcare costs continue to go up, a lot of employers are looking for ways to offset this cost. One way you can encourage your employees to start eating healthier is to tell them that you will charge them if they are overweight. While many people do not think this is fair, overweight employees are just as big of a risk factor as an employee that smokes. By threatening to charge them, you may be giving your employees the motivation they need to get rid of the weight and start eating healthier.

You can help them find time to exercise at work by offering longer breaks and extended lunch hours. If you cannot afford to sacrifice working time, consider offering employees the chance to exercise while working. Toning cords and exercise balls are a great way to exercise while you are sitting there typing away all day. They help to tone up the legs, back, abdomen, and buttocks muscles. They can also improve your posture and they can make the day go by faster.

Soda will put the weight on you quickly. If you really want to commit to your health, stop drinking soda. Employers can help by offering bottled water or offering a drinking fountain or watering cooler for their employees. Try to get rid of soda and coffee and encourage employees to drink water, milk, and 100% fruit juice drinks. The great thing about water is that it can help to fill you up. This can help you with some of the cravings you may be having in between meals and it allows you to cleanse your body.

Moderation is the key to healthy office eating. Its okay if you want to snack on some Triscuits and cheese, just follow the serving size so you know exactly how much to eat. If you are counting calories, it is important to check on the serving size. Use plastic baggies to help you control your portions. This way you will know you can only have the snacks that are in the baggies and once you are out, you are out.