With the advent of free food in companies as a perk, eating and snacking in the office has become a favorite pastime. Popcorn, cookies, and baked goods are becoming standard in many office kitchens, and eating at one’s desk or on the go has become the norm.
When we eat quickly, or on the go, our bodies take longer to recognize they’re full, which results in over eating. And over eating can contribute to weight gain, excess body fat, abnormal cholesterol levels and high blood sugar levels, all of which are directly tied to diabetes and heart disease. Reducing overeating has a multitude of positive effects. It helps prevent diseases like diabetes and heart disease and reduces occurrences of metabolic syndrome.
To combat overeating and prevent diseases, it’s time for both employers and employees to make employee health a priority. Employers can help enable healthier choices and employees should be mindful of healthy eating habits in the office.
A great habit that is worth forming is to slow down the eating process and really think about what is being eaten and why. This will connect the mind and body and promote mindful eating. Remember that the “what” is not as important as the “what is in the food.”
For example, consciously view the ingredients in food and consider if it is full of chemicals, fat or sugar, and then decide if it is still worth eating.
Below are some tips to boost employee health. Use these ideas to encourage your employees to practice mindful eating in the office, and increase their overall wellness at work:
- Set aside at least 20 minutes for lunch
- Always sit down to eat, preferably without distractions of mobile devices
- Take smaller bites, and chew slowly and purposefully
- Take a sip of water between bites
- Put down your food or cutlery between each bite
- Completely finish chewing and swallowing each bite before putting more food on your fork
- Be mindful of the process, and practice enjoying the smell, taste and texture of what you are eating
There is no reason why the place most of us spend the greatest number of waking hours each day cannot contribute to our health! It’s time to make wellness at work a priority. Developing positive eating habits at work is a start. Making employee health a point of importance creates a positive work environment for everyone and will increase employee productivity, happiness and overall performance.
Newtopia takes wellness at work a step further with customized corporate health programs that focus on individual needs of each employee. Customizing our corporate health programs to each employee, and focusing on individual wellness coaching, has been proven to help prevent diseases like diabetes and heart disease, reduce instances of metabolic syndrome, and increase employee productivity and overall health.